Seizures

24/7 Emergency Care in Lucas County

A seizure occurs due to excessive electrical activity in the brain when the nerves act erratically and cause uncontrollable behaviors. There are several types of seizures in which sudden, brief electrical impulses cause the person to act strangely. While movies and TV often portray seizures as dramatic events in which the person shakes, foams at the mouth, and is totally unresponsive, many seizure episodes are much more subtle and harder to detect. For example, some people may have a brief period of unresponsiveness and stare into space, or they may sense something such as a taste or smell that isn’t actually there. However, no matter how minor the seizure appears, any person who experiences one should seek immediate medical attention and treatment to determine the underlying cause and initiate treatment.

Call 911 or come to ProMedica Toledo Hospital Emergency and Urgent Care if you are in the following situations:

• This is your first seizure.
• The seizure lasts longer than five minutes.
• Multiple seizures occur in a short period.
• The person loses consciousness, is injured, or has other symptoms, such as breathing difficulties.

What happens in the ER after a seizure?

Upon arrival to the ER, a doctor may administer antiseizure medication prior to a physical examination. The doctor will ask about any specific triggers or symptoms of the suspected seizure and order a series of tests, such as a neurological exam, electroencephalography (EEG) to check for abnormal electrical activity in the brain, or imaging scans of the brain like an MRI or CT scan. If you are diagnosed with epilepsy (a recurrent seizure disorder), you will be referred to a neurologist for follow-up care to prevent and manage any future seizure episodes.

Our facilities are staffed 24/7 by ER-trained physicians. We are in-network with most major insurances, including Medicare.