Signs of Epilepsy

What are the signs of Epilepsy?

The phrase "signs of Epilepsy" should, strictly speaking, refer only to those signs and symptoms of Epilepsy that are not readily apparent to the patient. The word "symptoms of Epilepsy" is the more general meaning; see symptoms of Epilepsy.

The signs and symptom information on this page attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Epilepsy. This medical information about signs and symptoms for Epilepsy has been gathered from various sources, may not be fully accurate, and may not be the full list of Epilepsy signs or Epilepsy symptoms. Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Epilepsy may vary on an individual basis for each patient. Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they are indeed Epilepsy symptoms.

List of symptoms of Epilepsy:

The list of medical symptoms mentioned in various sources for Epilepsy includes those listed below. Note that Epilepsy symptoms usually refers to various medical symptoms known to a patient, but the phrase Epilepsy signs may often refer to those signs that are only noticable by a doctor:

• Convulsions
• Muscle spasms
• Loss of consciousness
• Grand mal seizures - see symptoms of grand mal seizures:
• Petit mal seizures - see symptoms of petit mal seizures:
• Strange sensations
• Strange emotions
• Strange behavior
• Symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy
  • Sudden behavior changes
  • Unusual behavior
  • Aggression
  • Anger
  • Agitation
• Symptoms of focal epilepsy
  • Localized muscle spasm
  • Whole body muscle spasm
  • Twitches
  • Tics
  • Hallucinations
  • No loss of consciousness
• Symptoms of a prodrome for convulsions (some people only):
  • Changed hearing
  • Visual disturbances
  • Smell sensations
  • Mood changes
  • Muscle pain
  • Muscle tremor
• Symptoms of status epilepticus:
  • Continuous sequence of seizures
  • Grand mal status epilepticus - continuous series of grand mal seizures

Signs or Symptoms of Epilepsy:

Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology (Excerpt)

Epilepsy can strike at any time of life --- from infancy to old age. While epilepsy varies widely in type and severity, all forms of this disorder are characterized by recurring seizures resulting from abnormal cell firing in the brain. (Source: Genes and Disease by the National Center for Biotechnology)

NINDS Epilepsy Information Page: NINDS (Excerpt)

Having a seizure does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy. Only when a person has had two or more seizures is he or she considered to have epilepsy. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Epilepsy Information Page: NINDS)

More symptoms of Epilepsy:

More detailed symptom information may be found on the symptoms of Epilepsy article. In addition to the above medical information, to get a full picture of the possible signs or symptoms of this condition and also possibly the signs and symptoms of its related medical conditions, it may be necessary to examine symptoms that may be caused by complications of Epilepsy, underlying causes of Epilepsy, associated conditions for Epilepsy, risk factors for Epilepsy, or other related conditions.

Medical articles on signs and symptoms:

These general reference articles may be related to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:

• Books on signs and symptoms
• Books on medical diagnosis
• Symptoms of the Silent Killer Diseases
• Symptoms and Medical Malpractice