Common causes or triggers for seizures include:
Seizures are abnormal electrical discharges in the brain that can cause temporary changes in movement, behavior, sensation, or states of awareness. They can have various causes and triggers, as well as different symptoms depending on the areas and amount of the brain involved.
Common Causes of Seizures
Seizures can be the result of numerous underlying conditions or events. These include genetic mutations affecting brain cell communication, structural brain abnormalities (congenital or due to injury, tumor, stroke, or infection), metabolic problems (like electrolyte imbalances or glucose deficiency), traumatic brain injury, brain infections, alcohol or drug withdrawal, high fever, and other neurological disorders.
Triggers for Seizures
While causes are the underlying conditions or events that lead to seizures, triggers are external or transient factors that can provoke a seizure in a person with an existing seizure disorder but do not cause the disorder itself. Common triggers include lack of sleep, stress, illness or fever, flashing or bright lights, certain foods, skipping meals, alcohol or caffeine intake, and sometimes head injury.
Personal Seizure Triggers
Identifying personal seizure triggers can be crucial for managing the condition. A person can keep a seizure diary to note their activities or situations preceding a seizure. This can help in avoiding or mitigating triggers and reducing the frequency of seizures.
Reflex Seizures
Reflex seizures occur consistently due to specific and identifiable stimuli or cognitive processes. They can be either external (like seeing flashing lights or touching hot water) or internal (like feeling certain emotions or having certain thought processes).
Medication and Seizures
Some over-the-counter medications, such as antidepressants, stimulants, tramadol, and isoniazid, may potentially trigger seizures in some people. It's essential to discuss medication use with a healthcare provider to ensure safety.
Nutritional Factors and Seizures
Altered levels of minerals such as calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium can affect brain cell electrical activity and lead to seizures. Certain foods may also trigger seizures in some individuals. A 2020 systematic review found that rice-based meals, spicy foods, meat, fish, oily foods, milk, hot foods, cold foods, apples, pears, bread, porridge, and strawberry syrup could potentially trigger seizures, although the number of participants with seizures was relatively small.
Seasonal and Weather Effects
A 2018 study from Lisbon, Portugal, found that more seizures happen during winter, while a 2020 survey by the Epilepsy Society suggested that very hot weather may cause breakthrough episodes in well-controlled seizures and may cause uncontrolled seizures to be more severe and intense.
Menstruation and Seizures
Menstruation may cause catamenial epilepsy, which refers to seizures that become worse or more frequent during certain times of the menstrual cycle.
Management of Seizures
Regularly taking anti-epileptic drugs ensures a steady level of the medication in a person's body, and missing a dose may increase a person's risk of seizures and cause seizures to be more intense or occur more often. Vitamin B6 deficiency may trigger seizures in babies but is rare in adults.
In summary, while seizures can have numerous causes and triggers, understanding these factors can help in managing the condition. Regular communication with a healthcare provider is essential for identifying triggers, managing medication, and ensuring overall seizure control.
- Seizures are often the result of a variety of medical conditions such as genetic mutations, structural brain abnormalities, metabolic problems, traumatic brain injury, brain infections, or neurological disorders.
- Lack of sleep, stress, illness, flashing or bright lights, certain foods, skipping meals, alcohol or caffeine intake, and head injury can serve as triggers for seizures in individuals with an existing seizure disorder.
- Identifying personal seizure triggers is crucial for managing the condition, which can be done by maintaining a seizure diary.
- Reflex seizures are provoked by specific stimuli like flashing lights, hot water, or certain emotions.
- Some over-the-counter medications, such as antidepressants, stimulants, tramadol, isoniazid, or specific foods may potentially trigger seizures in susceptible individuals.
- Altered levels of certain minerals like calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium can influence brain cell electrical activity and lead to seizures.
- Research shows that there might be a correlation between seizures and seasonal factors, such as winter and very hot weather.
- Menstruation may induce catamenial epilepsy, causing seizures to worsen or become more frequent during certain times of the menstrual cycle.
- regular medication, adequate nutrition, and communication with healthcare providers are key components in the management of seizures to ensure consistent therapeutic levels, avoid missing doses, and maintain overall seizure control. Additionally, therapies and treatments like vitamin B6, CBD, and skin care can also play a role in managing seizures and other related health conditions, such as aging, mental health, men’s health, women’s health, parenting, weight management, and Medicare.
