Many diseases accompany convulsions, convulsions. It is almost impossible to independently determine the root cause of them. But you must at least have an idea of this dangerous phenomenon, since it can sometimes cost a life. You need to know how to behave and how to help another person in the event of a threat. In this article, we will look at what this concept is, we will determine the causes, diagnosis, and methods of treating the problem.
Convulsions are a neurological abnormality
Convulsions ... Convulsions ... We all at least once heard these words. Most likely, in everyday life we pronounce them, not knowing the real designation and not taking seriously the threat. Often they are applied to people who are too nervous and psychopathic, who are enraged by all sorts of little things. For us, convulsions are just an expression that is heard. And in most cases, it is simply not applicable to the situation. In fact, convulsions are involuntary muscle contractions. A person is simply not able to control them at the moment. The problem is caused by discharges of neurons in the motor cortex. They are pathological in nature.
Causes of occurrence
Convulsions are spontaneous or response reactions to an external stimulus. Based on this definition, we can distinguish two varieties of this pathology: provoked and unprovoked. The first convulsions are a reaction to a violation of the absorption of substances necessary for the body, in other words, metabolism, the result of various injuries, lack of oxygen for the brain, toxic poisonings of various degrees, complications of meningitis and encephalitis, fever. Such convulsions are often observed in children up to six months.
The second type is unprovoked convulsions. This is most often congenital and hereditary defects, family predisposition. Also, people begin to periodically convulse after violations of the cerebral cortex for a number of reasons. It can be a stroke, tumors, scars after injuries. Convulsions due to epilepsy are also classified as unprovoked.
Convulsions Diagnosis
After the incident, the appearance of a doctor is required. Ambulance should be called immediately to the scene. The establishment of the cause, diagnosis and treatment of convulsions should be carried out by professionals. First of all, it is necessary to tell the doctor about all the circumstances of the incident. It is important for the medical staff to clarify whether the attack provoked or not, immediately convulsions spread throughout the body or were detected in a certain part of it. They will also clarify whether the person lost consciousness, what was the turn of his eyes in the event of an attack, how the patient feels after the incident, as well as the medical history and medications taken. Based on this information, the doctor can already draw some conclusions. But the diagnosis does not end there. Doctors should examine the patient, clarify the basic vital signs, and then prescribe additional studies. These include a biochemical blood test, as well as an MRI, that is, a neuroimaging study of the brain.
Out-of-hospital treatment
If the attack is protracted, that is, it does not go away within five minutes, it is necessary to provide the patient with airway patency. He does not currently control his actions, which is fraught with trauma to the tongue. This can lead to the fact that a person simply chokes with his own blood. In addition, the tongue can burst into the larynx and also cause asphyxiation. Therefore, it is necessary to fix the position of the head so that the larynx does not overlap. Foreign objects and especially fingers in the patient’s mouth cannot be inserted. If the current situation allows, a person is administered intravenously from 2 to 5 mg of Diazepam. If access to the veins is not possible, 10 mg of midazolam is injected intramuscularly. All further actions should be carried out in the hospital.
Inpatient treatment
Doctors in the hospital should also ensure airway. The patient is fixed in a certain position so that it is possible at the right time to quickly give an injection intravenously, as well as connect a dropper. It is necessary to constantly measure the pressure readings, connect the ECG apparatus and oxygen. 0.9% saline is administered through a dropper. It is necessary as soon as possible to do blood tests for the total content of elements, cells, urea, glucose. A toxicological blood test is performed for an overdose of antiepileptic drugs.
The patient is injected intravenously with 50 ml of 40% glucose and intramuscularly 100 mg of thiamine - vitamin B1. Against seizures, drugs such as lorazepam (4 mg) are used. If the first dose is ineffective, it is repeated after ten minutes. Alternative - Diazepam (20 mg). If the drug does not help, the dose is repeated after five minutes, and then phenytoin is injected intravenously (18 mg per kilogram of total body weight). Medications are administered in rapid diffusion, it is necessary at this moment to monitor the ECG readings, since there is a high probability of side effects on the cardiovascular system.