A seizure occurs when there is a disposition of electrical charge in the brain due to complex chemical activities going on the nerve cells. There are two kinds of basic cells in brain, the ones that excite and the ones that inhibit. These cells fail to function properly which cause serious disruption in the activities of a person over a short period of time.
There are various types of seizures and the way they occur. A mini seizure is the kind of seizure that occurs and affects only a certain part of the brain. Through the neurons, the human brain sends signals to various parts of the body. This working process of the brain is interrupted due to a sudden electrical surge. The electrical surge can also affect only a certain part of the brain. Such a situation is also known as focal onset seizure. During this phase, the patient should not be moved other than turning him or her to side gently and it is better to keep objects out of the patient’s way to avoid injury.
During the time a person undergoes a mini seizure, it is not common for the person to be unconscious. Often it is seen that the person is conscious of what is going around him or her even though he or she may be confused. The person during such a situation fails to respond. It is better to get medical help so that the condition is diagnosed and treated at its earliest. A mini seizure usually lasts from 1 to 2 minutes.
What are the Symptoms of a Mini Seizure?
As the focal onset aware seizure or the focal seizure occurs only in one part of the brain, there are varied symptoms and the variety of symptoms depends on particular events. For example, as a symptom of focal seizure (mini seizure) occurring in the part of the brain that manages vision, your vision will get affected or compromised; you will see bright lights or develop hallucinations.
Some of the very common and possible symptoms of focal seizure are:
- Unusual or uneven muscle contractions. The contractions are followed by muscle relaxations.
- Contractions occur only on one side of the body, the part that is affected.
- Eye and head movements which are not usual.
- Feeling tingly or developing a feeling of something crawling through your skin.
- Numbness
- Abdominal pain is also a symptom of a mini seizure
- Increase in pulse and rapid heartbeat rate.
- Developing repetitive movements also known as automatisms. For example picking at your skin, clothes, smacking of lips, continuous chewing or swallowing.
- Sweating
- Nausea, light headedness, fatigue
- Flushed face
- Hallucinations
- Change in vision and dilated pupils causing disturbed vision
- Blackouts
- Sudden mood changes.
What are the Causes of a Mini Seizure?
There are several conditions which gives rise to a situation due to which a person can undergo any type of seizure. It happens sometimes that the cause of the seizure remains undiscovered. When there is no known cause for a seizure, it is called an idiopathic seizure. Unlike idiopathic seizure, a mini seizure or a focal seizure has a few possible causes. They are:
- Epilepsy
- Failure of liver or kidney
- Consumption and use of harmful and illegal drugs
- Meningitis and other brain infections
- Rising high blood pressure
- Any kind of brain defect that has occurred before the birth of the child, also known as congenital brain defects.
- Sudden withdrawal from the extensive use of alcohol or drugs
- Heat stroke and stoke
- Stings and venomous bites
- Poisoning
- Low blood sugar can also cause a mini seizure
- A genetic disorder called Phenylketonuria that results in mental disability and brain damage.
- Epilepsy Foundation – Focal Seizures
- Mayo Clinic – Focal Seizures
- Cleveland Clinic – Focal Seizures
- Healthline – Focal Seizures
- WebMD – Epilepsy and Seizures
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