1. Injury Headed for Seizure
Sometimes trauma to the brain results in seizures. Brain trauma may occur following a variety of incidents including a car accident or sports injury. Injury to the brain may also occur during birth trauma or a cerebrovascular accident (CVA), more commonly referred to as a stroke. While brain tumors are rarely the cause of seizures, they can inflict trauma on the brain and lead to seizure.
2. Trembling From Fever or Infection
Seizures may also result from bacterial or viral infections that cause swelling of the brain (encephalitis) or surrounding tissues (meningitis). Occasionally, bacteria or fungus will cause an abscess to form in the brain. These abscesses also increase the likelihood for seizure. Simple fevers resulting from common colds and other illnesses can lead to seizures, known as febrile seizures. These are most common in young children.
3. Levels Are Off
Seizures may result from metabolic disturbances that cause low levels of certain minerals in the body. Specific minerals of concern include calcium, sodium and magnesium. Most people maintain a normal level of these minerals in the body. However, certain diseases and some illegal and prescription drugs may predispose a person to abnormal fluctuations in these minerals. Diabetes is another metabolic disturbance of concern. Diabetics who experience either high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) are at greater risk for seizure. Finally, a person withdrawing from alcohol may be at increased risk for seizures.
4. Seizure Prone Conditions
Certain conditions make a person more likely to experience seizure. Congenital conditions that may cause seizure include Down syndrome, Angleman syndrome, tuberous sclerosis and neurofibromatosis. Dementia, Alzheimer's and amyloid angiopathy are common causes of seizures in people over the age of 60. Epilepsy is a seizure disorder. A diagnosis of epilepsy can only occur after a person has experienced at least two seizures. Generally, epilepsy isn't diagnosed if seizures can be attributed to drug abuse or alcohol withdrawal.
5. Can't Make Heads or Tails
Sometimes, even after evaluation, it's impossible to determine the cause of a seizure. These types of seizures, medically known as idiopathic, are of unknown origin. This doesn't mean that nothing caused the seizure. Instead, it means that even after close inspection, the cause was not determined. Generally, medical professionals believe that some people have a lower seizure threshold than others. If the seizure threshold is low, seizures may occur for less obvious reasons; however, if the seizure threshold is high, it may take an additional trauma or disease to cause a seizure.
