Question
What are the common symptoms of epilepsy?
Answer
Epilepsy typically includes minor and major seizures. Minor seizures are characterized by sudden interruptions in mental activity and loss of consciousness, which may be accompanied by muscle spasms or automatism, lasting from a few seconds to over ten seconds. The electroencephalogram may show a complex of spikes and slow waves at a rate of 3 per second. Major seizures present with sudden loss of consciousness, followed by a sequence of tonic-clonic convulsions, often accompanied by screaming, bluish complexion, incontinence, tongue bite injuries, vomiting of foam or blood, and dilated pupils.