Can Seizures Vary Throughout the Year ? This Is Known As " Seasonal Epilepsy "
To be honest , as a parent and a caregiver to someone who fights seizures , i have actually never heard of seasonal Epilepsy , so i did some research and here is what i learned - Lorrie : Seizures are more prevalent in winter months, for some people,
Many people with epilepsy will tell you that seizure activity is rarely consistent, but neither are they random. Seizures often occur in clusters, whereby a person could go for weeks seizure-free, only to have multiple in the same week. It's not just about the number of seizures either, it could be that they vary in severity or type.
However, it's also quite common to hear reports from people with epilepsy who experience seasonality in their seizure activity. For instance, a person may have more frequent seizures in the summer months than they do in the winter, or vice versa. The lunar cycle has also been associated with epilepsy for centuries, and many people with epilepsy do claim that their seizure activity follows these cycles, yet there has not been enough study to confirm or deny the connection.
Seasonal factors for epilepsy
Epilepsy is so varied and one person's experience may not be comparable to another's. However, there are some common explanations for why a person with epilepsy may experience seasonality…
Temperature induced seizures are far more likely to be experienced during the summer months during hot days. This could lead a person to feel that their epilepsy is seasonal in nature, which it is in a sense, but the reality is that they're simply more exposed to a trigger for their seizure than they would be during autumn or winter. On the flip side of this, being cold can also trigger seizures in some people, which would lead them to being more prone during the winter season.
Disruption of the sleeping cycle could be another potential reason for an increase in seizures. If a person was to struggle to sleep and maintain their sleeping cycle during the summer, it's conceivable that this could lead to an increase in seizures. This could be particularly prevalent when the clocks change in October, for example and we enter daylight savings time.
Some epilepsy studies have found that seizures are more prevalent in the winter months for many people. These studies hypothesise that the increased seizure activity may be due to fluctuations in vitamin D as people naturally get less sunlight in these months, which could be one reason for seasonality.
Seasonality isn't something that's limited to epilepsy either, there are several other conditions that have been demonstrated to have some seasonal impact, such as strokes, cancer, migraines and schizophrenia.
If you are experiencing new, severe, or persistent symptoms, contact a your personal health care provider by phone .
Symptoms of epilepsy vary greatly between individuals and depend on the type of seizure. Symptoms can be mild to severe in form. Some of the symptoms include
- Euphoria during aura (before the episode)
- Temporary confusion
- Episodes of staring blankly
- Uncontrollable jerking movements or twitching of the arms and legs
- Loss of consciousness or awareness
- Psychological symptoms such as fear and anxiety
- Symptoms & Reports Causes Prevention Complications
If untreated for a prolonged period it may lead to
- Injuries or death due to falls
- Drowning during swimming
- Increased risk of accidents when driving a vehicle
- Complications during pregnancy
- Psychological problems such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies
- Frequent and recurrent seizures without regaining consciousness, a condition known as status epilepticus
- Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP), a rare but life-threatening complication
- * Note : Never ever self diagnose , always contact your healthcare provider and journal any unusual activity.
- For questions about your medication , or your meds interacting with another med , contact your pharmacist at your local pharmacy , that way you`re sure to know that the medications you are taking [ if more than 1 ] , play nice with each other .
- Never seek medical advice on social media , [ many people on social media are not professionally trained doctors all though people online mean well, it can be dangerous when they who don't know you and they accidentally give you false information ] , that's what real doctors are for and your health care provider can design a plan to cater specifically to your personal health care needs !
- better safe than sorry :)
Epilepsy or any chronic illness can be tricky navigating , more content posted can help stomp out the stigmas, educate and create more awareness ! As i write this and all the pages on my blog website here , i am learning as well and am more than happy to share this content with you !
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER !!
signed Lorrie
Nov. 21, 2023