Seizure Phases
Seizures take on many different forms and have a beginning (prodrome and aura), middle (ictal) and end (post-ictal) stage. These phases are described below.
Beginning phase
Prodrome stage
During the prodromal stage some people can tell when a seizure is on its way.
Not all people experience this stage. Some common signs can include:
Mood changes
Anxiety
Feeling lightheaded
Difficulty sleeping
Difficulty staying focused
Behaviour changes.
Aura
Auras are generally considered an early part of the seizure. Symptoms of an aura may include:
Déjà vu (a sense that something has happened before when in fact it hasn’t)
Jamais vu (a feeling that you’re seeing something you know well for the first time)
Odd smells, sounds or tastes
Dizziness
Vision difficulties
Numbness or ‘pins and needles’ in parts of the body
Nausea
Headache
Panic
Feelings of intense fear
Sometimes a person may have an aura which doesn’t progress to become a more severe or prolonged seizure. Some people don’t experience an aura at all, and their seizure has no early warning signs.
Middle (ictal) phase
The middle (ictal) stage of a seizure is called the ictal phase. It’s the time from the first symptom to the end of the seizure activity. It is during this time that intense electrical activity is occurring in the brain. Some common signs of this phase include:
Loss of awareness
Memory lapse
Feeling confused
Difficulty hearing
Odd smells, sounds or tastes
Difficulty speaking or saying strange words
Twitching
Loss of muscle control
Repeated movements (such as lip smacking or chewing)
Body convulsions
Racing heart
Trouble breathing
Ending (post-ictal) phase
The final post-ictal stage occurs after the active (ictal) part of the seizure. This is the recovery stage and during this phase any physical after effects of the seizure are felt. The type of seizure and the part of the brain involved will determine how long it takes for a person to return to their usual self.
Some common signs of this phase include:
Confusion
Lack of consciousness
Tiredness (fatigue)
Exhaustion
Headache
Loss of bladder or bowel control
Fear and anxiety
Frustration
Shame or embarrassment
Thirst
Nausea
Sore muscles
Weakness in parts of the body
Injury (head, cuts, broken bones)
Once the seizure is over, some people may remember having one, remember parts of it, or not remember at all.