Seizure why it happens

Seizures can happen for many reasons; It may be from high levels of salt or sugar in your blood; brain injury from a stroke or head injury brain problems you are born with or perhaps a brain tumor. Dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease, high fever or illnesses or infections that hurt your brain.

Illegal drug use or withdrawal from alcohol or drug use can cause seizures as well. So, what are the signs that someone is having a seizure? Some people with seizures may have simple staring spells, while others have violent, uncontrollable shaking and loss of consciousness.

Some people will see flashing lights, others may hallucinate. Some people may have strange sensations, such as tingling, smelling an odor that isn't really there, or emotional changes. Most people who have a seizure for the first time will go to the emergency room. The doctor will do tests to rule out medical causes, such as a stroke.

Treatment depends on the cause of your seizure. For example, if a seizure was caused by fever, treatment will focus on bringing the fever down. Your doctor may send you home with some medicines to help you avoid having more seizures if there is reason to think you are at continued risk of seizures. You should get plenty of sleep and try to keep as regular a schedule as possible, and try to avoid too much stress.

Most people with seizures can have a very active lifestyle. Plan ahead for the possible dangers of a certain activity. Avoid any activity where loss of consciousness would be dangerous until it is clear that seizures are unlikely to occur again. It may be hard to tell if someone is having a seizure. Some seizures only cause a person to have staring spells. These may go unnoticed. Specific symptoms depend on which part of the brain is involved.

Symptoms occur suddenly and may include:. Symptoms may stop after a few seconds or minutes, or continue for up to 15 minutes. They rarely continue longer. Sometimes, no cause can be found. This is called idiopathic seizures. They are usually seen in children and young adults, but can occur at any age. There may be a family history of epilepsy or seizures.

If seizures continue repeatedly after the underlying problem is treated, the condition is called epilepsy. If a baby or child has a seizure during a high fever, cool the child slowly with lukewarm water. DO NOT place the child in a cold bath. The tests may include:. An electroencephalogram EEG can help your doctor diagnose a seizure.

This test measures your brain waves. Viewing brain waves during a seizure can help your doctor diagnose the type of seizure. These scans allow your doctor to see abnormalities like blocked blood flow or a tumor. Treatments for seizures depend on the cause. By treating the cause of the seizures, you may be able to prevent future seizures from occurring. The treatment for seizures due to epilepsy include:. Anti-epileptic drugs are often the first treatment option for people experiencing multiple seizures.

They target the signaling activities in specific brain cells and can effectively control seizures in approximately 70 percent of cases. There are multiple types of anti-epileptic drugs. You and your doctor may have to work to find out which is the best medication for treating your condition. Doctors may recommend surgical options for treating epilepsy and seizures if medications do not work.

Brain surgery for epilepsy can improve quality of life but does carry a risk of complications. Consult with your doctor to discuss whether surgery is the right option for you.

In addition to brain surgery, surgeons can insert nerve stimulation devices in the body to treat epilepsy. Vagus nerve stimulation involves placing electrodes around the vagus nerve in your neck and a generator for these electrodes in the upper chest. These devices then stimulate the nerve with electrical signals, which can help manage seizures. Responsive neurostimulation systems also work by stimulating the brain to manage seizures.

Doctors can program these devices to assess and respond to nerve activity associated with seizures, often stopping them. These less invasive surgical options can help safely reduce seizure frequency and severity. Doctors may also suggest deep brain stimulation therapy. This is where a surgeon places electrodes onto the thalamus. The thalamus is a part of the brain that processes signals from almost every sensory system.

It regulates consciousness, alertness, and sleep cycles. Electrical signals from these electrodes help regulate the excitability of certain parts of the brain. This can help reduce the frequency of seizures. Multiple studies have linked the diet to positive outcomes in symptom management.

However, the exact reasons why it helps people with epilepsy are not known. However, the ketogenic diet and its variants can feel restrictive. Following the diet long term may be challenging for some. Be sure to check in with your doctor before starting a new diet, especially as a mode of treatment. If possible, place them on their side and provide cushioning for their head. Stay with the person. Call or local emergency services as soon as possible if any of these apply:. It can be challenging to live with epilepsy.

If you have your seizures under control for long periods, your doctor may recommend a gradual reduction in dosage. Avoiding these triggers may help you manage your condition. Teach your friends and family more about epilepsy and how to care for you while a seizure occurs. This includes taking steps to reduce the risk of injury like cushioning your head, loosening tight clothing, and turning you on your side if vomiting occurs.

Continue your usual activities if possible, and find ways to work around your epilepsy so you can maintain your lifestyle. Making safety modifications to your place of residence can reduce the risk of injury.

This can include covering the corners of low objects, not locking the bathroom door when using it, and using guards on radiators and heaters. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information, and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices.

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Nerve cells neurons in the brain create, send and receive electrical impulses, which allow the brain's nerve cells to communicate. Anything that disrupts these communication pathways can lead to a seizure. Some types of seizure disorders may be caused by genetic mutations. The most common cause of seizures is epilepsy. But not every person who has a seizure has epilepsy. Sometimes seizures may be caused or triggered by:. Having a seizure can sometimes lead to circumstances that are dangerous for you or others.

You might be at risk of:. Seizures care at Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain.

Latest on newly diagnosed epilepsy care Advice for the management of epilepsy Error Select a topic. Thanks for Subscribing You will receive the first epilepsy email message in your inbox shortly.

You may opt out of these emails any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the email. Sorry something went wrong with your subscription Please, try again in a couple of minutes Retry. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Schachter SC. Evaluation and management of the first seizure in adults.

Accessed Sept. Daroff RB, et al. In: Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice.