If you've experienced a seizure or multiple seizures and haven't found answers through your current medical care, it may be time to schedule an appointment with us at Dr. Jennifer McMonigle Medical PC in East Northport, NY. We are committed to uncovering the root cause of your seizures and collaborating with you to create a forward plan, enabling you to resume your normal life and activities.
Identifying the exact causes of seizures can often be challenging. Typically, they result from brain injury.Epilepsy stands out as the predominant cause of seizures and requires a professional diagnosis from a physician.
ABOUT SEIZURES
Seizures can be deeply unsettling, particularly for those who have never experienced one before. The early warning signs of an impending seizure can include symptoms such as staring spells, twitching, fainting, headaches, loss of bodily function, and blackouts. As it progresses, a seizure may lead to extended periods of involuntary muscle movements and spasms. The possibility of experiencing a seizure, or the fear of a recurring episode, can significantly affect an individual's quality of life and their confidence in engaging in everyday activities, due to the constant concern over another seizure. Seizures are caused by a disruption in the brain's electrical connections. This disruption can lead to a wide range of symptoms that impact a person’s consciousness, movements, and behavior. The term ‘electrical storm’ is often used to describe the surge of electrical activity in the brain that results in such disruptions.
TREATMENT
Obtaining an accurate diagnosis immediately following a seizure is crucial. It's particularly vital to assess the risk of future seizures for the patient's safety. Your doctor will conduct a thorough review of your symptoms and medical history. Various tests might be necessary, including a neurological examination to assess cognitive functions and motor skills, blood tests to identify infections or genetic conditions, and a lumbar puncture to check for infections in the cerebrospinal fluid. The specific tests chosen will depend on your symptoms and history. Imaging tests, such as an EEG, offer insights into the brain's electrical activity, while other diagnostics, including CT scans, MRIs, PET scans, and SPECT tests, provide additional valuable information.
Regarding treatment, if the seizure resulted from a transient specific trauma, no further treatment might be necessary. For recurring seizures, as seen with epilepsy, medications are often effective in managing them. Your doctor will collaborate with you to decide whether medication, lifestyle adjustments, or a combination thereof suits you best.
Early indicators of this condition include pain on one side of the face, starting just behind the ear, which evolves into weakness affecting the mouth and eyes. Patients may also experience a loss of taste, blurred vision, the inability to wrinkle the forehead or raise the eyebrows, heightened hearing, a tingling sensation, increased tear production on the affected side, and difficulties with swallowing and chewing. The severity and progression of these symptoms vary among individuals, unfolding over hours or days. It can be challenging for patients to accept that recovery might take weeks, with the duration often correlating with the severity of their condition.
