Did I have a seizure during EEG?
Did I have a seizure during EEG?
An EEG can usually show if you are having a seizure at the time of the test, but it can’t show what happens to your brain at any other time. So even though your test results might not show any unusual activity it does not rule out having epilepsy.
What does brain activity look like during a seizure?
During a seizure, there are bursts of electrical activity in your brain, sort of like an electrical storm. This activity causes different symptoms depending on the type of seizure and what part of the brain is involved. Seizures can take on many different forms and affect different people in different ways.
What is a staring seizure called?
An absence seizure causes you to blank out or stare into space for a few seconds. They can also be called petit mal seizures. Absence seizures are most common in children and typically don’t cause any long-term problems. These types of seizures are often set off by a period of hyperventilation.
What do spikes on EEG mean?
Spikes or sharp waves are terms commonly seen in EEG reports. If these happen only once in a while or at certain times of day, they may not mean anything. If they happen frequently or are found in specific areas of the brain, it could mean there is potentially an area of seizure activity nearby.
Can you have a seizure with no brain activity?
Some people experience symptoms similar to those of an epileptic seizure but without any unusual electrical activity in the brain. When this happens it is known as a non-epileptic seizure (NES). NES is most often caused by mental stress or a physical condition.
Can EEG be wrong about seizures?
About 30% of patients seen at referral epilepsy centers for difficult seizures do not have seizures and have been misdiagnosed. Such a wrong diagnosis of seizures has serious consequences and can in fact be life-changing. The diagnosis of seizures and epilepsy should be based primarily on a good history. Not EEG.
Can EEG detect Previous seizures?
However, it is not quite that simple. An EEG can only detect a seizure when seizure like waves, or seizures themselves are occurring in the brain. A typical EEG only measures brain activity for 1-2 hours up to 24 hours (if you are in the hospital).
Does epilepsy always show up on an EEG?
A small number of people have unusual EEG test results, even though they never have seizures and they don’t have epilepsy. These could be caused by other medical conditions, problems with their vision, or brain damage. So, an EEG that shows unusual brainwave patterns doesn’t always mean that you have epilepsy.
What could cause an abnormal EEG?
Abnormal results on an EEG test may be due to: Abnormal bleeding (hemorrhage) An abnormal structure in the brain (such as a brain tumor) Tissue death due to a blockage in blood flow (cerebral infarction) Drug or alcohol abuse. Head injury. Migraines (in some cases)
