What are warning signs of a seizure?

General symptoms or warning signs of a seizure can include:
  • Staring.
  • Jerking movements of the arms and legs.
  • Stiffening of the body.
  • Loss of consciousness.
  • Breathing problems or stopping breathing.
  • Loss of bowel or bladder control.
  • Falling suddenly for no apparent reason, especially when associated with loss of consciousness.
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Can you feel seizure coming?

Prodrome: Some people may experience feelings, sensations, or changes in behavior hours or days before a seizure. These feelings are generally not part of the seizure, but may warn a person that a seizure may come.
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What happens before you have a seizure?

Seizure warning signs before the first 'full-blown' seizures

These warning signs may include feeling “funny” or dizzy, or having jerking and twitching for several years. Other signs include fainting, headaches, vomiting, losing sensation in a certain parts of the body, daydreaming, and blackouts.
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Are there any warning signs to seizures?

A staring spell. Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs. Loss of consciousness or awareness. Cognitive or emotional symptoms, such as fear, anxiety or deja vu.
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What can trigger a seizure?

12 most common seizure triggers
  • Missing medication. The most common reason for a seizure is forgetting to take your anti-epileptic drugs (AED) or deliberately not taking it. ...
  • Alcohol. ...
  • Recreational drugs. ...
  • Caffeine. ...
  • Lack of sleep / tiredness. ...
  • Stress / anxiety. ...
  • Boredom. ...
  • Dehydration.
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Types of seizures and their warning signs



How do you stop a seizure from happening?

First Aid
  1. Keep other people out of the way.
  2. Clear hard or sharp objects away from the person.
  3. Don't try to hold them down or stop the movements.
  4. Place them on their side, to help keep their airway clear.
  5. Look at your watch at the start of the seizure, to time its length.
  6. Don't put anything in their mouth.
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Can anxiety cause a seizure?

However, according to research on the experiences of people with seizures, stress and anxiety can trigger seizures, and current research often underestimates the role they may play. Lack of sleep is a common trigger for seizures, and this can often happen in people who are experiencing overwhelming stress.
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Can a doctor tell if you've had a seizure?

Electroencephalogram (EEG) – Using electrodes attached to your head, your doctors can measure the electrical activity in your brain. This helps to look for patterns to determine if and when another seizure might occur, and it can also help them rule out other possibilities.
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What does a mini seizure look like?

The person suddenly stops all activity. It may look like he or she is staring off into space or just has a blank look. The eyes may turn upwards and eyelids flutter. The seizures usually last less than 10 seconds.
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What are the 4 stages of a seizure?

Seizures take on many different forms and have a beginning (prodrome and aura), middle (ictal) and end (post-ictal) stage. These phases are described below.
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What does a seizure feel like in your head?

You're not likely to lose consciousness, but you might feel sweaty or nauseated. Complex focal seizures: These usually happen in the part of your brain that controls emotion and memory. You may lose consciousness but still look like you're awake, or you may do things like gag, smack your lips, laugh, or cry.
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Can you remember having a seizure?

The seizures usually only last up to 15 seconds and you will not be able to remember them. They can happen several times a day.
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Can you stop a seizure if you feel it coming?

Seizures can be unsettling, but many people find that they're able to control or stop them with medicine. Surgery,devices that stimulate nerves or detect seizures then stop them, and even diet changes are other ways to deal with them. Your doctor can work with you to find a treatment that helps.
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Can dehydration cause a seizure?

Seizures can result from severe imbalances in electrolytes due to dehydration. Dehydration can reduce the amount of blood in the body, which can put strain on the heart and cause shock.
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What do silent seizures look like?

Someone having an absence seizure may look like he or she is staring blankly into space for a few seconds. Then, there is a quick return to a normal level of alertness. This type of seizure usually doesn't lead to physical injury.
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What is silent epilepsy?

Absence seizures are seizures that generally last just a few seconds, and are characterized by a blank or “absent” stare. Absence seizures usually occur in children between ages 4 to 14, but it's possible to have an absence seizure at any age.
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How long can a seizure last?

Tonic-clonic seizures

Tonic (usually 10 - 30 seconds): During this phase, you pass out as all your muscles tense up. Falls and injuries are common. Clonic (usually 30 – 60 seconds, but sometimes longer): This phase involves uncontrolled convulsions (muscle movements).
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How do they check for seizures?

An electroencephalogram (EEG).

In this test, doctors attach electrodes to your scalp with a paste-like substance. The electrodes record the electrical activity of your brain, which shows up as wavy lines on an EEG recording. The EEG may reveal a pattern that tells doctors whether a seizure is likely to occur again.
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Will an EEG show past seizures?

The likelihood of recording a seizure during a routine EEG is small. The EEG generally records brain waves between seizures, called interictal brain waves. These waves may or may not show evidence of seizure activity.
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When does a seizure become a medical emergency?

A seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes, or having more than 1 within a 5 minute period is an emergency that requires immediate medical care.
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What do stress seizures look like?

Frequently, people with PNES may look like they are experiencing generalized convulsions similar to tonic-clonic seizures with falling and shaking. Less frequently, PNES may mimic absence seizures or focal impaired awarneness (previously called complex partial) seizures.
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What can mimic seizures?

Episodes Mistaken for Seizures
  • About Seizures. Neurologists define seizures as abnormal and excessive electrical signals in the brain. ...
  • Types of Seizures. There are 3 broad categories of epileptic seizures. ...
  • Fainting Disorders. ...
  • Staring. ...
  • Movement Disorders. ...
  • Confusional Migraines. ...
  • Night Terrors.
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What does an anxiety seizure look like?

Although dissociative seizures start as an emotional reaction, they cause a physical effect. Features of the seizure can include palpitations (being able to feel your heart beat), sweating, a dry mouth, and hyperventilation (over-breathing). Some features of dissociative seizures are very similar to epileptic seizures.
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Should you sleep after a seizure?

After the seizure: they may feel tired and want to sleep. It might be helpful to remind them where they are. stay with them until they recover and can safely return to what they had been doing before.
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What to do if you have a seizure alone?

For milder seizures, like a bit of staring or shaking arms or legs, guide the person away from hazards, including traffic, stairs, and water. Don't leave someone who's had a seizure alone. Stay until they're fully aware of where they are and can respond normally when you talk to them. Speak calmly.
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