For people with undiagnosed focal epilepsy, the possibility of having a subtle seizure while driving is very real and dangerous. These seizures could happen at any time and are characterized by intense moments of déjà vu or hallucinations, according to MedPage Today. But because these seizures are not similar to those experienced by other epileptics, those suffering from subtle seizures may not realize they have epilepsy. Because of this, focal epilepsy sometimes takes years to diagnose. Doctors believe that in that gap between the first seizure and diagnosis, the potential for serious car accidents occurring is a danger for the whole community.
Focal Epilepsy Affects One-Half of the Brian at a Time
Johns Hopkins calls focal epilepsy a brain condition that only affects one-half of the brain at a time. It can affect the frontal, temporal, parietal, or occipital lobe. The intensity and consequences of the seizure depend on which lobe exhibits it. However, subtle seizures are not as noticeably and physically disruptive as motor seizures. For people who experience subtle seizures, the time between their first seizure and diagnosis averages about 600 days. That gap for those who suffer from motor seizures is about 60 days. Subtle seizures are dangerous because they affect a person’s ability to operate a moving vehicle. People suffering from focal epilepsy may or may not lose consciousness during one of these seizures. Symptoms of a subtle seizure with impaired awareness are:- Loss of consciousness or awareness
- Being unresponsive to your environment
- Staring into space
- Performing repetitive movements such as walking in circles, chewing, swallowing
- Involuntarily jerking a body part
- Experiencing spontaneous tingling, seeing flashing lights, or feeling dizzy
- Experiencing a change in taste, smell, or sound