Understanding Epileptic Seizures or Fits

Understanding Epileptic Seizures or Fits

An Epileptic Seizure or Fit can be defined as either the loss of consciousness, a prolonged convulsion, muscle jerks or even the briefest lapses of attention. They could occur once a year or several times a day. It is the result of a temporary disruption of the brain function due to the hypersynchronous discharge of cortical neurons (nerve cells that make up the cortex of the brain). These cells communicate via electrical impulses, during a seizure or fit, the electrical impulses are disrupted.

Epileptic seizures or fits have 2 classifications: Partial Seizure or Fits and General Seizures or Fits.

Partial Seizures

Partial seizures are disruptions in one part of the brain. This causes localized or Focal symptoms because different parts of the brain cause different functions.

There are two types of Partial Seizures: Simple and Complex.

Simple Partial Seizures: may cause muscular jerks or spasms, they may even create a strange feeling in a given part of the body like pins and needles. There will be no loss on consciousness and the episode is likely to last from a few seconds to a few minutes.

Complex Partial Seizures: an individual will experience a partial loss of consciousness (losing awareness of their surrounding). Again the episode is likely to last from a few seconds to a few minutes. They may wander aimlessly, speak incoherently or adopt some form of inappropriate behavior.

Generalized Seizures or Fits.

Generalized seizures are disruptions of both sides of the brain at once and may result in the loss of consciousness and/or muscle contractions or stiffness. There are a number of subcategories for generalized seizures:

Petit Mal or Absence Seizure. An individual will experience a brief loss of consciousness (3 to 30 seconds). You may see the individual’s eyes flicker or simply consider them to be day dreaming.

Tonic Seizures. An individual will lose consciousness (sometimes with a piercing cry). The individual becomes rigid and collapses. Breathing can stop and there may be the loss of bowel control. This can last for up to a minute.

Atonic Seizure. An individual will experience sudden relaxation of the muscles. They may fall to the ground.

Clonic Seizures. An individual loses consciousness but this time the muscles contract and relax, creating a jerking motion. Breathing can stop and there may be the loss of bowel control.

Grand Mal or Tonic-Clonic Seizure. This is a tonic seizure followed by a clonic one. At the end of this attack the entire body relaxes and the individual remains unconscious for a while.

Myoclonic Seizures. An individual will experience arm, leg or upper body twitches, jerks or spasms. This episode is likely to last for a fraction of a second only, and the individual remains conscious.

Status Epilepticus.

Status Epilepticus is defined as 30 minutes of continuous seizure or fit activity or a series of seizures or fits without returning to full consciousness between the seizures. This may cause brain damage due to the lack of oxygen circulating to the brain.

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