Survey finds most Americans are unaware of many signs that someone is having a seizure

If you happen to’ve ever seen a film or TV present through which a personality has a seizure, you in all probability have a reasonably normal psychological image of somebody falling to the bottom in full physique convulsions whereas foaming on the mouth. However that does not essentially replicate actuality. A brand new nationwide survey by Orlando Well being finds that whereas most People acknowledge these basic signs of what is referred to as a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, the bulk fail to acknowledge the refined indicators, all of which will be harmful and have a profound influence on the lives of these affected by them.

“Something that interrupts your mind’s circuit may cause seizures, from tumors, infections and strokes to excessive or low blood sugar or glucose ranges to inherited genetic options. And various kinds of seizures can current with dozens of various signs,” mentioned Dipali Nemade, MD, MPH, an epileptologist and neurologist on the Orlando Well being Neuroscience Institute. “However as a result of they usually look completely different than these ‘cinematic seizures’ we see in films and tv, they will go undiagnosed for a very long time.”

The survey, performed by Ipsos, discovered lower than half of People consider numbness or tingling (32%), blinking quickly (35%), crying out or screaming (13%) and laughing (6%) are indicators of a seizure, however Dr. Nemade says it is essential to concentrate to any odd or out-of-place behaviors and deal with them together with your physician.

“Even seizures with these much less dramatic signs could make on a regular basis actions like driving and cooking harmful. For some folks, their seizures current outwardly with very refined indicators like smacking their lips, choosing at their garments or simply staring into area, and it is essential to acknowledge if you or somebody round you is experiencing them to allow them to be precisely recognized and handled,” Dr. Nemade mentioned. “By taking a look at their brainwaves (EEG), we will see if these behaviors are being attributable to seizures.”

For Mike Sail, seizures begin with a flushed feeling that travels from his stomach to his throat, adopted by raised arm hair inflicting his situation to initially be misdiagnosed as acid reflux disorder. It wasn’t till he misplaced his reminiscence of a whole week that he was lastly referred to Dr. Nemade, who recognized his situation as epilepsy.

“I saved saying that it will possibly’t be acid reflux disorder as a result of that does not trigger the hair in your arms to stay up,” Sail mentioned. “For essentially the most half, these episodes weren’t very disruptive. They solely lasted a minute or two and often solely occurred as soon as each few weeks. Generally I would have them whereas I used to be doing issues like enjoying golf, and afterwards I’d simply go about my enterprise. So, I used to be shocked to search out out they had been seizures as a result of it wasn’t what most individuals suppose a seizure seems like.”

Like most instances, Sail’s epilepsy is well-controlled with anti-seizure remedy, way of life adjustments and ample sleep, and he now not fears that uneasy feeling he will get earlier than having what he now is aware of had been seizures. Dr. Nemade says training is required to assist others like Sail increase a pink flag after they’re having unexplained signs regularly.

“If folks do not know that these signs will be attributable to epileptic seizures, their situation might be misdiagnosed or ignored and it’ll proceed to have an effect on their high quality of life. That may be very isolating and irritating, which is why many individuals with uncontrolled epilepsy expertise anxiousness and melancholy,” Dr. Nemade mentioned. “Too many individuals by no means go to the physician as a result of they do not really feel like it’s profoundly affecting their lives, or they do not know learn how to clarify what they’re feeling.”

For uncommon instances of epilepsy which are proof against anti-seizure remedy, there are some superior therapies that Dr. Nemade and her staff supply on the Orlando Well being Neuroscience Institute’s epilepsy middle, comparable to intracranial monitoring (sEEG/subdural) and mapping the mind to search out the precise spot the place seizures are originating and eradicating a small piece of tissue. If they aren’t capable of take away the tissues safely, then neuromodulation choices like responsive neurostimulation, deep brain stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation are efficient palliative choices.

It is efficient therapies like these that aren’t solely bettering lives, but additionally saving them by stopping sudden surprising loss of life in epilepsy, or SUDEP, which claims about 3,000 lives in the U.S. each year. However Dr. Nemade says they will solely assist if signs are acknowledged and motion is taken.

If you happen to suspect somebody is experiencing a seizure, sit them down in a protected place with none sharp or heavy objects of their environment and guarantee they will breathe freely till signs subside. If a seizure lasts greater than 5 minutes, name 911. Those that have by no means acquired an epilepsy analysis or one other rationalization for his or her seizure ought to comply with up with their physician or a neurologist.

This survey was performed on-line inside the US by Ipsos on the KnowledgePanel from October 5 to October 8, 2023, and surveyed 1,024 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This ballot relies on a nationally consultant likelihood pattern and has margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.3 proportion factors on the 95% confidence degree, for outcomes primarily based on your complete pattern of adults.