How to recognise epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a common condition that affects the brain and causes frequent seizures.

13th of February marks International Epilepsy day, raising awareness of the condition and linked symptoms.

Epilepsy is more than seizures

Epilepsy is one of the world’s oldest known medical conditions which affects around 600,000 people in the UK. 87 people are diagnosed with epilepsy every day, but many people still don’t understand it or talk about it.

For a video from the Epilepsy society explaining ‘What is epilepsy?’ Click here

Who is at risk of developing epilepsy?

The condition can start at any age, but commonly starts either during childhood or begins to affect those beyond the age of 60.

What are seizures?

Seizures are bursts of electrical activity in the brain that temporarily affect how it works.

How to recognise a seizure?

Seizures affect people in different ways, depending on which part of the brain is involved.

What to look for:

Uncontrollable jerking and shaking, called a 'fit'
Losing awareness and staring blankly into space

Becoming stiff
Collapsing

Less obvious but unusual sensations may also occur, such as:

A 'rising' feeling in the tummy

Unfamiliar smells or tastes
A tingling feeling in your arms and legs

If the above symptoms seem familiar, especially if you or those around you have experienced more than one symptom, more than once, you may have had a seizure.

What should I do if I think I have had a seizure?

Don’t ignore these signals. Do something about it.

You should see a GP if you think you or those you around you have had a seizure. This does not mean you have epilepsy, but you should see a doctor to find out what has happened and why.

Call 999 for an ambulance if someone:

is having a seizure for the first time
has a seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes
has lots of seizures in a row

has breathing problems or has seriously injured themselves

What causes epilepsy?

In most cases, it's not clear why seizures happen. It is possible it could be partly caused by your genes affecting how your brain works. Occasionally, epilepsy can be caused by damage to the brain, such as damage from: