Blackouts, Seizures, and Epilepsy

Blackouts

Blackouts are very common as they have a wide range of causes. Up to 40% of us will lose consciousness at some point in our lives. Symptoms of a blackout include:

• a temporary loss of consciousness

• a temporary loss of awareness

• blurred vision

• confusion

Seizures

Seizures happen when you have sudden, abnormal electrical activity within your brain. Each of us has an 8% to 10% chance of having a seizure in our lifetime. The symptoms are different depending on the type of seizure, where in your brain the electrical activity happens, and how widespread it is.

Minor symptoms can include: 

• slurred speech

• not being able to speak 

• tremors

• feeling confused

If the electrical activity spreads throughout your brain, you may: 

• lose consciousness

• fall to the ground

• have convulsions (involuntary jerking movements in your arms and legs)

Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a brain condition that causes recurring seizures. The lifetime risk of developing epilepsy is 3% and around 50 million people across the world have the condition. Epilepsy is usually diagnosed if you have 2 or more seizures without a known cause, at least 24 hours apart.

There are many types of epilepsy, each with different symptoms. These include:

• tonic clonic seizures: where you lose consciousness, your body shakes, your muscles become stiff, and you might fall to the ground

• tonic seizures: where your muscles suddenly become stiff, you might fall to the ground, but you recover quickly

• atonic seizures: where your muscles become floppy, you might fall to the ground, but you recover quickly

• absence seizures: where you lose awareness of what’s happening around you for a moment

• focal seizures: where you have emotional changes, or unusual sensations or body movements

• myoclonic seizures: where your muscles jerk for a short while

While blackouts, seizures, and epilepsy may have crossover symptoms, their causes set them apart.

Blackout causes

Blackouts may occur as a result of: 

• syncope (sudden drops in your blood pressure)

• a psychological cause, such as stress or anxiety

• a sleep disorder, such as narcolepsy

• a neurological dysfunction, such as a seizure or epilepsy

Seizure causes

In most cases, people who have a seizure never have another one. These one-off seizures are most often triggered by: 

• medication

• high fever

• alcohol or drug use or withdrawal

• low blood sugar or salt levels

• lack of sleep

• a head injury

• a stroke

• a brain infection

Epilepsy causes

Depending on the type of epilepsy you have, different things may trigger your seizures. The common causes of epilepsy include:

• inheriting certain genes

• abnormal development of the structure of your brain

• scarring due to a brain injury, stroke, or infection

If you have genetic/hereditary epilepsy, it’s most likely to come on when you’re a child or young person. Epilepsy related to brain injury or damage usually comes on later in life.

It’s important to see a specialist if you experience symptoms of a blackout, seizure, or epilepsy so that you can get a diagnosis and receive the treatment that’s right for you. 

At Welbeck, you’ll have an initial consultation with your consultant neurologist. They’ll determine whether you had a blackout or a seizure, how likely it is you’ll have another, and what caused it. 

To confirm the cause, your neurologist may run: 

• neurological tests

• blood tests

• a CT scan

• an MRI scan

• other types of imaging tests

• an electroencephalogram (EEG)

Seizures are unpredictable, so there isn’t a surefire way to prevent them. But, there are things you can try to reduce or manage your risk:

• eat a ketogenic diet (high fat, low carbohydrate)

• track your triggers in a journal

• avoid your known triggers

• protect yourself from illness and injury

When seizures and epilepsy are treated and well managed, they may have little to no impact on your daily life.

However, having a seizure may put you or others in danger, depending on where you are when it occurs. You could fall and hurt your head or another part of your body, or lose control of a vehicle if you’re driving. 

Dealing with seizures or the side effects of antiseizure medicines can impact your mental wellbeing. It can make you more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

Seizures during pregnancy can be particularly dangerous. If you’ve had a seizure or have epilepsy and are pregnant, or plan to get pregnant, your neurologist can give you tailored advice on how to reduce the risk to you and your baby. 

Very rarely, a seizure can cause death. This is known as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). The risks and causes aren’t fully known. It’s believed that not treating and managing your seizures could be a factor.

Your neurologist will determine the most appropriate treatment for you, depending on the outcome of your tests. 

If there’s a clear physical trigger for your seizure and you’re not diagnosed with epilepsy, you may not need treatment in the long term.

If you’re diagnosed with epilepsy, medication will be the most likely treatment. Your neurologist will recommend a medication based on the type of epilepsy, any other medical issues you have, and any other medications you’re already taking. 

Less usual treatments include surgery or implanted nerve stimulators. However, these treatments aren’t appropriate for most people.

At Welbeck, our neurologists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.