What Is an Epileptic Seizure?

Epilepsy refers to an acute, recurrent, paroxysmal brain dysfunction caused by excessive discharge of brain neurons, manifested as consciousness, movement, autonomic nerves and mental disorders. Seizures are a common emergency in neurology and can be seen at any age, but are most common in children and adolescents. Sudden epileptic seizures, especially major ones, must be treated urgently and effectively. If missed or improperly handled, they can often be life-threatening.

Basic Information

English name

epileptic attack

Visiting department

Neurology

Multiple groups

Children and adolescents

Common symptoms

Loss of consciousness, convulsions

Causes of seizures

Seizures are an acute, recurrent, paroxysmal brain dysfunction caused by the over-discharge of neurons in the brain.

Clinical manifestations of seizures

Children and adolescents have the highest incidence, manifested by consciousness, movement, autonomic nerves, and mental disorders. Sudden seizures, especially major ones, are often life-threatening if missed or handled incorrectly.
The clinical manifestations of seizures are complex and diverse. Generally, the clinical manifestations of epileptic seizures are divided into four types:

Major outbreak

It is characterized by sudden loss of consciousness and generalized convulsions, also known as generalized tonic-paroxysmal seizures, accounting for approximately 50%, including both primary and secondary. Most had no aura symptoms before the onset, and a few patients first felt transient discomfort, headache, dizziness, etc. The onset of a typical attack is loss of consciousness, a yelling and a fall, followed by extremities and trunk extension or angulation, which lasts for about 10 to 20 seconds, then turns into a spasm of space, and suddenly stops after about 1 to 2 minutes. The patient From onset of apnea, pale complexion to cyanosis, dilated pupils, disappearance of light reflection, accompanied by incontinence. Consciousness and breathing gradually recovered after the attack, but still felt weak, sore, and lethargic.

2. Minor seizures

It is characterized by a transient disturbance of consciousness, also known as a lack of seizure. More common in children after 2 to 3 years. Sudden loss of consciousness during the episode, stillness, silence, gaze in both eyes, and no memory afterwards.

3. Focal attack

No obvious disturbance of consciousness, mainly manifested as local symptoms, such as angle of mouth, eyelid, clonic convulsion of fingers and toes. Sometimes patients are mainly affected by local sensory disorders, such as local sensory numbness, acupuncture, and touch inductance.

4. Psychomotor seizures

It is mainly characterized by psychiatric symptoms and manifests as various psychomotor or psychosensory disorders.

Among the above four types, the most dangerous is a major attack.

Seizure diagnosis

The diagnosis of epilepsy is generally not difficult, and most patients have a history of seizures. Seizures are generally classified into four types due to differences in the location, spread, and spread of abnormal brain discharges.

Treatment of major seizures

1. Tonic convulsions

(1) Anti-biting When you see a major seizure in an epilepsy patient, don't panic. When tonic convulsions, twist a towel or handkerchief into a twist and place it between the upper and lower teeth (molar teeth) to prevent biting the tongue and Soft tissues in the mouth;

(2) Press gently to protect the patient's limbs when strong twitching occurs, you can gently hold the limbs and follow the momentum of convulsions to protect them with some strength, but never try to use strong force to stop the seizures, so as not to cause unnecessary damage When the direction of action of the force and the convulsion is opposite, it may cause joint dislocation and even fracture;

2. Sleepiness

After the major attack ceases, the patient becomes lethargic. At this time, the patient should be transferred from the supine position to the lateral position to help expel oral secretions and prevent aspiration pneumonia caused by aspiration into the airway;

3. State of epilepsy

If the patient's consciousness is still unclear during drowsiness, he cannot still be quiet and disturbed. At this time, the patient should be carefully taken care of to avoid accidentally hurting others and self-injury. When major seizures occur frequently, it is called a state of persistent epilepsy, and you should go to a nearby hospital for treatment as soon as possible.

Seizure prevention

In daily life, patients with epilepsy should pay attention to preventing seizures, and do not go to dangerous places as much as possible, do not engage in high-altitude, water and high-temperature operations, pay attention to regular life, avoid mental stimulation, adjust diet, etc., the most important thing is to follow the doctor's order Dosing on time.