Psychological Imitators of Seizures
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Video Description:This video reviews a number of psychological conditions that are sometimes confused for epilepsy. Of the various medical conditions that mimic aspects of a seizure, these psychological conditions can be the most difficult to distinguish from epilepsy.
Transcript:While many medical conditions can be confused for epilepsy, the most difficult to differentiate are those that mimic the psychological aspects of a seizure. Some conditions affect the mind in a way that produces symptoms similar to seizures, and can provide real diagnostic difficulties for doctors! One such psychological imitator, called a breath-holding spell, is a variant of a temper tantrum that occurs in childhood. A breath-holding spell happens when a child becomes angry and holds his or her breath until loss of consciousness. This can be followed by jerking. These symptoms are similar to certain kinds of seizures. A night terror is another common childhood condition that mimics epilepsy. It is seen most often among children aged two to six. During a night terror, children will let out bloodcurdling screams during sleep. The children rarely remember the episodes, though the parents surely do! While both breath-holding spells and night terrors can be frightening, they are generally benign-and not epilepsy! On occasion, panic and anxiety can lead to episodes that mimic seizures. With anxiety, can come hyperventilating, which is essentially breathing fast, at a rate in excess of what the body needs. Excessive breathing may lead to low levels of carbon dioxide in the blood. This causes dizziness, numbness and confusion and may appear similar to symptoms of seizures. Hyperventilating may be the result of pain, anxiety or a panic attack. A panic attack is a very abrupt period of intense anxiety and physiological arousal, including rapid heart rate, dizziness, and nausea. There can sometimes be a sense of impending doom! Once diagnosed, panic attacks can generally be controlled with a combination of medication and psychological care. One especially confusing psychological imitator of epilepsy is called a psychogenic non-epileptic seizure, or PNES. A PNES is a seizure-like event that is caused by psychological factors. Generally, the person experiencing the PNES is not aware of these factors and cannot control them. PNESs do not come from electrical discharges in the brain like epileptic seizures do. PNESs can be diagnosed and treated. For more information on PNESs, please check out other videos in this series. These psychological imitators of seizures can all be confusing and need to be diagnosed by a doctor. If you think you may be experiencing a seizure imitator, please talk to your medical professional team.
Category:Neurological Health/Epilepsy
Tags:breath-holding spell temper tantrum night terror panic attacks anxiety hyperventilation pain dizziness psychogenic non-epileptic seizure PNES nonepileptic event causes diagnosis health medicine athletics physical science advice community web series fitness home video blog guru
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