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Signs of Seizure Activity

Although seizures affect the body by causing convulsions and bodily shaking, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke states that they are actually symptomatic of a brain disorder. The uncontrollable body movements that accompany a seizure occur when the brain sends off faulty electrical signals. Although seizures are unpredictable and uncontrollable, recognizing the symptoms of a seizure can help you seek the treatment you need.

  1. Warning Signs

    • Although it is impossible to predict when seizures will occur, certain symptoms can warn people that they may have a fit soon. These include confusion, feeling spacey or detached, a tingling in the stomach, seeing spots or experiencing strange tastes and smells, according to the website of clinical neuropsychologist Glen Johnson. Recognizing recurring warning signs may help you prepare for seizures and feel more in control of your condition, though Johnson warns that many seizures occur without warning.

    During the Seizure

    • Some seizures are hardly detectable, such as an involuntary hand motion or a brief loss of consciousness. These episodes may last for only a few seconds at a time, though seizures can go on for two to five minutes, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. In other seizures, the body involuntarily stiffens or relaxes. The sufferer sometimes maintains consciousness for the duration of the seizure, but cannot control the affected muscles.

    Grand-Mal Seizure Symptoms

    • The most easily recognizable seizure is the grand-mal seizure, which involves full-body convulsions and loss of consciousness. This often causes the person to fall on the floor, unable to control his movements. Typically the seizure happens in stages. For the first 30 seconds to one minute, the sufferer collapses, goes unconscious and stiffens. For the next 30 seconds to one minute, the sufferer jerks uncontrollably. These seizures can cause incidental problems, such as urination accidents and tongue wounds from biting down too hard. If the sufferer has trouble breathing during the seizure, he or she may start turning blue.

    Post-Seizure

    • After every seizure comes a period of intense fatigue, according to Johnson. An article by the National Institutes of Health states that other post-seizure symptoms include mild confusion, temporary weakness in one side of the body and headaches. The sufferer may be unable to recall events that happened just before the seizure. After a grand-mal seizure, the sufferer usually falls into a deep slumber, and most people feel sleepy or drowsy for at least an hour afterward.

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