What is a seizure?
of people with epilepsy experience stigma, ranging from subtle biases to significant misunderstanding.
What is a seizure?
A seizure is a sudden burst of electrical activity in the brain that causes a temporary disturbance in the way brain cells communicate with each other.
The kind of seizure a person has depends on which part and how much of the brain is affected by the electrical disturbance that produces the seizure.
A seizure may take many different forms, including a blank stare, uncontrolled movements, altered awareness, odd sensations, or convulsions.
Seizures are typically brief and can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.
Seizures are divided into two main categories:
Focal Seizure (Partial Seizures)
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This begins in one location within your brain — in either the right or left hemisphere.
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As the seizure intensifies, the surge of electrical activity can move from one location to another and eventually even cross from one brain hemisphere to another.
Generalised Seizure
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This occurs when there is a disturbance in the electrical activity on both sides of the brain, potentially resulting in a loss of bodily control and, usually, consciousness.