First aid for epilepsy, what to do?
Epilepsy is an incurable disease and belongs to the category of chronic. Therefore, although there are many ways to help sick people, nevertheless, an attack can occur at any time.
In the past, epileptic seizures have led people into confusion and confusion, causing sacred fear. Now this disease is well studied, because according to the WHO, more than 40 million people suffer from it. Therefore, even if there are no relatives with epilepsy in the immediate environment, you still need to know the rules of first aid. Indeed, at any time, even a stranger may need it.
Content:
- First aid rules for epilepsy
- First aid rules for epilepsy in infographics
First aid rules for epilepsy
How to understand that a person has an epileptic seizure?
In order to suspect that a person will have an attack in the next few minutes and competently prepare for it, one should be guided by signs such as:
- Significant increase in pupils.
- Delayed hyperactivity, or, on the contrary, drowsiness.
- Unreasonable increase in the level of anxiety.
- Increased irritability.
- Lack of response to external stimuli.
How to properly prepare for an impending attack?
If there is a suspicion that a person is about to have a seizure, you need to prepare for it as quickly as possible.
This requires:
- Clear the surrounding area, remove or move aside potentially dangerous objects (sharp corners, electrical appliances).
- Ask the person if he or she has had seizures before (if such information is not available).
- Free your neck from all things: take off your scarf, tie, unbutton your shirt.
- Prepare a pillow or any other soft object under your head.
- Open windows in the room to ensure maximum air flow.
Algorithm of actions during an attack
In order to competently provide first aid, it is important not to get confused and not start to panic.
To help maintain composure, a clear understanding of what needs to be done during an attack will help:
- Do not be intimidated by the appearance of foam from the mouth and severe cramps. This is normal in an epileptic seizure.
- Make it as easy as possible for the person to breathe, you may need to take off the jacket, unfasten the belt of the trousers.
- You need to try to turn your head to one side, in any direction. But you can't put too much pressure on her. In this case, it is necessary to hold the patient's head on a dais so that saliva and tongue do not block the airways.
- You cannot hold a person in one position by force. Thus, you can harm him in the form of a dislocation or bone fracture.
- If a person has tightly clenched his jaws, then you should not open them. This action is absolutely meaningless, moreover, it will not work to unclench your teeth during an attack.
- You can't give a drink to a person.
- There should always be something soft under his head.
- If the jaws are not brought together, then it is advisable to place some not very hard object between the teeth. A tourniquet made of any fabric will do. These actions are aimed at preventing tongue biting.
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A person may have a short-term respiratory arrest during a seizure. No action should be taken to resume it, it will return in a few seconds. It is enough just to check the pulse.
- If involuntary urination occurs, then until the end of the attack, it is necessary to cover the lower body with a cloth. This will relieve the additional irritant in the form of odor and intensify the attack.
- When there is no threat to the life of the person with whom the seizure occurred, then there is no need to transfer or move him until the seizure ends. If there is a danger (for example, the patient is in the water or on the roadway), then it is necessary to lift him by the armpits and drag him to another place, holding the torso.
- Do not perform emergency resuscitation measures. There is no need for cardiac massage and artificial respiration. An exception is the case when water has entered the patient's lungs.
- It is inappropriate to offer medicines to the patient. In any case, their effect will begin when the attack is over.
All actions must be clear. In such a situation there is no place for panic and confusion.
When the epileptic seizure ended
When the attack is over, you cannot leave the person alone with you.
In this case, you need to take the following actions:
- The patient's body will be in a relaxed state, so it will not be difficult to shift it onto its side.
- If everything happened on the street, and a crowd of curious people gathered around, then you need to ask them to disperse. This is done in order to ensure the psychological comfort of the epileptic. Only those who can really get help should remain.
- If the patient is trying to get up and go, then you need to provide him with support, because the residual convulsions can last about 15 minutes more.
- It may take up to 15 minutes for a person's condition to return to normal.
- You can't force a person to take medicine. As a rule, such patients know perfectly well what they need and, upon completion of the attack, they will take the necessary pills on their own.
- In order not to provoke a new attack, you cannot drink coffee for a sick person, offer him spicy or salty dishes.
- If a person is in suitable conditions for this, then he needs to provide rest. Drowsiness is a completely normal reaction of the body to an attack.
But sometimes it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance.
This is necessary in the following cases:
- The attack is prolonged (more than 3 minutes).
- The attack occurred with a child, old man, or pregnant woman.
- The man was seriously injured.
- Breathing is not restored after a seizure.
- The convulsions have ceased, and consciousness does not return to the person.
- The attack occurred in the water, and she got into the patient's lungs.
- This is the first attack.
In other cases, you can cope on your own. Moreover, when consciousness returns to a person, he most often knows what needs to be done next.
First aid rules for epilepsy in infographics:
Author of the article: Sokov Andrey Vladimirovich | Neurologist
Education: In 2005 completed an internship at the IM Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University and received a diploma in Neurology. In 2009, completed postgraduate studies in the specialty "Nervous diseases".
