Around 1.2% of the United States has diagnosed epilepsy or other seizure disorders and about 0.6% have undiagnosed seizures. Most Americans have heard of epilepsy; however, they do not truly know what it means. 

Scientists have found over 30 different types of seizures, some are motor where the patient experiences movement and some are not. One of the most common seizures to have are tonic-clonic seizures, commonly known as Grand Mal seizures. These will cause stiffness, shaking of the body and loss of consciousness. Most of the time people with tonic-clonic seizures do not remember experiencing the seizure itself as it is a generalized seizure which affects both parts of the brain. 

Another very common seizure is a Focal seizure which affects one side of the brain and includes twitches and numbness on one side of the body. 

If the patient is unconscious these seizures will be called focal onset impartial aware seizures whereas if the patient is conscious these are known as focal onset aware seizures.

Atonic seizures may appear similar to a stroke. The muscles in the body will fall limp and facial expressions will begin to droop. These seizures should last no more than 15 seconds. These are generalized and often leave the patient with no recollection of the seizure. 

One of the hardest seizures to diagnose is an Absence seizure as it appears to be a blank stare with occasional blinking or twitching of the face. These originate in the thalamus part of the brain where sensory information is stored. 

The best way to determine whether or not someone is having a seizure would be to get an MRI to scan the brain and an EEG to examine the electrical waves of activity in the brain. One of the only ways to determine what specific seizure someone may be having is to have an eye witness. They can determine whether or not it was a motor seizure and whether it was generalized or partial. 

Oftentimes people with seizures are put on medications in order to regain control. If medications don’t work, they may be put on special diets or even undergo surgery in order to remove the portion of the brain causing the seizures. Sometimes, someone with epilepsy will be given a small device that sends electrical signals to the nervous system in order to alter the brain stem. 

It is very important to know what to do when someone has a seizure, whether it is a tonic–clonic seizure or a focal seizure. Once someone collapses, the area surrounding the person needs to be cleared in order to prevent injury. The person should be placed on their side to reduce the risk of aspiration or choking on saliva. Another important thing to note is to time the seizure and keep in mind it should not last longer than 2 minutes. If it lasts anywhere above five minutes, call 911 and seek immediate medical attention. 

Make sure to check in on those with epilepsy and other seizure disorders, they are doing their best.