SEIZURES – A NEUROLOGICAL DISORDER

Seizures are neurological disorders in which the patient suffers from uncontrolled muscular movement and lacks consciousness. The brain has a large number of neurons. These neurons communicate with each other through electrical impulses. Sometimes, due to some condition brain neurons send massive electrical impulses to the body. This leads the body to function improperly and causes the uncontrolled movement of the skeletal muscles.

Seizures are the marker of a neurological disorder such as epilepsy, meningitis (inflammation in meninges of brain), stroke, or brain injury. Due to different reasons, seizures are different and severity. They may last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. A seizure that longs for more than 5 minutes is considered under the category of a medical emergency. If a person suffers from episodes of seizures, he might have epilepsy. Mostly, seizures are a marked feature of epilepsy.

Seizures can be classified as provoked seizures and unprovoked seizures. Provoke seizures are due to some reason behind it while unproved seizures are without any known reason. Unprovoked seizures may occur due to some stress or depression.

For provoked seizures, there are many provoking causes of seizures. A neurological disorder or injury to the brain are provoking factors of seizures as well as hypocalcemia, hypoglycemia, alcohol withdrawal, and seizures due to reaction of medicine are listed as provoking reasons for seizures.

Symptoms 

Symptoms of seizures include:-

1. Uncontrolled jerking of muscles, especially arms and legs,
2. Confusion,
3. Emotional instability,
4. Anxiety,
5. Drowsiness,
6. Hallucinations,
7. Mumbling

Types of seizures

There are 2 basic types of seizures:-

1. Focal or partial seizure
2. Generalized seizures

FOCAL OR PARTIAL SEIZURE

This seizure happens when there is a disturbance at a specific spot in the brain. This may be related to a hemisphere or any part of the hemisphere. Focal seizures have a specific point in the brain from where seizures have started.

Focal seizures are subdivided into 2 categories:

1. Seizures in which consciousness is retained
2. Seizures in which unconsciousness prevails (focal dyscognitive seizure)
3. Seizures accompanied by consciousness are the ones, in which the patient remains conscious. He can communicate and remember the events of seizures.
4. In focal dyscognitive seizures, the patient loses his consciousness but does not have convulsions (uncontrolled limb movements). The patient cannot respond to the happening in surroundings like he cannot answer questions. But this seizure is also related to a specific origin in the brain. The temporal lobe is commonly the origin of seizures. In this category, the patient fails to have control over his chewing movement. The patient has uncoordinated and aimless movements e.g, the patient walks aimlessly, he tries to remove his clothes. In this condition, the patient is unaware of his actions.

Generalized seizures  

Generalized seizures are those seizures that do not have a specific origin. Seizures may originate from the brain generally. Both hemispheres of the brain are involved.

These seizures are sub-classified as:

1. Absence seizures,
2. Tonic-clonic seizures/ convulsive seizures,
3. Atonic seizures,
4. Clonic seizures,
5. Tonic seizures,
6. Myoclonic seizures.

Absence seizures

In these seizures, the patient looks like daydreaming. He is unconscious and stares the things with a blank stare which is for a very short while. After it, the patient can get back to his work instantly.

Tonic-clonic seizures

This is the combined form of two seizures i.e, tonic and clonic. In this patients may cry loudly and suffer from uncontrolled limb movements.

Atonic seizures

This seizure is mostly encountered in children. In this condition, children may fall by being unconscious. Convulsions are not the features of this seizure.

Clonic seizures

In clonic seizures, patients lose self-control. His body or specific body part starts jerking.

Tonic seizures

This seizure is marked by unconsciousness and spasm of facial and truncal muscles.

Myoclonic seizures

In this seizure, the patient does not lose consciousness and memory. Although convulsions are features of this seizure. The patient may also fall suddenly from his chair or may drop the objects from his hand.

Risk factors

Risk factors of seizure involve family history, age factors, being a patient of dementia (loss of memory). Having head infections, or inflammation in the meningeal layer, head injury, or having seizures at childhood add more to the risk factors of seizures.

Prevention

Taking an adequate amount of sleep and rest, avoiding stress, and depression are the main precautionary measure to prevent seizures. One should not take drugs and alcohol and learn to relax and keep them calm.

Diagnosis

Seizures are diagnosed based on the medical condition involved. As there are certain reasons for seizures, so they are diagnosed by different techniques. If the symptoms are regarding a disturbance in blood sugar levels or blood calcium levels, then blood tests are recommended. In case of injury or infection in the brain, imaging tests are performed.

Epilepsy having episodes of seizures

Mostly, people suffering from seizures are patients of epilepsy. In this disorder, the patient suffers from episodes of seizures. Every patient reflects a different form of seizure. Some exhibit tonic condition while others reflect tonic-clonic conditions. All the different types of seizures can be seen in different epilepsy patients.

Treatment of seizures

Seizure is a medical condition treated by various medicines. As a patient of seizure one may show convulsions, unconsciousness, so there are medications to treat these conditions. Often muscle relaxants and antidepressants are given to treat seizures. These medications calm down the central nervous system as well as the muscles of the diseased person.

Famous medications to treat seizures are Valium (Diazepam) and Ativan (Lorazepam).

Diazepam, commonly known as valium is used to treat seizures especially for patients of epilepsy. This drug is a muscle relaxant as well as a CNS depressant. It acts on CNS and releases a calming effect on your brain and hence the body. To have the treatment of seizures, buy Diazepam online. 

Another famous medicine to treat seizures available in the market is Ativan (Lorazepam). One can buy Lorazepam 2mg online and moreover, it also belongs to benzodiazepines. Which acts to soothe your brains, nerves, and muscles.

Summary

The seizure is a neurogenic disorder caused by several factors. To treat seizures, medications belonging to benzodiazepines such as valium and Ativan are used.