What to Do If You Have Epilepsy Symptoms in Central California
Epilepsy is a spectrum disorder where disruptions to the brain’s normal nerve activity trigger seizures. Epilepsy symptoms can range from mild to debilitating.
If you think you are having signs of seizures in Central California, meet with an experienced neurologist for testing and diagnosis.
Find a Doctor at these Dignity Health Central California locations:
Seizure & Symptoms of Epilepsy
Seizures are the defining sign of epilepsy. Having many seizures over time may lead doctors to diagnose you with epilepsy.
Seizure symptoms vary from person to person and can depend on which part of the brain is involved. There are three types of seizures: absence, focal, and tonic-clonic. Signs of seizures may include:
- Feeling strange or weird immediately before a seizure happens
- Change in mood or emotions right before a seizure
- Smelling odors that aren’t there
- Visual or auditory hallucinations
- Tingling or crawling feeling in the skin
- Muscle rigidity
- Abnormal head movements
- Periods of staring into space
- Facial flushing
- Inability to speak
How Is Epilepsy Diagnosed at Dignity Health Central California?
To diagnose epilepsy, your doctor will give you a thorough physical exam and ask you about your medical history, including any family history of epilepsy. You’ll need to share details about your past seizures, including what you experience, how often they happen, and if you’ve noticed anything that tends to bring them on.
Your doctor may also order tests, including:
- Electroencephalogram (EEG), a noninvasive test that records the electrical activity of your brain; it may be portable to record your brain activity over several days.
- Blood tests.
- Lumbar puncture to examine your cerebrospinal fluid.
- Imaging tests, such as computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Doctors at Dignity Health Central California will consider all of your epilepsy symptoms to make an accurate diagnosis. The sooner you receive treatment, the better, as you may be able to reduce the number and severity of your seizures and improve your quality of life.
Dignity Health Central California delivers quality diagnoses for symptoms of epilepsy in Bakersfield, Merced, and Stockton, CA.