Seizures Specialist

What are seizures?

Seizures are sudden, uncontrollable electrical disturbances in your brain that may cause changes in your physical movements, behavior, feelings, and level of consciousness. Patients of all ages who experience recurring seizures have a condition called epilepsy. The type of seizure you have varies by where and how it begins in your brain.

Different types of seizures vary in intensity as well, with most of them lasting just 30 seconds to two minutes at a time. If you have a seizure that continues for more than five minutes, it’s considered a medical emergency. The most common types of seizures include:

• Generalized: involve all areas of your brain
• Focal: occur during abnormal electrical activity in one area of your brain
• Myoclonic: a type of generalized seizure that causes sudden twitching in arms and legs
• Absence: a type of generalized seizure common in children, causing them to stare off into space and appear unaware of their surroundings
• Tonic: a type of generalized seizure that causes muscle stiffness

Certain risk factors contribute to the onset of seizures for many adults and children, but in some cases, seizures occur without a known cause.

Who is at risk for seizures?

Any of the following factors may result in a higher risk of developing seizures:

• Brain infection
• A family history of epilepsy
• Childhood
• Age over 60
• Dementia
• Previous head injury or traumatic brain injury
• Vascular disease
• Stroke

If you or a family member has more than one risk factor, neurological testing can help determine the underlying cause, so you can get the treatment you need to minimize seizure recurrence. 

How are seizures treated?

For children and adults with epilepsy, Dr. Gupta often prescribes anti-seizure medications to help control and reduce the frequency of your seizures. She works with each person individually to find the medication that works best for your specific type of seizure and produces the fewest unpleasant side effects.

When prescribing medication, Dr. Gupta considers many variables, including:

• Your overall health
• Your specific condition
• The type of seizures you have
• The frequency of your seizures
• Your age

When anti-seizure medications are no longer effective, some people respond to dietary therapy, neurostimulation of the specific area of your brain that’s causing the seizures, or other neurological therapies.

If you or a family member experiences seizures, call or book an appointment online to improve your quality of life.