Seizures Specialist
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Loudoun Neurology Associates
Parminder Chawla, MD
Neurologist located in Lansdowne, VA
Whether you’ve just experienced your first seizure, or you’ve had epilepsy for years, managing your symptoms is essential for your health and functioning. At Loudoun Neurology Associates in Leesburg, Virginia, a variety of treatments can reduce the frequency and severity of your seizures. Neurologist Parminder Chawla, MD, has two decades of experience treating brain disorders, and he can help you, too. Contact the office today to schedule your initial consultation or book your appointment online.
Seizures Q & A
What happens during a seizure?
When you have a seizure, you may experience a range of symptoms depending on the type of seizure and its location. While many people affiliate seizures with convulsions, not all seizures cause uncontrollable movements. In some cases, seizures cause you to stare into space.
Other common symptoms include:
- Confusion
- Jerking or twitching movements
- Loss of consciousness
- Psychic symptoms
After a seizure, you may experience arm numbness, partial paralysis, or loss of consciousness.
Most seizures last 30 seconds to two minutes and most of the time they’re harmless. If a seizure lasts more than five minutes or multiple seizures occur without the individual waking up between them, you may have a medical emergency. Call 911 or head to the nearest emergency center.
What causes seizures?
Seizures happen when abnormal electrical activity occurs in the brain. In a healthy brain, neuron firing appears random and chaotic, but balanced. Neuron misfires happen, but they’re rare and have little consequence.
When you have a seizure, multiple neurons misfire at the same time and in the same area of the brain. These abnormalities can happen in just one part of the brain -- these are focal seizures or partial seizures -- or they can occur on both sides of the brain (known as generalized seizures).
Different things lead to this abnormal activity and some of the most common include:
- Medications
- Fevers
- Head injuries
- Certain diseases
- Epilepsy
How are seizures treated?
Dr. Chawla treats seizures in a multitude of ways.
To verify that you had a seizure and determine what area of the brain it impacted, he may request you have an electroencephalogram (EEG). This procedure records brain activity through electrodes and may allow Dr. Chawla to see abnormalities in brain activity.
If he confirms that a seizure happened, Dr. Chawla prescribes an anti-seizure medication. If this medication keeps you seizure-free, he may eventually discuss tapering off the medicine.
In cases where medication isn’t enough to control your seizures, Dr. Chawla may suggest:
- Vagus nerve stimulation
- Ketogenic diet
- Brain surgery
If you’ve had a seizure or have difficulty managing epilepsy, find a solution with an experienced neurologist. Call the office today to schedule your appointment or book online.
