12 Jul Types of Seizures and Symptoms
Epilepsy is a debilitating disorder of the brain that is stimulated when individual nerve cells within the brain miss their target. As a result, seizures may develop which can affect physical and emotional behavior for a brief period of time. If you are in search of a neurologist for epilepsy in Rocky Point, then Dr. James Bruno at Three Village Neurology is here to help treat your epilepsy. Contact us today if you are interested in our services to diagnose and treat seizures. In order to properly diagnose your condition, you’ll need to get an understanding of your symptoms. Doing so can properly differentiate between which seizures you’re currently experiencing.
What are the different types of seizures and their symptoms?
There are two primary types of seizures that patients experience: Generalized and Focal.
What is the cause of a generalized seizure?
These types of seizures occur when nerve cells misfire on both sides of the brain. This can lead to the individual suffering from conditions such as muscle spasms, instability, or even loss of consciousness. Dr. James Bruno, a neurologist for epilepsy in Rocky Point, is highly trained to deal with generalized seizures and has had experience treating these patients in the past.
There are six types of generalized seizures:
Tonic – arms and legs tense up, often lasting for up to 20 seconds when sleeping.
Clonic – muscle spasms in the face, neck, and arms. This can affect the individual for several minutes at a time.
Atonic – Your muscles may suddenly go limp, causing you to fall or lose your balance.
Myoclonic – Your muscles will suddenly jerk, creating a sensation that feels as though you’ve been shocked.
Absence – You will feel disconnected from those around you, you may stare blankly, or your eyes may roll backward. This typically only impacts the individual for a few seconds.
Grand Mal – These types of seizures are the most noticeable, as it causes the body to stiffen, and also experience shakes, and jerks. In severe cases, loss of consciousness can also occur. Generally, they only go on for roughly 1-3 minutes.
What are the symptoms of a focal seizure?
Focal seizures initiate in a particular part of the brain (the focal) and are aptly named after the section of the brain where it originates. These seizures can affect your physical and emotional wellbeing. The mimicking of sensory perceptions such as sight, hearing, and smell may occur, when these external stimuli, in reality, do not exist. Statistically speaking, approximately 60% of people with epilepsy suffer from focal seizures. Our neurologist for epilepsy in Rocky Point can help treat these variations and help you properly manage the care of yourself or a loved one.
There are three types of focal seizures:
Simple focal seizures – this alters your senses. It can make you taste or smell something unordinary and cause twitching sensations in your legs, fingers, and arms. While experiencing this type of seizure, you may undergo sensations of dizziness or witness flashes of light before subsiding.
Complex focal seizures – these seizures target the emotions and memory of patients. Complex focal seizures may cause you to lose consciousness but still appear awake. This can affect the individual for several minutes before subsiding.
Secondary general seizures – these are capable of spreading to the nerve cells surrounding the brain. This has similar symptoms to a generalized seizure, such as convulsions or muscle jerking.
Neurologist for Epilepsy in Rocky Point
Epilepsy can be a crippling disease, and can severely impact your daily routine, especially if left untreated or monitored. If you have epilepsy and are in need of a neurologist for epilepsy in Rocky Point, then contact Three Village Neurology for more information. Our very own Dr. Bruno can test for epilepsy by performing an electroencephalogram on patients. This can reveal symptoms that will help determine if the patient requires further treatment.
If you are diagnosed with epilepsy, most cases can be treated with a combination of medication and other treatments. Educate yourself on our services to determine if we can provide assistance. Three Village Neurology strives to treat our patients with the highest quality care. It is our goal to ensure that our patients can live their lives to the fullest potential.