Let's talk about seizures
If there is one thing that is generally very dramatic when a person has it, it is convulsions, especially those of the tonic-clonic type. With this I say that there is a large classification of these, and they are not always as shocking as those that occur in people in which they cause the movement of the whole body.
Based on what I have mentioned it is good to always know, or at least have an idea of what a convulsion is, how to avoid them (if it is possible) what happens in the brain when a person convulses, and also to know what to do when they occur.
Generally there is a tendency to compare or confuse what is epilepsy with seizures, and they are not necessarily the same, a seizure occurs in a person with epilepsy, however this condition is not the only cause, nor is it the main cause.
I invite you to continue reading if you want to know a little more about what a seizure is, how it can occur and more details that might interest you.
To fully differentiate one from the other, let's define both.
According to the world health organization epilepsy is "a chronic noncommunicable disease of the brain that affects about 50 million people worldwide. It is characterized by recurrent seizures, which are brief episodes of involuntary movement that may involve a part of the body (partial) or the whole body (generalized) and are sometimes accompanied by loss of consciousness and loss of bowel or bladder function."
That is to say, epilepsy presents with local or generalized convulsions, but the convulsion is part of this disease, it is one of the main signs, but not the only ones (as it has been described), but a person who does not suffer from epilepsy can have some type of convulsion, since the causes of this one are very diverse.
The seizures are the result of abnormal electrical activity in our brain, this can be in a specific area or generalized, which of course will be expressed physically and visibly in very different ways, therefore, the classification of the types of seizures describe several types of presentation, which sometimes are often confused even with mental illnesses.
Let us begin by mentioning that in general there are focal seizures or partial onset seizures, that is to say, that affect a part of the brain, and depending on the part that is affected will be the expression of the same.
This type usually will not have a loss of consciousness, since only a part of the brain is involved, and we can see the motor part can be affected, for example an arm or a leg, or a part of the face, which will present constant involuntary movements, uncontrollable by the person who suffers it, and that remains for a few minutes or seconds and then disappears.
We can also see some that affect the somatosensory part of the brain, usually olfactory or auditory. These people may perceive non-existent odors, such as putrid smells and react to them; similarly, if the sense of hearing is affected, they may hear noises, only them. These types of seizures are often mistaken for mental illness.
Anyway it is necessary that the person goes to a medical specialist, in this case a neurologist, to avoid complications or bad interpretations of what happens to him. First a probable organic cause is always discarded before going to a psychologist. Much more if apart from these presentations there is a loss of consciousness, even momentary, which is called complex partial.
We also find crises, which are called generalized. And these are the most frequently identified by people because of their striking expression.
They can be:
- Tonic
- Clonic
- Tonic clonic
- Myoclonic
Each one with its particular expression, and are characterized by loss of consciousness at approximately 20 seconds, followed by constant or permanent movements.
seconds, followed by expressions through constant or permanent movements. When it is prolonged for more than 2 minutes, it is logical that it should be treated with medication, usually with intravenous or intramuscular treatment.
The differences of these are given because, for example in the case of the tonic clonic are contractions and relaxations that occur alternately. are violent movements. Others, can be expressed as a constant contraction, which does not settle, and in some cases even paralyzes breathing for a few seconds.
The causes of a seizure are many, I will mention the most important ones:
- In children very high and sustained fever for a long time is usually the main cause.
- Electrolyte disorders, especially when sodium levels are very low.
- Cranioencephalic trauma, these if they produce a hemorrhage, even a small one at cerebral level, can provoke convulsions.
- Some drugs can induce seizures, such as some antidepressants.
- Brain tumors.
- The consumption of alcohol in excess can also produce a seizure.
And there are many other causes, beyond epilepsy. The important thing in these cases is that we know that we should support people when they suffer from a seizure event. Recommend them to go to a neurology specialist, to rule out any event, and who can perform a comprehensive evaluation.
It is always necessary to protect the head of people when they have a seizure, it is the ideal, a pillow can be placed or in its defect a shoe, or anything that cushions the blows between the head and the floor. You can use whatever you have at hand, which is not hard, to put it in the mouth, even if it is a shoe, it is preferable that the person bites his tongue, because this can be a major complication later.
In reality, it is only necessary to wait for the seizure to end, which usually should not last more than 5 minutes, and help the person to recover, sit him/her up, or keep him/her lying down. Remember that it is very likely that he/she will not remember anything, that he/she will regain consciousness but will be somewhat dazed. It is necessary to give him/her time to recover.
It is good to know that it does not always respond to malignant causes or to something that will be chronic.
I hope that this guide serves in a general way so that you have an idea of this manifestation. Thank you for reading my publication.
And here we have the mundane explanation for superstitions such as demonic possessions. It is interesting that the "revelatory visions" that many relate in some books, could have been simply a hallucination product of a diseased mind and head and had nothing special after all.
considering the eating habits and the degrees of malnutrition that people could have who went days without eating, without drinking water, who became dehydrated, and took their bodies to extreme situations, the possibility that many of those "books with great stories" that sold to us as "world guides" may have been written by people with serious problems of this type, or worse.
But, it is difficult to verify it.
Thank you for your interesting and intelligent comment.
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The family needs to know how to deal with it … avoid suffocation etc
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Thanks for sharing these helpful and detailed info.