Understanding Epileptic Seizures: Symptoms and Types

What Are Epileptic Seizures?

Epileptic seizures are characterised by repeated episodes of abnormal brain activity. Although the term "fits" is sometimes used, we prefer to use "seizures" to avoid misconceptions associated with other types of "fits" such as a fit of temper or a hissy fit, which carry negative connotations.

Types of Seizure Symptoms

The symptoms experienced during a seizure depend on the brain region affected. These symptoms can include:

• Strange sensations such as unusual tastes or smells.
• Auditory experiences like hearing sounds that aren’t present.
• Visual disturbances including hallucinations or seeing flashing lights.
• Physical actions such as plucking at invisible objects, chewing lips, or making repetitive motions.

Awareness During Seizures

Individuals may experience different levels of awareness during a seizure:

• Fully aware and remembering everything that occurs.
• Completely unaware and having no recollection of the seizure.
• Partially aware but confused or muddled once the seizure ends.

Types of Seizures: Daytime vs. Nocturnal

Seizures can occur either during the day or while asleep. Nocturnal seizures happen during sleep, which may include daytime naps. Signs of nocturnal seizures can be subtle and may include:

• Waking up with wet bedding or blood on the pillow.
• Incontinence or head injuries without witnessing the actual seizure.

Recognising Auras and Warnings

Some individuals may experience an aura or warning before a seizure, such as a strange taste or a sense of déjà vu. This preliminary phase is often referred to as a simple focal seizure or simple partial seizure, where the person is aware but may soon progress to a tonic-clonic seizure involving loss of consciousness, rigidity, and shaking.

Conclusion

Understanding the variety of seizure symptoms and awareness levels is crucial for effective management and support. Using accurate terminology and recognising the different types of seizures can help improve communication and reduce stigma surrounding epilepsy.