NES: Everything about non-epileptic seizures
Hi everyone! I got asked by @MyNameIsNicole if I wanted to write a post about non-epileptic seizures. And yes, I definitely do! If you have any questions that don't get answered in this post, feel free to leave a comment and I'll try to answer it. But for now, let's get started!
Introduction
Besides epileptic seizures, there is another type of seizures: non-epileptic seizures. What are those, what causes them, and how can you help someone who experiences non-epileptic seizures? We’re going to take a look at these questions and some more in this post.
Generalised seizures may include symptoms like
Convulsions
Stiffening
Jerkingy, rhythmic or twitching motions
Falling down
Loss of consciousness
Loss of bladder control
Biting the tongue
-
Confusion after the seizure
Partial seizures may include symptoms like
Jerky or rhythmic movements
Tingling sensations
Dizziness
Repetitive motions
Staring
Confusion
Changes in emotions
-
Altered senses
What causes NES?
NES can be caused by mental stress or physical conditions. Potential causes are
Heart conditions
Diabetes or other metabolic disorders
Mental disorders
Emotional, physical or sexual abuse
-
A major accident
In a recently published article, it is explained that both, epileptic and non-epileptic seizures, are caused by a strong discharge of a charge that has built up over time for different reasons, including unhealthy tension and chaos in the brain patterns.
How common are non-epileptic seizures?
From all people with seizures, around 60-70% of them have epilepsy, 10-20% have NES and 10-30% experience both types of seizures. This means that NES is pretty common in people who experience seizures.
But if you look at all the people in the US, it’s actually not as common. It is estimated that there are 2 to 33 per 100,000 people in the US who have NES. To compare, there are 5,610 per 100,000 people in the US who have asthma!
What are the treatment options for NES?
There is still a lack of helpful treatment options for NES. At the moment the most common treatment is psychotherapy. If there is an underlying health cause or risk factor, there might be more treatment options.
Question for everyone: Have you ever heard of non-epileptic seizures before? What were the circumstances?
Resources
Non-Epileptic Seizures | Cedars-Sinai
Nonepileptic Seizures | Epilepsy Foundation
(PDF) Psyche, Soma and Seizures
Closing the Major Gap in PNES Research - PMC
Asthma Prevalence | Human Progress
Other posts regarding Epilepsy Awareness
Seizure First Aid:
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Thank you @MyNameIsNicole for giving me the opportunity to spread awareness about NES!
@audienta we're practically best buddies now XD
@audienta
Question for everyone: Have you ever heard of non-epileptic seizures before? What were the circumstances
I didn't hear about non-epileptic seizures until purple day last week. There isn't enough representation on NES, and a good amount of people still think all seizures= epilepsy.
I'm glad I got educated on it though, so now I can educate others!
@MyNameIsNicole
I'm glad to hear that you could learn about it now! And I agree, there's definitely a lot of education work to do regarding seizures.
Take care
audienta
I have a relative who gets these although I'm confused about the electrical activity part. That was abnormal, it's how they were diagnosed as seizures (and not just simple fainting). Maybe not quite the right type for epilepsy? Over time they did appear more seizure like too ie. eyelid movement. Psychotherapy was not recommended, not sure how that would have actually helped.
They are very infrequent although when they were initially diagnosed were happening a fair bit. Things like GI illnesses/food poisoning seem to be the trigger now.
In that person's case they were taken fairly seriously, I think most people get concerned if someone is unconscious and stays that way for a while.
@AffyAvo
Hey AffyAvo
Maybe they saw on the EEG that you're relative didn't faint but were conscious. The abnormal activity that is seen in people with epilepsy is very specific and often also seen when they don't have a seizure at this moment. It depends on the type of epilepsy though. But of course, I don't know what exactly they saw in the case of your relative. 😉
I think the main point of psychotherapy is, that it should help the people to regulate their stress and emotions so that it doesn't come to an overcharge.
I'm glad to hear that your relative got taken seriously. I think that's really important. I hope that they find ways to live with with the seizures safely.
Take care
audienta
@audienta They definitely loses consciousness. I think they are more like febrile seizures. Those are non-epileptic too with brain activity. I just think the diagnosis had to be relabeled as they got older as I think by definition febrile seizures are only in young children/bsbies.
@audienta
What a fantastic post! I love how it’s set out and easy to understand, even understandable to read fist thing in the morning!
Question for everyone: Have you ever heard of non-epileptic seizures before? What were the circumstances?
I knew non-epileptic seizures existed, but I definitely learnt more about them in this article 😊
@audienta I'm sorry there was just multiple posting and I had to delete the duplicate ones except this one. Nice to have more awareness and information on non-epileptic seizures, by the way. Thank you for sharing!
I'm copy-pasting @wonderfulRainbow817 's comment here. (If you want to post this yourself, rainbow, feel free to let me know and I'll edit it out of here!)
Thank you for sharing this very informational post, @audienta! I feel non-epileptic seizures are just as important to know about as epileptic seizures are. I can see why people would think NES is fake but experiencing this myself I can say it feels very real. Often for me my NES are related to extreme stress. I don't want to have these seizures and I would stop it if I could. I can't though because it's my body's way of reacting to the stress. So yes, it is very important to take those with NES seriously and be non-judgmental.
@theriverissinging
Thank you very much! I've seen the bug myself and informed some forum mentors, but it seems, like you were faster. 😉 Thank you!
@wonderfulRainbow817
I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing NES yourself. Extreme stress can be a trigger for me as well. And I think with this theory from the new publication I mentioned, that explains that seizures come from an overcharge, that makes a lot of sense. I hope, you can find ways to manage your NES. ❤️
Take care
audienta
