Prevention of seizures

Seizures can occur when signals from the brain are corrupted or altered. The seizures themselves tend to vary from person to person - some may experience only slight hand shaking. Others however, may lose consciousness and suffer violent shaking across the whole body. This shaking does not occur with all seizures. Many people who suffer from seizures instead experience a loss of touch with their immediate environment and lapse into something of a catharsis. The sufferer may not even remember experiencing this type of seizure in the aftermath of the episode.

Further to this, not all shaking of the body is related to suffering a seizure. There are numerous medical conditions that can lead to a type of shaking that affects the hands and head. These shaking episodes are called tremors.

Causes

Seizures can happen to anyone and for a variety of reasons. A seizure in itself does not necessarily indicate an underlying medical condition - for example, a sharp impact to the head may cause a seizure. Usually the seizures last for under three minutes and are unique.

There are however some serious illnesses that can lead to seizure. Epilepsy is one of these conditions. Other causes include fever, diabetes, brain injury, drug withdrawal symptoms, meningitis or parasitic infections like tapeworm or toxoplasmosis. High blood pressure during pregnancy can also lead to a life-threatening condition known as eclampsia. Eclampsia causes seizures and can threaten the life of both mother and parent.

Prevention

Some causes of seizures are unavoidable. However, certain types of seizure can be avoided, particularly those that involve head injury. To prevent head injury, wear a seatbelt when driving, use a helmet when cycling or performing other dangerous activities such as kayaking, horse riding, snowsports, rock climbing or skating. If you work in connection with construction or in an industrial setting, wear a hard hat to avoid injury. It seems obvious, but avoid using alcohol during or before playing sport or whilst operating machinery or driving. Keep yourself out of harm’s way in general; don’t dive into shallow or water of unknown depth, rearrange your home to eliminate any potential fall hazards. Firearms should not be kept in the home unless absolutely necessary. If so, lock them up securely, unloaded and separate from ammunition.

Should you suffer from a seizure disorder, make sure you closely follow your recommended plan of treatment. Improper dosage of medicine - either too much or too little - may lead to seizures. If susceptible, stay away from activities that may cause a seizure, such as playing video games that have flashing lights. You should not be operating heavy machinery whilst undergoing treatment for a seizure disorder.