Absence seizures in adults

Absence Seizure

This article deals with the causes, the symptoms and treatment of absence seizures in adults. Absence seizure is just one of several types of seizures that can appear as a result of some abnormal electrical discharge in the brain. /p>

Absent seizure is a primary generalized seizure that appears in adults and children as well and another name under which it is known is petit mal seizure. This seizure lasts for only 15-30 seconds and to others it may look like a day dreaming. During that period of time a person who is experiencing the seizure doesn’t remember anything and has a lapse of consciousness.

Symptoms of Absence Seizures in Adults

How can we know that we are one of those who have absence seizures? Symptoms that indicate this type of seizure include often day dreaming, or staring a couple of seconds at something. People who have this kind of seizures don’t remember anything that was happening during that lapse of time.

This seizure can interrupt them in the middle of some work and they can suddenly stop doing that and after a few seconds continue with the previous activity. Other symptoms that include absence seizures include alterations in muscle activities, fumbling of hands etc. After the seizure, there is no reminiscence of what has happened. One finds it very difficult to recognize this condition in its early phase as it lasts so shortly.

Absence Seizures in Adults - Causes and Treatment

There are some conditions that may provoke absence seizures in adults, and they include Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, head injuries, kidney failure, meningitis, and epilepsy. People who are in some kind of a rehabilitation program from addiction can also experience absence seizures.

If you have noticed any of the absence seizure symptoms, you should visit a doctor so that he can diagnose it. The diagnosis includes a blood test and electroencephalography (EEG). In order to see clearly the brain picture, he might order a magnetic resonance imagining. Even though there is a lot of medications for this condition, the real challenge is to find the most effective dosage. First, doctor will prescribe you small doses and then he will systematically increase the dose, until he finds the one that is the most effective.

It is important to emphasize that all the patients who suffer from this condition should wear bracelets with their name and address written and the medications that they take for an emergency reason.