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When a patient has an epileptic seizure, it is normal to faint and have seizures, which are violent and involuntary contractions of the muscles, which can cause the individual to be struggling and salivating and biting the tongue and, usually, the crises last, in average, between 2 to 3 minutes, being necessary:
- Place the victim on his side with his head down, which is known as the lateral safety position, as shown in image 1, to breathe better and avoid choking on saliva or vomiting;
- Place a support under the head, such as a pillow or folded jacket, to prevent the individual from hitting the head on the floor and causing some trauma;
- Unscrew tight clothing, such as belts, ties or shirts, as shown in figure 2;
- Do not hold your arms or legs, to avoid muscle breaks or fractures or to hurt yourself due to uncontrolled movements;
- Remove objects that are close and may fall on the patient;
- Do not put your hands or any object in the patient's mouth, as you may bite your fingers or choke;
- Do not drink or eat because the individual may suffocate;
- Count the time the epilepsy crisis lasts.
Laying aside Support your head Unscrew your clothes Do not touch Keep safe
In addition, when an epilepsy crisis occurs, it is important to call 192 to be taken to the hospital, especially if it lasts more than 5 minutes or if it recurs.
In general, an epileptic who already knows his disease has a card informing his condition with data on the medicine he usually takes, such as Diazepam, the telephone number of the doctor or family member who should be called and even what to do in case of convulsive crisis. Find out more at: First aid for seizures.
After an epileptic seizure, it is normal for the person to remain in a state of apathy for 10 to 20 minutes, remaining plowed, with an empty look and looking tired, as if he were sleeping.
In addition, the individual is not always aware of what happened, so it is important to disperse people to allow air circulation and the recovery of the epileptic to be faster and without constraints.
How to prevent an epilepsy crisis
To avoid the onset of epileptic seizures, one should avoid some situations that may favor their onset, such as:
- Sudden changes in luminous intensity, like flashing lights;
- To spend many hours without sleeping or resting;
- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages;
- High fever for long periods;
- Excessive anxiety;
- Excessive tiredness;
- Consumption of illicit drugs;
- Hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia;
- Take only medicines prescribed by the doctor.
During an epileptic seizure, the patient loses consciousness, has muscle spasms that shake the body, or may simply become confused and inattentive. Find more symptoms at: Epilepsy symptoms.
To learn how to treat epilepsy and prevent seizures read: Epilepsy.
Created by: Tua Saúde Editorial Team