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What can look like a seizure but isn t?

What can look like a seizure but isn t?

PNES are attacks that may look like epileptic seizures but are not caused by abnormal brain electrical discharges. Instead, they are a manifestation of psychological distress. PNES are not a unique disorder but are a specific type of a larger group of psychiatric conditions that manifest as physical symptoms.

Can you have seizure symptoms without having a seizure?

Some people experience symptoms similar to those of an epileptic seizure but without any unusual electrical activity in the brain. When this happens it is known as a non-epileptic seizure (NES). NES is most often caused by mental stress or a physical condition.

What can mimic a seizure?

These conditions are imitators of epilepsy.

  • Fainting spells (syncope) May incorrectly be considered seizures.
  • Interruption of brain circulation.
  • Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or low oxygen (hypoxia)
  • Migraine headaches.
  • Sleep disorders.
  • Movement disorders.
  • Non-epileptic seizures.
  • Other imitators of epilepsy.

    Can a seizure be faked?

    We now understand that there is nothing false or insincere about most non-epileptic seizures. It is quite rare to find someone who is deliberately faking a seizure just as it is rare to find people who fake having other medical conditions.

    What happens when a patient has a seizure?

    If handled well, the process can leave the patient better equipped to understand their seizures and to engage in further treatment; if handled badly, patients may be left more traumatised, angry and with additional disability.

    Can a person have a seizure without losing consciousness?

    This is a life-threatening medical emergency. Simple partial seizure – In a simple partial seizure, the seizure-related electrical discharges remain localized so that the person experiences a feeling, sensation, movement or other symptom without losing consciousness. During a simple partial seizure, the person remains awake and aware.

    What happens if a person is not treated for epilepsy?

    Treatment of epilepsy can be complex. If a single medication doesn’t fully control seizures, the next step is usually referral to a neurologist. Status epilepticus is a life-threatening medical emergency. If not adequately treated, this condition can cause both brain damage and failure of other vital organs.

    What to do if you have a seizure for the first time?

    Usually, the physical exam and neurological examination are normal between spells. An adult who experiences a seizure for the first time will be evaluated with a head scan and blood tests to look for chemical imbalances. Your doctor will order either computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain.

    How dangerous are seizures?

    Most seizures are not dangerous on their own. However, seizure-like activity can result in injury due to falls or can limit activities that the person is able to engage in (for example driving, swimming, climbing ladders, etc) in which a sudden loss of consciousness could be dangerous.

    What are the dangers of seizures?

    There are serious risks to having an unchecked seizure disorder. Seizures can cause car crashes when they strike someone who’s driving. They can cause people to fall and hit their head or suffer a serious injury, too. There are longer term dangers, too.

    What causes seizures in adults with no history?

    Triggering Factors. As you have learned that seizure attacks in adults with no history can occur due to several factors, identifying them will be no longer an issue. Apart from the causes explained above, additional triggering factors include strong emotions, flashing lights, loud music, and intense exercise activity.

    What causes a seizure while awake?

    A seizure is an event that happens a behavior associated with a rhythmic electrical discharge in the brain that’s gone be the same thing every time and this can occur when you’re awake or asleep. People that may have recurring seizures are triggered by anything have epilepsy.