epilepsy
...experience confusion, jerking movements, tingling, or odd mental and emotional events such as déjà vu, mild hallucinations, or extreme responses to smell and/or taste. After the seizure, the victim usually feels weakness in certain muscles. During Complex Partial Seizures, patients may lose consciousness briefly and appear to others as motionless with a vacant stare. After a few seconds, some may begin to perform repetitive movements, such as chewing or smacking of lips. Seizure lasts usually no more than two minutes. Slightly over half of adult seizures are complex. In some cases, Simple or Complex Partial Seizures evolve into Generalized Seizures or Secondarily Generalized Seizures. The progress may be so rapid that the Partial Stage is not even noticed. Generalized Seizures are caused by disturbances of nerve cells in more diffuse areas of the brain than with Partial Seizures. Generalized Seizures also have more effect on the patient. There are two different subtypes of Generalized Seizures: Tonice-Clonic Seizures, and Absense Seizures. Tonic-Clonic Seizures are also known as Grand Mal Seizures. The first phase is called the tonic phase. During the tonic phase the muscles suddenly contract, and the patient falls and lies rigidly for about 10 to 30 seconds. Next the patient enters the clonic phase, when the muscles begin to alternate between relaxation and contraction. After this phase, the patient may lose control of bowel or urinary control. These seizures usually last a total of two to three minutes. After, the patient remains unconscious for a while and awakens to confusion and extreme fatigue. Absense Seizures or Petit Mal Seizures are brief about 3 to 30 seconds long. They may consist of only a short cessation of physical movement and loss of attention. Others may not even notice these seizures. The person loses consciousness and may experience attacks as often as 50 to 100 times a day. Epilepsy is diagnosed mainly with interpretation of a patient's medical history. The types of seizures, what happened, etc.. Often the doctor will talk with the people who witnessed the seizure also. Tests may be done to rule out diseases or infections that may cause seizures. A complete neurological exam is done, including an EEG, an electroencephalogram: a machine th...