What are the symptoms of an epileptic seizure?
Sep 15, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
In general, seizure episodes in epilepsy can present with a variety of symptoms, mainly including loss of consciousness, limb convulsions, sensory abnormalities, behavioral disturbances, and autonomic nervous system symptoms. Different patients may experience varying combinations of these symptoms and differing levels of severity during seizures. When a seizure occurs, it is important to prevent the patient from falling and sustaining injuries. The patient can be placed on their side to prevent airway obstruction from vomit.
In general, seizures caused by epilepsy can present with a variety of symptoms, mainly including loss of consciousness, limb convulsions, sensory abnormalities, behavioral changes, and autonomic nervous system symptoms. Different patients may experience different combinations of symptoms and varying severity. A detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Loss of consciousness: During some epileptic seizures, patients may suddenly lose consciousness,表现为突然倒地、呼之不应，对周围环境无反应. Consciousness may be lost for several seconds to several minutes, and the patient may have no memory of the event afterward.
2. Limb convulsions: This is one of the typical symptoms of an epileptic seizure. During a seizure, the limbs may undergo involuntary twitching or shaking. In mild cases, only a localized part of the body may show slight tremors, while in severe cases, there may be generalized tonic-clonic movements,表现为四肢僵硬、反复屈伸, and may even be accompanied by clenched teeth and frothing at the mouth.
3. Sensory abnormalities: Before or during a seizure, patients may experience sensory disturbances, such as visual sensations of flashing lights, dark spots, or colored hallucinations; auditory sensations of hearing abnormal sounds like buzzing or whistling; or olfactory or gustatory disturbances, such as smelling burnt or metallic odors or tasting bitterness or sourness.
4. Behavioral abnormalities: Some patients may display purposeless behaviors during a seizure, such as repeated chewing or swallowing movements, hand rubbing, or walking in circles. Others may suddenly stop ongoing activities, stand motionless, and show no response to calls or interventions from others.
5. Autonomic nervous system symptoms: Autonomic dysfunction may also accompany a seizure,表现为面色苍白或潮红, excessive sweating, rapid heartbeat, and quickened breathing. Some patients may experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain, or changes in pupil size.
During an epileptic seizure, it is important to prevent falls and injuries. The patient should be placed on their side to prevent airway obstruction from vomit, and limbs should not be forcibly restrained to avoid fractures. In daily life, patients should follow medical advice to take medications regularly, avoid staying up late, overexertion, emotional excitement, and other known triggers, which can help reduce seizure frequency and maintain normal living.
