Medical History
The doctor seldom gets to see the patient have an actual spell, so the
information provided by the patient and family members or other witnesses
is extremely important.
Questions the Doctor may Ask you
- Describe your seizure episodes.
- How did you feel before you had the seizure e.g. hot, cold, hungry,
tired etc.
- Did you experience any unusual symptoms beforehand e.g. nausea,
dizziness, chest pain? (This is to rule out medical problems that could be
confused with epilepsy such as heart problems, migraine, panic attacks or
fainting).
- Had you drunk any alcohol or taken any drugs of any kind?
- Did you have any warning beforehand? If so, what?
- Do you remember anything about the seizure? If not, what happened when
you came round?
- Did you fall over and/or injure yourself?
- Did your eyes, mouth, face, head, arms, or legs move abnormally?
- Were you able to talk and respond appropriately?
- Did you lose control of your bladder or bowels?
- Did you bite your tongue or the inside of your cheeks?
- Were there any symptoms after the attack e.g. numbness or weakness?
- Were you confused or tired?
- Could you speak normally?
- Did you have a headache?
- Did your muscles ache?
- How many seizures have you had?
- Are there any other factors which could suggest epilepsy e.g. head
injury, previous seizures, other people in your family with epilepsy?
Questions the doctor may ask your companion
- What was the patient doing when the seizure(s) started?
- What exactly happened when the patient had the seizure(s)?
- How long did the seizure(s) last?
- Was there a period of confusion?
Neurological exam
The neurologist will perform a complete neurological exam to find out
whether an area of your brain is functioning abnormally. Usually the
neurologist will first ask you about problems you may have experienced
that could be a sign of a brain disorder. The neurologist also will test
the functioning of your muscles, your senses, and your reflexes, and will
look for any problems with your walking or coordination. Another part of
the exam is a test of your mental functions, such as the ability to remember
words, do arithmetic, and name objects. During follow-up visits, the
neurologist often will perform a brief version of the exam again to see
if anything has changed.
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| Fig - MRI |
Testing
Blood Test
The doctor will usually order a blood test to check your overall health and
to look for any other conditions that could be responsible for your seizures.
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