Seizures are incredibly frightening episodes that are a result of disturbances in your brain’s electrical activity. They can range from mild to severe, but any seizure should be a signal to seek professional help, because more may come. As a neurologist, Dr. Mohammad Khan understands better than most what lies behind your seizures and how best to treat them at his practice, Chandler Neurology and Sleep Disorders Associates, PC. If you’re in Chandler, Arizona, and you or a loved one is experiencing seizures, call or use the online booking tool to schedule an appointment.

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What are seizures?

At its core, a seizure is the result of a disturbance in your brain’s electrical activity. Seizures often come on without warning and last anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes. And no two seizures are alike — they can affect your behavior, movements, sensations, and level of consciousness.

When you have two or more seizures, the condition is known as epilepsy, which is the fourth most common neurological disorder, with 150,000 new diagnoses each year in the United States.

What are the symptoms of a seizure?

Because a seizure originates in your brain, the type of seizure depends on which areas of your brain are involved. The most common characteristics of a seizure include:

  • Uncontrollable body movements, including jerking and twitching
  • Staring off into space
  • Confusion
  • Impaired awareness
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Emotional disturbances, such as sudden fear or anxiety

Everyone is different and these symptoms vary from one person to the next. The bottom line is that whatever forms it takes, a seizure is serious and calls for the intervention of an experienced neurologist like Dr. Khan.

What causes seizures?

Far and away, the leading cause of seizures is epilepsy, a disorder in your central nervous system that causes abnormal brain activity. Outside of epilepsy, there are a number of conditions that can bring on seizures, such as:

  • Stroke
  • Brain tumor
  • Infection
  • High fever
  • Alcohol withdrawal
  • Certain medications

This list is largely made up of one-time occurrences, which don’t require long-term treatment, though you should still get checked out after any seizure. If you’re experiencing recurring seizures, the matter is more pressing and you should see Dr. Khan sooner rather than later.

How do you treat seizures?

Before recommending a treatment plan, Dr. Khan runs a number of diagnostic tests, including:

  • A neurological exam
  • An electroencephalogram
  • Blood tests
  • CT scans or other diagnostic imaging

Based on his findings, Dr. Khan has a number of tools that can reduce your seizures, including prescription medications, brain stimulation, and, in less common cases, surgery. Dr. Khan typically starts out conservatively, only becoming more aggressive in his treatments if your seizures persist.

If you or a loved one is experiencing seizures, call Chandler Neurology and Sleep Disorders Associates, PC, for expert diagnosis and treatment. Or use the online scheduling tool to request a consultation.