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What Does an Aura Before a Seizure Feel Like?

The occurrence of an aura before a seizure is a warning for an individual that he or she will enter into the stage of a seizure attack within a short period. People experience an aura before an attack of a migraine or seizure with a severe headache. People suffering the situation are often finding themselves in a confused state due to the changes in the environment as well as how the brain perceives the surroundings.

What Does an Aura Before a Seizure Feel Like?

What Does an Aura Before a Seizure Feel Like?

As stated, the individual experiences or enters into a different state of mind where it becomes difficult to assess the reality. Such occurrences often change from one to another. The reason why there is a difference between the perceptions of aura is due to the origin of the abnormal activity in the brain. An aura can cause changes to visual, auditory, and other sensations. Due to this, it is often difficult for the individual to understand what is happening around them. Individuals often feel the change in smell, entering into hallucinations, bright appearance of light, changes in hearing experiences and other sensations.

There is also the opportunity for an individual to suffer from photosensitivity in which the eyes roll back in the head. The sufferer will experience tearfulness along with an unbearable sensation of light that remains for approximately 20 minutes. The symptoms reside after this period, and the individual comes back to normalcy. Such an occurrence is one of the rarest types of aura.

Grace Period

Unlike other conditions, the aura provides an opportunity for an individual to prevent injuries to others and for themselves. The reason is that the time between the occurrence of the aura and the seizure can be between a few seconds and an hour. Due to this, it will be helpful for the individual to look for a safe position where they can rest and ensure protection. In rare cases, it is likely for the sufferer to have the aura continue along with a migraine until it lasts. Such a situation is only feasible for certain types of aura and can leave the individual confused and disoriented.

Apart from the pain that the individual suffers, it is uncommon for him or her to undergo more than one type of aura. People suffering from a migraine often experience similar kind of aura each time they have an attack.

Diagnosis

Diagnosing seizure is possible. However, it becomes difficult and confusing for clinicians to assess the situation of the individual with auras. The reason is that it becomes difficult in diagnosing the condition, as the symptoms are similar to that of an anxiety attack. In addition to this, a person suffering from chest pain, dizziness, tremors, derealization, and palpitations further makes it complicating.

Visual Changes

The individual suffering from visual aura will experience the following changes:

  1. Zigzag lines.
  2. Vibrating visual field.
  3. Scotoma.
  4. Distortions in different shapes.
  5. Bright lights.
  6. Temporary blindness.
  7. Increased sensitivity towards light.

Auditory Changes

  1. Hears noises or sounds that do not exist.
  2. Modifications to songs or voices in the environment such as amplitude modulation, buzzing, and tremolo.
  3. Increased sensitivity towards hearing.

Additional Changes

  1. Phantosmia or phantom smell.
  2. Strange tastes.
  3. Enhanced sensitivity to taste and smell.
  4. Abdominal aura.
  5. Nausea.
  6. The sudden rush of fear and anxiety.
  7. Tingling or numbness sensation.
  8. Feeling weakness to one side of the body.
  9. Feeling a certain perspiration and overheating.
  10. Difficulty in speaking.
  11. Increases in confusion that makes forget to carry out everyday tasks.

References:

  1. “Epilepsy and Seizures: What You Need to Know” – Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/epilepsy/aura-seizure#aura-symptoms

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

  3. “Auras and Seizures” – Epilepsy Foundation. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/seizures-101/aura

  4. “Understanding Epileptic Auras” – Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/epileptic-auras-4802270

  5. “Aura – Migraine and Headache Symptoms” – American Migraine Foundation. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/aura/

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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:August 10, 2023

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