According to a 1996 article written by WebMDHealth, epilepsy is defined as “a symptom of brain dysfunction characterized by periodic, recurrent seizures.”
So what causes seizures? They are caused by an unrestrained distribution of electrical impulses of “brain cells.” Damage from a brain injury can lead to an abnormal distribution of these functions. Depending upon which part of the brain is affected, each person will experience different symptoms. Seizures take place when the nerves “fire" within the brain "spontaneously."
Many people have partial seizures. And only one region of the brain causes them. During partial seizures, one may experience succinct twitching of certain groups of muscles. Areas of muscles affected may include the arms or legs. One may experience visual or auditory hallucinations, if the area of the area of the brain affected maintains these functions. Much like a grand mal seizure, the individual may lose consciousness for any period of time.
Tonic-clonic seizures, which are more commonly known as grand mal seizures, are one of the most extreme cases of epilepsy. During a grand mal seizure, one may “lose consciousness.” Flailing of the arms and legs is also symptomatic of a grand mal. Much like a petit mal seizure, grand mal seizures are over in a matter of minutes. After awakening, one may be lethargic and tired, but may not know that the seizure took place.
Petit mal seizures, which are sometimes called absence seizures, are also common. Often times, they result from an insult to the brain, such as a stroke or traumatic brain injury. In many cases, people experience this type of seizure throughout childhood and into the teenage years, but they often end after adolescence. They produce a number of different symptoms. The individual sometimes experiences an epileptic aura before the seizure begins. An aura makes things appear unreal and is often accompanied by red or pink lights. The epileptic sees this before he actually goes into the seizure. Once a twitching of the legs begins, the individual may see the environment around him, but is unable to focus on anything, because his eyes are twitching as well. One may blink his eyes rapidly, and his eyes may appear glazed. One may also look as if he was daydreaming.
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