What Is a Seizure?
A seizure is a brief disturbance in brain function caused by sudden bursts of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. These surges disrupt normal signaling between neurons, leading to changes in movement, sensation, awareness, emotions, or behavior—depending on which brain region is impacted. Some seizures are barely noticeable, while others can be severe or life‑threatening.
Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by a predisposition to recurrent, unprovoked seizures. A person is often diagnosed with epilepsy if they experience two or more seizures that are not provoked by a temporary trigger, or one seizure with a high risk of recurrence. While seizures themselves are events, epilepsy reflects an ongoing vulnerability of the brain to such events.
What Causes Seizures?
Seizures can be triggered by various health conditions or brain disturbances. Some common causes include epilepsy, brain infections, head injuries, strokes, very high fever (especially in children), and low blood sugar. In some cases, the cause of a seizure is not known. Factors like lack of sleep, extreme stress, or missed medications can also increase the risk. In African settings, seizures are often misunderstood, leading to delay in medical care or mistreatment — that’s why public education is so important.
Types of Seizures
Start in one specific brain region, and may or may not affect awareness:
Focal aware seizures (formerly simple partial): awareness remains; patients may sense an aura or notice odd sensations.
Focal impaired awareness seizures (formerly complex partial): awareness is altered; may include confusion, automatisms like lip‑smacking, or gestural movements. These can sometimes evolve into generalized seizures.
Tonic‑clonic seizures (grand mal): stiffening followed by rhythmic jerking, loss of consciousness, confusion afterward.
Absence seizures (non‑motor): brief lapses in awareness like staring spells, often in children, can occur many times daily.
Myoclonic seizures: sudden, brief muscle jerks—commonly associated with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.
Atonic seizures: sudden sudden loss of muscle tone causing falls (also called drop attacks).
Used when the seizure start cannot be observed—such as nocturnal seizures or unwitnessed events. Later classified once more information becomes available.
How a Seizure Starts and How to Help Stop It
Seizures begin when the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the brain shifts, causing uncontrolled electrical discharges. This imbalance can stem from chemical or structural changes in the brain.
First Aid for Seizures
✅ DO:
- Stay calm and stay with the person
- Gently guide them away from danger
- Place something soft under their head
- Turn them on their side (to help breathing)
- Time the seizure (call help if it lasts over 5 minutes)
❌ DON’T:
- Do not hold them down
- Do not put anything in their mouth
- Do not panic — most seizures end in 1–3 minutes
- Do not give food, drink, or water until they are fully alert
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Although often confused, epilepsy and seizures are not the same. A seizure can happen once due to a specific cause, like fever or head injury. Epilepsy, on the other hand, is a medical condition where a person experiences repeated seizures without a clear trigger. Having epilepsy means the brain is prone to sudden bursts of activity, which may cause seizures at any time. While epilepsy is a chronic condition, it can be managed with proper medication, care, and community support.
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