Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders
A seizure — or the fear of another one — can be frightening and disruptive. The neurology team at Saint Joseph Health System diagnoses and treats epilepsy and seizure disorders for patients across Mishawaka and South Bend, with the testing and expertise to help you gain control over seizures.
Schedule an appointment or call 574-335-6450.
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a neurological condition in which a person has a tendency to have recurring seizures — brief changes in the brain's electrical activity. Seizures can look very different from person to person, from convulsions and loss of awareness to subtle staring, confusion, or unusual sensations. Having a single seizure does not always mean you have epilepsy, which is one reason a proper evaluation is important.
Types of seizures we evaluate
Seizures are grouped by where they start in the brain and how they affect awareness, and understanding the type helps guide treatment. Common types include tonic-clonic seizures (once called "grand mal"), which involve stiffening, jerking, and loss of consciousness; absence seizures (once called "petit mal"), brief staring spells that are easy to miss and most common in children; focal seizures, which begin in one area of the brain and may cause unusual sensations, movements, or a change in awareness; and myoclonic seizures, which are sudden, brief muscle jerks. In young children, febrile seizures can occur with a high fever; these are common and usually not harmful, but they should always be evaluated. Sometimes events that look like seizures have a different cause, which careful testing can help identify.
What to do if you see someone having a seizure
Stay calm and keep the person safe: ease them to the floor, turn them onto their side, cushion their head, and clear away hard objects. Do not put anything in their mouth or hold them down. Call 911 if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, another follows quickly, the person is injured or doesn't wake up, or it's their first seizure.
How we diagnose and treat
Diagnosis starts with a careful history of what happened before, during, and after the event — often with input from a witness. Your neurologist may order an electroencephalogram (EEG), which records the brain's electrical activity, along with brain imaging such as an MRI. Because our team includes physicians trained in clinical neurophysiology, we bring added depth to reading and interpreting these studies. [VERIFY EEG / monitoring offered] Most people with epilepsy can control their seizures with anti-seizure medication, adjusted over time to balance control with side effects. When seizures are hard to control, your neurologist can discuss additional options and, if appropriate, refer you for advanced evaluation. We also help you manage seizure safety, triggers such as missed sleep, and Indiana's driving guidelines after a seizure. Existing patients can message the team anytime through MyChart.
Frequently asked questions
Not necessarily. Epilepsy means a tendency to have recurring seizures, and a single seizure can have many causes.
Seizures can be set off by many things, including high fever, lack of sleep, low blood sugar, alcohol or drug withdrawal, head injury, infection, or an underlying brain condition — and sometimes no clear cause is found.
Febrile seizures happen with a fever, usually in young children, and are most often brief and harmless. They can be frightening to witness, but they rarely cause lasting harm. A child's first febrile seizure should be evaluated by a doctor.
An EEG is a painless test that records your brain's electrical activity through small sensors placed on your scalp.
Rules vary by state and situation; your neurologist can explain Indiana's guidelines. [VERIFY]
Yes. Most people gain good seizure control with medication, with more options when seizures are harder to manage.