Seizures Due to Head Trauma

Any damage to the head by a traumatic blow affects the brain and its electrical nerve signals. As a consequence, it is possible for those signals to be interrupted briefly, causing a seizure.

Features

Seizures usually develop three or more months after head trauma. However, this interval varies greatly depending on the individual and the extent of the injury. Impact seizures occur immediately after the blow.

Identification

Those who suffer brain injuries from bullet or shrapnel wounds have a 32 percent to 50 percent chance of developing seizures one week after the injury.

Considerations

In those individuals who have a loss of consciousness, depressed skull fracture or blood clot, there is a greater chance of developing epilepsy or experiencing multiple seizures.

Diagnosis

In addition to a physical examination, typical testing equipment involves an electroencephalogram (EGG), a computerized tomography scan (CT) and a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI).

Types

Seizures resulting from a traumatic head injury may be generalized or partial in nature. A generalized seizure affects both hemispheres of the brain, while a partial seizure is limited to a specific area of one hemisphere.