Seizures are involuntary muscle spasms that are accompanied by loss of consciousness. This is not the case with tremors. These symptoms should be taken seriously, since they can be associated with severe damage.

Convulsion refers to the sudden, involuntary appearance of muscle spasm all over the body. In the latter case, we speak of a convulsive seizure. It reflects suffering in the nervous system (brain or spinal cord) and is accompanied by loss of consciousness. The typical crisis is a epileptic crisis generalized.

Note that if the convulsions can be considered as tremors with loss of consciousness, the two terms do not designate the same attack.

The tremors are rhythmic and oscillatory movements, involuntary jerks, occurring on a part of the body: a limb such as the hand or the leg, the trunk or the face. They are not associated with any loss of consciousness.

Seizures in babies and young children

In young children, generally between 6 months and 5 years old, the seizure is frequent and most often benign. We speak of febrile convulsion or hyperthermic convulsion:

• it remains impressive but is rarely dangerous;
• it usually lasts only a few minutes;
• it is due to a rapid rise in body temperature (in the case of a banal infection, such as an ear infection or nasopharyngitis);
• the face becomes pale, the child stiffens, his eyes roll back and the muscle twitches attack the four limbs and the face, or are more localized.

In young children, the brain being still partly immature, it is more excitable and therefore more prone to convulsions.

There are many causes of seizures. If in children, a sudden and severe fever frequently causes seizures, adults too can be victims of this symptom.

Originally, an exaggerated activity of several neurons, which begin to discharge their nerve impulses at the same time. In particular in question:

• un stroke (Stroke) or brain trauma;
• the presence of a brain tumor or brain hemorrhage;
• an infection like meningitis (ie inflammation of the meninges, the envelopes surrounding the brain and spinal cord);
• a hypoglycemia (lack of sugar) severe;
• severe hypokalaemia (i.e. a lack of potassium);
• a lack of oxygen in the brain;
• alcohol or drug poisoning.
• resting tremor: it can originate from the Parkinson’s disease ;
• attitude tremor: it occurs because of taking medication, antidepressants or a thyroid problem;
• the tremor of action: it is a problem at the level of the cerebellum or of the nervous pathways which connect with it which is the cause of it;
• or even essential tremors, which are the most frequent. It is also called hereditary tremor.

The tremors, them, can occur because of a too strong emotion, a stress, a cold snap or a lack of sugar… Nothing serious, it is physiological.

There are several types of tremors:

If they appear when the subject makes a voluntary movement, it can be part of a cerebellar syndrome, ie damage to the cerebellum or the nerve pathways that connect with it.

But when the tremors persist, that’s where it becomes crippling.

Failure to manage seizures or tremors is to risk aggravating the disease of which they are a symptom.

Also, it is possible to see a motor definition appear after the convulsive seizure, especially if it comes back frequently.

In the event of a convulsion, the crisis must be allowed to pass … Do not touch the victim while he is convulsing (and do not try to stop the convulsions by holding the arms or legs for example) and remove anything that could hurt (like furniture). He is also an advisor to:

• release his aerial voices;
• do not put anything in the mouth of the convulser, let alone your fingers… the stiffness of the jaw during this episode could inflict a severe bite.

After a convulsion, the person should be placed in the lateral safety position. And then it is necessary to consult a doctor, so that he can analyze the situation, make an accurate diagnosis and thus offer an adequate treatment.

Treatments can be:

• beta blockers;
• benzodiazepines;
• anti-epileptics;
• anxiolytics.

If the tremor is too disabling, the doctor may suggest neurosurgery and in particular deep brain stimulation.