Categories: Neurology

How can you prevent a seizure?

There are various reasons why a person may be prone to seizures, commonly referred to as convulsions or fits. One of the most common reasons is epilepsy. This is a medical condition when the brain is affected by recurring abnormal electrical activity, which causes seizures. The causes of epilepsy are still being researched, and at present, there is no cure for the condition. In about 50% of cases, it appears to be caused by a severe head injury that affects brain functioning.

While epilepsy cannot be cured, it is possible to prevent the seizures associated with the condition.

Seizure Triggers – How to Avoid Them

While an epilepsy patient is prone to seizures, there are situations, activities, or stimuli that increase the likelihood of occurring. These will vary from person to person, and the same stimulus/situation/activity may not always cause a seizure to occur. The common triggers include, but are not limited to:

Stress, anxiety, or emotional trauma. Meditation, yoga, and counseling help deal with this.
Alcohol or drug abuse. The strain of quitting is also a trigger for those who have the habit and have been advised to stop. That being said, it is better to go through the strain of quitting rather than continuing with these dangerous triggers. Talk to a doctor about any addiction or dependency so that medication to help you can be prescribed.
Inadequate sleep or change in sleep timings. Try to sleep at the same time every night and get a minimum of at least 6 hours of good sleep.
A change in medication or the use of new medications for other medical problems. Be careful when taking over-the-counter medications. Inform a doctor that you suffer from fits to be taken into account when a treatment regimen is created.
Overstimulation of the senses such as rapidly flashing lights, excessive watching of TV, spending too much time in front of a computer monitor, playing video games on a computer or even on a smartphone, etc. If you must spend time in front of a TV or computer, do it in short spells.
Strain from excessive mental stress as trying to find the solution to a difficult problem. If a problem cannot be solved, go on to something else and return to it later.
In women, hormonal changes such as menstruation or menopause are also seizure triggers. Talk to your doctor about this so that various ways to control the problem can be examined.

Seizure Prevention

There are medications such as anticonvulsant drugs known to reduce the frequency of seizures and successfully reduce their intensity. If you have been prescribed medication to treat your condition, this must be taken regularly and on schedule. A person who misses out on even one dose has a significantly increased chance of suffering a seizure. Always carry your medication with you and, if you tend to be forgetful about taking it, set alarms on your cell phone to remind you to take it.

Children who have epilepsy are often prescribed a low carbohydrate, high-fat diet (known as a ketogenic diet) to reduce the seizures’ frequency and severity.

If you suffer from seizures, follow the advice of your doctor to help you control the condition. If you suspect you may have epilepsy, consult a neurologist for a diagnosis and treatment.

Originally published July 4, 2016, updated January 18, 2021

Kauvery Hospital is globally known for its multidisciplinary services at all its Centers of Excellence, and for its comprehensive, Avant-Grade technology, especially in diagnostics and remedial care in heart diseases, transplantation, vascular and neurosciences medicine. Located in the heart of Trichy (Tennur, Royal Road and Alexandria Road (Cantonment), Chennai, Hosur, Salem, Tirunelveli and Bengaluru, the hospital also renders adult and pediatric trauma care.

Chennai – 044 4000 6000 • Trichy – Cantonment – 0431 4077777 • Trichy – Heartcity – 0431 4003500 • Trichy – Tennur – 0431 4022555 • Hosur – 04344 272727 • Salem – 0427 2677777 • Tirunelveli – 0462 4006000 • Bengaluru – 080 6801 6801