The doctor will take a health history and may ask about:
- Past health history
- Family health history
- Medicines currently or recently taken
- The seizure:
- What a person was feeling or doing before it happened
- The age when it started
- If there was any warning before it
- What the seizure looked like to others
- If there were any symptoms after the seizure, such as being unable to move, tongue biting, or loss of bladder function
- How long the seizure lasted
- How many seizures a person has had
A physical exam may be done. Special focus will be given to the nervous system. Tests will be done to see if a person has epilepsy and the type of seizures they have.
Placement of Sensors for an EEG |
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- Brain activity may need to be tested. This can be done with:
- EEG
- Magnetoencephalogram
- Brain scans may also be needed. These can be done with:
- CT scan and MRI scan
- PET scans
- SPECT scan
- MR spectroscopy
- Angiography
- Echoencephalogram—This test is most often used in infants.
- Blood tests may be done to check for causes of the seizures, such as:
- Metabolic problems with levels of sugar, calcium, sodium, potassium, or magnesium
- Problems with the immune system that can be related to hidden cancer (called paraneoplastic syndromes)
- Genetic problems
- Infections, such as encephalitis, meningitis, or HIV
- Lead poisoning
- Urine tests may be done.
- A lumbar puncture may be done to check brain and spinal cord fluid.
- Motor skills, behaviors, and intelligence may need to be tested. This can be done
with:
- Developmental tests
- Neurological tests
- Behavioral tests
References
Diagnosing epilepsy. Epilepsy Foundation website. Available at: http://www.epilepsy.com/learn/diagnosing-epilepsy. Accessed April 7, 2022.
Epilepsy in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/condition/Epilepsy-in-adults. Accessed April 7, 2022.
Epilepsy in children. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/condition/Epilepsy-in-children. Accessed April 7, 2022.
Epilepsy information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Epilepsy-Information-Page. Accessed April 7, 2022.
Seizure disorders. Merck Manual Professional Version website. Available at: http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/neurologic-disorders/seizure-disorders/seizure-disorders. Accessed April 7, 2022.
Serafini A., Lukas R.V., et al. Paraneoplastic epilepsy. Epilepsy Behav. 2016; 61: 51-58.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: EBSCO Medical Review Board Rimas Lukas, MD
- Review Date: 03/2022
- Update Date: 04/07/2022