What to Do If Someone Has a Seizure?

The typical seizure that attacks most people is the general form called as the tonic-clonic seizure. A person who never saw it before will find the attack terrifying and may even get into shock. The person who is experiencing or undergoing the seizure will barely remember what is happening. Every seizure attack has a specific pattern, which is:

• The person will become incapable of answering if you are communicating, does not react if you are waving your hand, and collapses suddenly
• In the tonic seizure phase, the muscular structure of the person becomes rigid, making it impossible to create a movement
• The next is the seizure phase where the person experiences the jerking actions (it is the clonic seizure phase and can last from a few seconds until several minutes)
• After jerking stops, the person regains consciousness and is capable of talking and shows signs of body movements.

In a majority of the circumstances, it is impossible for the individual to remember what they went through. Any seizure attack can be dangerous due to this reason. It will be difficult for the individual to protect themselves from injuries, as they are unaware of the surroundings.

On the contrary, focal seizures last no more than a minute. In this case, only a single part of the body goes floppy or becomes stiff. It is also possible to see rhythmic or repeated jerking movements at a single place. They may or may not realize what they are going through, but they will not remember after the entire thing is complete.

There is nothing that anyone could do if someone is going through the process of a seizure attack. A seizure attack lasts for seven of 60 seconds to a maximum of 5 min. If the person is suffering from the attack for more than a minute, then it is vital to seek immediate medical attention. During the period of seizure attack, the person undergoes a severe shock, which makes the body shake vigorously. At the same time, the attack interferes with vision, consciousness, speech, and movement.

A seizure attack occurs differently in different people. Therefore, assessing the situation becomes difficult. Furthermore, quite a few seizure attacks exist that are dangerous when compared to others. If you wish to help a person who is undergoing the seizure attack, then it is crucial for you to focus on keeping them safe.

As there is nothing that you or anyone can do when a person is going through the phase of seizure attack, the only method to help is wait until the individual regains consciousness and comes out of the attack. For generalized tonic-clonic seizure, you can follow the below steps:

1. Offer plenty of room so that the person has breathing space
2. Ensure to remove objects that surround the individual to prevent injuries
3. Cushioning the head is an excellent option to avoid critical damage
4. If it is possible, loosen the clothes around the neck and waist
5. Do not try to hold the body during the seizure phase
6. Turn the body to one side so that the fluid comes out of the mouth entirely to prevent gasping for breath.

After the person comes out of the seizure attack, see that you can provide a comfortable place so that he/she can take rest. Do remember not to give anything to eat or drink after the individual regains consciousness. You can then call emergency services and provide seizure details to the caretaker while they are in the process of shifting the patient to the hospital.

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Also Read:

• Atonic Seizures: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Prognosis
• What are Nocturnal Seizures or Seizures While Sleeping: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Pathophysiology, Safety Measures
• What Causes Nocturnal Seizures in Adults?
• Can You Control Seizures Without Medication?
• What Causes Sudden Seizures in Adults?