What are epileptic fits?

What are epileptic fits?

Overview. A seizure is a sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain. It can cause changes in your behavior, movements or feelings, and in levels of consciousness. Having two or more seizures at least 24 hours apart that aren’t brought on by an identifiable cause is generally considered to be epilepsy.

What can trigger epilepsy fits?

Here are some of the seizure triggers that have been reported by people with epilepsy:

• Not taking epilepsy medicine as prescribed.
• Feeling tired and not sleeping well.
• Stress.
• Alcohol and recreational drugs.
• Flashing or flickering lights.
• Monthly periods.
• Missing meals.
• Having an illness which causes a high temperature.

How do you control epilepsy fits?

10 tips to prevent seizures

1. Take your medication as prescribed. Anti-epileptic medications are designed to help prevent seizures.
2. Don’t consume alcohol.
3. Avoid substance misuse.
4. Practice stress management.
5. Maintain a sleep schedule.
6. Keep a consistent meal schedule.
7. Avoid flashing lights.
8. Protect yourself from head injuries.

What is the difference between epilepsy and fits?

A seizure is a single occurrence, whereas epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by two or more unprovoked seizures.

Can fits cause death?

Seizures can be fatal, but dying from a seizure is uncommon . Epilepsy is a group of conditions in which people have seizures. However, a person without epilepsy can also have a seizure. Many seizure deaths come from external factors like drowning, falling, or choking that occur during a seizure.

What to do if someone is having fits?

First Aid

1. Keep other people out of the way.
2. Clear hard or sharp objects away from the person.
3. Don’t try to hold them down or stop the movements.
4. Place them on their side, to help keep their airway clear.
5. Look at your watch at the start of the seizure, to time its length.
6. Don’t put anything in their mouth.

What does a fit look like?

Seizures symptoms vary and can include a sudden change in awareness or full loss of consciousness, unusual sensations or thoughts, involuntary twitching or stiffness in the body or severe stiffening and limb shaking with loss of consciousness (a convulsion.)

Are fits serious?

Fits (seizures) have a variety of causes, and most fits will not be due to a brain tumour. Fits occurring for the first time should be viewed as a potentially serious symptom, and require further investigation of the cause.

How long can you live with epilepsy?

These studies suggest a shortening of life expectancy in people with epilepsy, the extent of which is not known precisely. Certain authors (Carroll and Barnes, 2002) suggest this shortening to be of the order of 1–2 years if the epilepsy is well controlled and up to 5 years for very severe refractory epilepsy.