5 Little Known Signs of Epilepsy

If we only had Hollywood as our guide, we would all think that all people with epilepsy have seizures that send them to the ground, convulsing uncontrollably, eyes rolled up in their heads. 

While this type of seizure can be part of the overall epilepsy picture, it’s far from the complete picture. For the nearly 3 million adults in the United States who have epilepsy, symptoms of seizures can vary greatly.

To paint a more realistic picture, Dr. Paul Gill and our team at Gill Neuroscience review some different and lesser known ways in which epilepsy can present itself.

A brief background on epilepsy

At its core, epilepsy is a brain disorder in which brain cells send the wrong signals. The signals are strong and cause a big surge in the electrical activity in the brain, which is what leads to the seizures that are commonly associated with epilepsy.

These seizures are categorized into two general groups:

• Focal seizures that stem from one part of the brain
• Generalized seizures that come from both sides of the brain

Of the two categories, focal seizures are the more common — 60% of people with epilepsy have focal seizures. 

Not all epilepsy seizures and symptoms are the same

Let’s get into the heart of this discussion about the different ways in which epilepsy can manifest itself, from the inside and on the outside. To give you an idea of the breadth and scope of epilepsy symptoms, we touch on just five here:

Surges in feelings or sensations

If a person has focal seizures, the area of the brain from which the malfunctioning signaling comes dictates what a seizure can look or feel like. For example, focal seizures could lead to surges in emotions and feelings during which a person can feel extreme joy, anger, or sadness.

Or a person with focal seizures can experience odd and strong sensations to do with taste, smell, feeling, hearing, and sight.

Freezing

While convulsions are what we associate with epilepsy, just the opposite can also happen. Some people experience tonic seizures in which their muscles stiffen.

Staring off

There’s a type of generalized seizure called an absence seizure. During an absence seizure, the person appears to be staring off into space and isn’t aware of anything around them.

Altered consciousness

Getting back to focal seizures, a person may experience an altered consciousness or dream-like state. 

During these types of seizures, a person can seem like they’re doing something purposeful, such as wiping off a counter, but they go round and round in circles and aren’t aware of their actions.

Loss of muscle tone

Lastly, some people with epilepsy experience atonic seizures, which causes a sudden loss in muscle tone. This loss often causes the person to drop on the spot, or their head may fall forward or backward.

As you can see, convulsions are only a part of a much larger group of symptoms that can come with seizures.

No matter how the epilepsy shows up, we want you to know that we’re here to help. We offer a wide range of treatment options for this common neurological disorder, including medications, procedures, and lifestyle changes.

For expert care of epilepsy or if you have more questions about the condition, please call our office in Houston, Texas, at 832-912-7777, or use our online request form to schedule an appointment.