New research found that the majority of Americans can’t recognize more subtle seizure symptoms like laughing and rapid blinking. Less than half of the survey participants were able to recognize laughing, crying or screaming, lip smacking, and rapid blinking as signs of a seizure

Most People Can’t Recognize These Subtle Symptoms of a Seizure, Survey Shows

New research found that the majority of Americans can’t recognize more subtle seizure symptoms like laughing and rapid blinking. Less than half of the survey participants were able to recognize laughing, crying or screaming, lip smacking, and rapid blinking as signs of a seizure

• New research found that the majority of Americans can’t recognize more subtle seizure symptoms like laughing and rapid blinking.
• Less than half of the survey participants were able to recognize laughing, crying or screaming, lip smacking, and rapid blinking as signs of a seizure.
• Experts recommend people who believe they’re experiencing a seizure get to a place low on the ground to avoid injury, and if possible, provide healthcare providers with a video of the seizure to help provide a more accurate diagnosis.
  

Most people can’t recognize certain symptoms of seizures including laughing and rapid blinking, according to a new survey.

Seizures have been categorized since 2017 by their location in the brain, the person’s level of awareness about their symptoms, and whether or not the symptoms include stereotypical motor symptoms like shaking and jerking.

The new survey, conducted last month by Ipsos on behalf of Orlando Health, aimed to determine whether or not people in the United States could recognize some of the lesser-known seizure signs.

“We need to increase awareness about seizures and epilepsy to avoid sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) and reduce the stigma associated with the diagnosis,” Dipali Nemade, MD, MPH, an epileptologist (a neurologist specializing in epilepsy) at the Orlando Health Neuroscience Institute told Health.

Here are the subtle signs of seizure to be aware of, as well as tips for recognizing and responding to a seizure.

Subtle Signs of a Seizure Make It Difficult to Act Quickly

The new survey collected data from 1,024 adults ages 18 years and older. Less than half of the participants were able to recognize the following as signs of a seizure:

• Numbness or tingling (32%)
• Blinking rapidly (35%)
• Crying out or screaming (13%) 
• Laughing (6%) 
  

According to Nemade, whether or not someone can tell the signs of a seizure depends on the level of awareness associated with the seizure. It also depends on whether you or someone else is the one experiencing symptoms.

“Any seizure symptoms associated with loss of awareness will be noticed by surrounding people or loved ones/family members,” he said. “But if the seizure symptoms are associated with no loss of awareness, patients will be more likely to notice it.”

These types of symptoms include rising sensation in the stomach or déjà vu (feeling of familiarity), olfactory aura (pleasant or unpleasant smell), and visual or auditory hallucination, Nemade explained.

“In general, if seizure is not associated with a loss of awareness, the patients themselves are more likely to notice it and vice versa,” he said.

Clifford Segil, DO, a neurologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California echoed this, noting that seizures involving shaking are easily observed by caregivers and loved ones. 

“A usual seizure involves shaking for 60 to 90 seconds followed by a period of stiffness and then a period of time with confusion,” Segil said.

He added that a facial twitch or twitchy hand, while more subtle, are also outward signs of a seizure.

Seizures that don’t include shaking or any visible signs of mental change, confusion, or speech issues are simply less obvious, making it easier for both the person experiencing a seizure and loved ones to miss.

“Small seizures result in small symptoms while big seizures result in big symptoms like shaking, tongue biting, and bladder incontinence,” he said. “Subtle symptoms do imply a small seizure.”

The Dangers of Not Knowing Seizure Symptoms 

Not being aware of subtle signs of seizures means seizures are going unreported, undiagnosed, and untreated, leading to increased health risks including sudden and unexpected death.

Nemade explained that some of the consequences of not being able to identify subtle or less recognizable signs or symptoms of seizures include an increased risk of injuries if there is an associated loss of awareness with seizures.

For example, “someone having a behavioral arrest, staring into space, loss of awareness for a few seconds while driving can lead to major motor vehicle accidents,” he explained.

Similarly, if the person is swimming, it can lead to drowning. While working with fires and cooking, it can lead to burns, etc.

“Atonic (loss of body tone) seizure can lead to falls which can be dangerous,” he said.

Moreso, these subtle signs of seizure can lead to cognitive issues that can be tricky to catch and treat quickly.

“Subtle seizure can cause temporary confusion,” Nemade said. “Thus, it can affect day-to-day activities and quality of life since patients know something is wrong but don’t know how to explain.”

On top of that, the unpredictable nature of these seizures can also lead to anxiety and depression and take a toll on someone’s mental well-being.

“Sometimes people with epilepsy may have changes in their behavior,” Nemade said. “They also may exhibit symptoms of psychosis.”

While not catching subtle symptoms of a seizure can have a negative effect on someone’s quality of life, noting these symptoms early can have the opposite effect.

“Earlier diagnosis can lead to earlier treatment,” Nemade emphasized. “This will help patients to improve their personal quality of life and they will be able to function as productive members of society.”

Avoiding Poor Seizure Management

Segil explained that not knowing if you’re experiencing a seizure leads to poor management of seizures.

“Younger adults may be more prone to ignore such episodes,” Pooja S. Patel, MD, the director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at Marcus Neuroscience Institute, part of Baptist Health South Florida at Boca Raton Regional Hospital, told Health.

“They could dismiss these episodes as falling asleep, daydreaming or just being inattentive for few seconds and delay in seeking medical attention for it,” she said.

Segil explained that being able to accurately report a seizure to a healthcare provider helps professionals best treat seizures, as well as lower seizure frequency. This is just as important for small seizures as it is for bigger, more obvious episodes.

“Often it takes a big convulsive event that gets patients or family,” Patel said.

If a patient or family member can properly identify a seizure, they can take advantage of resources that are in place to help patients with seizures—no matter the size.

According to Segil, taking anti-seizure medication promptly is very important to avoid prolonged seizures which can be life-threatening.

Patel added that “if medicine does not help with symptoms, we may recommend neurosurgery or neurostimulation treatment via minimally invasive surgical techniques.”

Tips for Recognizing and Responding to a Seizure 

In a 2017 survey, few U.S. adults reported feeling knowledgeable about epilepsy, with 20% reporting having the confidence to help someone having a seizure with appropriate seizure first aid.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, not all seizures are emergencies, but people should call 911 if a seizure lasts more than 5 minutes or if the person gets injured during the seizure.

“In case of any warning of a seizure, get to a safe place low on the ground to prevent injury,” said Patel.

Segil advises his patients to video record any event concerning a possible seizure so a trained neurologist can look at an episode and reverse engineer which part of a person’s brain not working would cause this type of seizure.

“If someone is concerned they have had a seizure, I would also advise them to video themselves in a mirror or with their phone to show their treating doctor what occurred during the episode concerning a seizure,” he said.

If you believe that you or a loved one are experiencing a seizure, seek medical attention immediately.

This story originally appeared on: Health News - Author:Michelle Pugle