How to Know if You Had a Seizure in Sleep

When an epileptic seizure starts in i side of the encephalon, it'south called a focal onset seizure or a focal seizure. Both terms mean the same thing. Until recently these seizures were chosen partial seizures.

What are the different types of focal seizure?

In that location are many different types of focal seizure, but they tin be split into two main types according to what level of awareness you have during the seizure.

Focal aware seizures

During a focal aware seizure, you stay fully aware of what's happening around you, even if you can't move or respond. This type of seizure used to exist called a simple fractional seizure.

What are auras?

Some people with epilepsy use the word 'aura' to depict the feeling they become that warns them they're about to have a tonic-clonic seizure. The aura is in fact the seizure starting in i side of the brain as a focal enlightened seizure. The seizure and then spreads to affect both sides of the brain. Run across focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures.

Focal aware seizures tin also happen on their own, without developing into another seizure type. Some people who accept focal enlightened seizures on their own also call them auras.

Focal impaired awareness seizures

If your sensation of what's happening effectually you is affected at whatever time during your seizure, information technology's called a focal dumb awareness seizure. This type of seizure used to be called a complex partial seizure.

Motor or non-motor

Doctors may also use the words motor or non-motor to depict focal seizures. Focal motor describes focal seizures where the primary symptoms involve muscle activity, such as jerking, loss of muscle tone or repeated movements. Focal non-motor describes seizures where the main symptoms don't involve muscle action. They tin include things like changes in emotions, thinking and sensations.

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What happens during a focal seizure?

What happens during a focal seizure depends on which area (lobe) of the brain is affected, and whether the seizure spreads to bear upon other areas. Some people just experience ane symptom during a focal seizure, while others experience several.

Frontal lobes

The symptoms of frontal lobe seizures can sometimes be mistaken for mental health problems or sleep disorders. Some people who accept frontal lobe seizures merely have them in their sleep. They are usually brief, but often happen in clusters, with several happening in a curt space of time. Your awareness may or may not be affected.

Symptoms of seizures in the frontal lobes can include:

Pelvic thrusting, boot, pedalling, thrashing or rocking movements
Screaming, swearing or laughing
Unintentionally passing urine (urinary incontinence)
Your head or eyes turning to i side
Having unusual body movements, such as stretching one arm while the other bends
Twitching, jerking or stiffening of muscles in one area of your body. The movements may sometimes spread fleck by flake to other areas

Occipital lobes

Seizures starting in the occipital lobe often spread to involve other lobes.

Symptoms of seizures starting in the occipital lobe include:

Seeing flashing lights, colours or uncomplicated patterns
Seeing more than complex images, such equally pictures of people, animals or scenes
Not being able to run across as well equally usual, or non being able to encounter at all
Having eye movements you tin can't control, such equally your eyes closing, moving to one side or chop-chop moving from side-to-side
Eyelid fluttering

Parietal lobes

Seizures starting in the parietal lobe oftentimes spread to involve other lobes.

Symptoms of seizures starting in the parietal lobes can include:

Having feelings of numbness or tingling
Prickling, crawling or electric-stupor sensations, which may spread forth the affected body office
Sensations of burning, cold or pain
Feeling like part or all of your body is moving or floating
Feeling like a body function has shrunk, enlarged or is missing
Sexual sensations
Difficulty understanding language, reading, writing or doing elementary maths
Seeing things as larger or smaller than they actually are, or seeing things that aren't there

Temporal lobes

If yous have been diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) it ways you have seizures starting in ane or other of the temporal lobes. Seizures starting in the temporal lobes are usually focal impaired awareness seizures, but focal aware seizures can also happen. You might start the seizure being enlightened of what's happening, and then lose awareness every bit the seizure progresses.

Symptoms of seizures in the temporal lobes include:

Feeling frightened
Feeling like what's happening has happened earlier (deja vu)
Hearing things that aren't there
Experiencing an unpleasant taste or smell
Having a rising awareness in your stomach
Lip smacking, repeated swallowing or chewing
Changes to your skin tone or heart rate
Automatic behaviours such every bit fidgeting, undressing, running or walking

After a temporal lobe seizure yous are likely to exist confused, and may find it hard to speak for a short time.

How long do focal seizures final?

Most focal enlightened seizures are brief, lasting between a few seconds and 2 minutes. Focal dumb awareness seizures usually last between 1 and two minutes.

What happens after a focal seizure?

What happens after a focal seizure varies from person to person. You might feel fine after a focal seizure and be able to get dorsum to what you were doing straight abroad. Or you might feel confused or tired for some time after. You lot might demand to sleep.

Some people find they have temporary weakness or can't move part of their torso after they've had a seizure. This is called Todd'southward paresis or Todd'southward paralysis. Information technology tin last from a few minutes upwards to 36 hours, before going abroad.

How can someone help me during a focal seizure?

You might not need any help from people around you lot during a focal seizure, peculiarly if it's brief and you're aware of what'due south happening. Merely if you're not enlightened of what you're doing you might need help to guide you away from danger and go along you safe. See our first assistance information, or enquire them to have our short online form which shows them what to practise when someone has a seizure.

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Source: https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/seizures/focal-seizures