×

This article on Epainassist.com has been reviewed by a medical professional, as well as checked for facts, to assure the readers the best possible accuracy.

We follow a strict editorial policy and we have a zero-tolerance policy regarding any level of plagiarism. Our articles are resourced from reputable online pages. This article may contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

The feedback link “Was this Article Helpful” on this page can be used to report content that is not accurate, up-to-date or questionable in any manner.

This article does not provide medical advice.

1

What Causes Sudden Seizures in Adults?

Seizures in adult people take place because of a brain disorder referred as epilepsy, which occurs when specific nerve cells present in the brain misfire. Seizures affect the behavior of human beings or the way, in which they perceive the surrounding things for a specified interval.

Seizure takes place whenever a burst of various electrical impulses presents in the human brain escape their regular normal limits. They spread across many nearby areas to create an uncontrolled electrical activity storm. Moreover, the transmission of electrical impulses results in convulsions or twitches.

What Causes Sudden Seizures in Adults?

What Causes Sudden Seizures in Adults?

The problem of Seizures or Epilepsy mainly takes place because of some injuries in the human brain. However, you will find a few other causes, which result in the problem of epilepsy or seizures. These include-

  • Low level of oxygen inhale at the time of birth
  • Head injuries, which have taken place at the time of birth or because of severe accidents during a person’s adulthood
  • Genetic conditions, including the problem of tuberous sclerosis, which lead to brain injury
  • Brain tumors can cause seizures in adults
  • Encephalitis or meningitis and other similar types of infections
  • Problem of stroke
  • Presence of specific substances, such as blood sugar and sodium in abnormal levels.
  • Medical practitioners have identified a few specific factors, which are responsible to provoke the problem of seizures with epilepsy among adults.
  • Skipping doses of regular seizures medication or failing to intake as per the instructions given by the consulted doctor
  • Heavy consumption of alcohol can cause seizure in adults
  • Addiction to ecstasy, cocaine and other similar types of drugs
  • Lack of proper sleep can also cause seizure in adults
  • Medicines/drugs responsible for interfering with the mentioned seizure medications.

Note: Most of the adult women deal with the problem of epilepsy and/or seizures during the menstrual periods. In this situation, it becomes essential for females to add or change specific drugs before their menstrual periods.

Two Major Types of Seizures in Adults

  1. Focal Seizures in Adults

    Focal seizures in adults start in a specific part of the human brain and may cause both emotional and physical effects. These seizures force you to see, feel or hear things, which do not remain actually present. Most of the times, doctors also call this problem as a partial seizure.

    • Simple Focal Seizures: Simple focal seizures change the way, by which senses of a human being read the surrounding world. These may make one’s taste or smell anything strange and twitches legs, arms or fingers. Even in this case, one can see light flashes or get dizzy feelings. Despite a person does not loss his consciousness, but he may feel nauseated or sweaty.
    • Complex Focal Seizures: Complex focal seizures take place mainly in the part of a person’s brain, which controls both memory and emotions. Here, although patients may lose consciousness but appear as still awake or may do strange things, such as smack the lips, gag, cry or laugh.
  2. Generalized Seizures in Adults

    Generalized seizures in adults take place whenever nerve cells present on both sides of a human brain misfire to cause fall, black out or muscular spasms. These may further take place in following ways-

    • Tonic-clonic Seizures: Tonic-clonic Seizures result in shakes, body stiffens and jerks, while force individuals to lose the consciousness.
    • Clonic Seizures: Clonic seizures result in spasm of muscles to force your arm, neck and face muscles to jerk in a rhythmic way. These problems last for several minutes.
    • Tonic Seizures: Tonic seizures create tense in the muscles of your legs, trunk and arms. These problems last usually for about 20 seconds or even less than that and often take place when you stay in sleeping condition.

References:

  1. “Epilepsy Overview” – Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/epilepsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20350093

  2. “Types of Seizures” – Epilepsy Foundation. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/types-seizures

  3. “Causes and Risk Factors of Epilepsy” – American Epilepsy Society. https://www.aesnet.org/for_patients/fact_sheets_for_patients/causes_and_risk_factors_of_epilepsy

  4. “Seizures and Epilepsy: Treatment Options” – Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17907-seizures-and-epilepsy/management-and-treatment

  5. “Epilepsy and Seizures” – National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Epilepsy-Information-Page

Also Read:

Team PainAssist
Team PainAssist
Written, Edited or Reviewed By: Team PainAssist, Pain Assist Inc. This article does not provide medical advice. See disclaimer
Last Modified On:January 16, 2024

Recent Posts

Related Posts