Epilepsy: Common Symptoms to Look Out For

Epilepsy, also known as a seizure disorder, causes recurring seizures. Different types of epilepsy have different causes. In some patients, the cause can be identified; in others, the cause is unknown. 

Globally, approximately 50 million people have Epilepsy, making it one of the most common neurological disorders. Of these, 80% of patients belong to low- and middle-income countries.

What are the Symptoms of Epilepsy?

Seizure symptoms vary depending on the type. Since certain brain activities cause epilepsy, it can affect any brain process. The symptoms of seizure may include the following:

• Temporary confusion
• Stiff muscles
• A staring spell
• Loss of awareness or consciousness
• Uncontrollable jerking movements of the legs and arms 
• Psychological symptoms including anxiety, fear, or deja vu
• Change in behavior (sometimes)

Most patients with epilepsy tend to have the same type of symptoms each time. Symptoms are usually similar from one episode to another.

Watch below the successful treatment story of Mr. Victor Githinji from Kenya, who started having recurrent generalized tonic-clonic seizures in 2012. 

What are the Types of Seizures?

Seizures can be categorized into focal or generalized based on the locations of the brain activity where the seizure begins.

Focal (Partial) Seizures

Focal seizures happen due to abnormal electrical activity in one or more areas of one side of the brain. Some patients experience warning signs (aura) in the moments before a seizure begins. 

The most common aura involves feelings such as the following:

• A sensation in the stomach
• Deja vu
• Impending doom
• Fear
• Euphoria
• Dizziness
• Loss of balance
• Visual changes such as a steady or flashing light, a color, or a shape
• Hearing abnormalities
• Changes in the sense of smell

Symptoms of focal seizures may sometimes be confused with other neurological disorders, such as narcolepsy, migraine, or mental illness. A thorough medical diagnosis and testing are required to distinguish epilepsy from other disorders.

What are the Types of Focal Seizures?

• Frontal lobe seizures: These seizures begin in the frontal lobe, which controls movement. These seizures result in patients moving their heads and eyes to one side. These patients won't respond when spoken to and may laugh or scream. They might extend one arm, flex the other, and make repetitive movements such as bicycle pedaling or rocking.
• Temporal lobe seizures: These seizures begin in the temporal lobes that process emotions and play a role in short-term memory. Patients with these seizures often experience an aura. During the seizure, people may:
  • Lose awareness of their surroundings
  • Stare into space
  • Smack their lips
  • Have unusual movements of their fingers
  • Swallow or chew repeatedly
• Occipital lobe seizures: These seizures begin in the occipital lobe and affect vision. Patients with this type of seizure may have hallucinations or lose some or all of their vision during the seizure. These seizures might also result in eye blinking or may make the eyes move.

Generalized Seizures

These seizures involve all brain areas. There is a loss of consciousness and a postictal state after the occurrence of seizure. 

Generalized seizures include the following:

• Absence seizures: These seizures typically occur in children. These may occur in clusters and happen as often as 100 times a day, causing a brief loss of awareness. Symptoms include: 
  • Movements, including eye blinking or lip smacking, lasting only 5-10 seconds
  • Staring into space with or without subtle body movements
• Tonic seizures: These seizures cause stiff muscles and may affect consciousness. These usually involve the arms, back, and leg muscles and may cause falls to the ground.
• Atonic (Drop) seizures: These seizures cause a loss of muscle control. Since this primarily affects the legs, it causes sudden collapse or falls to the ground.
• Clonic seizures: These are associated with rhythmic or repeated jerking muscle movements and usually affect the face, neck, and arms.
• Myoclonic seizures: These mostly appear as sudden, brief twitches or jerks and typically affect the arms, upper body, and legs.
• Tonic-clonic seizures: These seizures can cause an abrupt loss of consciousness and body twitching, stiffening, and shaking. These seizures sometimes cause loss of bladder control or biting of the tongue.

When to Consult a Doctor?

You should immediately seek medical help in the following cases:

• A seizure lasting over 5 minutes
• Breathing or consciousness that doesn't return after the seizure stops
• A second seizure follows immediately
• High fever
• Pregnancy
• Diabetes
• Injured yourself during the seizure
• Occurrence of seizure even after taking anti-seizure medicine
• Experiencing seizure for the first time

What is the Cost of Epilepsy Treatment in Different Countries?

If the patient is only on oral medication, the cost is less, depending on the country the patient is getting treatment. Occasionally, extra costs may be incurred in case of surgery or any other medical investigations required.

The cost of epilepsy treatment in different countries is as follows:

In Short

Some people find that they rarely have to think about epilepsy, except when taking their medications or seeing the doctor. It is important to stay well-informed about epilepsy and maintain a positive attitude. Working closely with a healthcare team and adhering to prescribed medications is essential to helping control seizures so the patient can lead a full, balanced life.