What is Epilepsy?

Imagine being awake and alert one second and seizing the next. You come back to consciousness, confused, with fearful faces surrounding you. It’s a scary experience, but you are not alone.

According to the UF Health Department of Neurology, epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders in the world, affecting one in every twenty-six people. If you have epilepsy, or you think you may have it, educating yourself on the condition can help save your life.

In this blog, we will cover everything you need to know about epilepsy, from what epilepsy is and how it affects your brain, how to control seizures, educational facts about epilepsy, raising awareness for epilepsy, driving with epilepsy, disabilities regarding epilepsy, and some basic tips that can help you or someone around you experiencing a seizure. But first, let’s talk about what exactly happens in epilepsy.

In epilepsy, the brain’s electrical rhythms have a habit of becoming imbalanced, leading to recurrent seizures. The normal electrical pattern in the brain is often disrupted by spontaneous yet synchronized bursts of electrical energy. This affects the part of your brain that controls your consciousness, movements, and sensations.

Epilepsy has been around since the beginning of time. Thankfully, there are ways to help you control and lesson seizures. Of course, everybody is different and not all treatments work for everyone. But it’s important to work with your doctor and determine what treatment works best for you.

How Can I Control Seizures?

Watching a person seize can be very frightening. Whether it’s your parent, child, sibling or stranger – it’s very scary. Knowing the do’s and don’ts when facing such a situation can help you save a life.

DO

1. Do lay something soft like a cushion or a jacket under the person’s head if they’re on the ground.
2. Do loosen any tight clothing around their neck, such as collar or tie, to help breathing.
3. Do turn the person on their side after their convulsions.
4. Do stay with the person and talk to them calmly until they recover.

DON’T

1. Don’t hold the person down or try to stop his or her movements.
2. Don’t put anything in the person’s mouth to keep it open.
3. Don’t try to give CPR.
4. Don’t offer water or food until the person is fully alert.

NOTE: Only call 911  if the person has never had a seizure before OR if the person has difficulty breathing and has been seizing for over five minutes. Seizures do not always require urgent care and are not always life-threatening.

Remember: If a seizure lasts more than five minutes, it’s considered a medical emergency.

Educational Facts About Epilepsy

Here are some facts to help you understand epilepsy more:

1. You can’t physically swallow your tongue during a seizure. During seizures, a person’s jaw will tighten and their mouth will begin to foam. This is completely normal and you should never attempt so stop someone’s jaw or mouth from moving during a seizure.
2. Never restrain yourself or someone having a seizure. During a seizure, a person’s muscles tighten and tense up. This can cause further and more permanent harm to a person. Wait for the person to stop seizing before you help them move.
3. Epilepsy is not contagious but can be genetic. Anyone can develop epilepsy.
4. People with epilepsy can live a normal life. Depending on how common seizures are, the person may not be able to work or drive.
5. Epilepsy can be treated successfully with medications. Treatment doesn’t always work for everyone. At least 1 million people in the United States have uncontrolled epilepsy.
6. Epilepsy is not rare and can be seen with other conditions that affect the brain, such as Alezhiemer’s disease, autism, intellectual disability, and traumatic brain injury.
7. What happens in a seizure may look different from one person to another.

How To Raise Awareness for Epilepsy

Do you or someone you know have epilepsy? Are you looking to show your support and help spread awareness? Talking about epilepsy is important, and it helps those who have it feel less alone.

November is recognized as the month of NEAM, the National Epilepsy Awareness Month. In honor of NEAM, people showing their support wear a purple ribbon during this month. This not only spreads awareness but shows people that they support them.

Another way people have been showing their support is through tattoos. Often, family members will get a ribbon tattooed on their wrist or arm to show their loved one that they support them. There are many tattoo inspirations to look at on Pinterest to help you with ideas and designs if you are considering a tattoo.

If you’re looking for a less permanent way to show your support, there are tons of awareness t-shirts that you can purchase online. But sharing your support can be as easy as posting a quote or fact on your social media to encourage your followers to educate themselves on epilepsy.

Can I Drive If I Have Epilepsy?

In the United States, 700,000 licensed drivers have epilepsy. While all states allow people with epilepsy to drive, each state has their own regulations which can vary. To learn your state’s regulations and requirements, visit the website of your state’s department of motor vehicles, (DMV).

Typically, a person with epilepsy must be free of common or daily seizures that affect consciousness for a certain time period. Seizures are unpredictable, and experiencing a seizure behind the wheel can lead to a dangerous and life-threatening car accident which may harm you and others around you. In most states, you must be seizure-free for up to 6 months or a year before you’re allowed to drive again.

There are treatments such as an antiepileptic drug that can help you gain control over your seizures. Taking prescribed medication from your doctor and giving them time to see how they work is very important before beginning to drive again. But more often than not, people with epilepsy can drive.

“You can still live a normal life if you have epilepsy”

How Much Disability Can I Get For Epilepsy?

While epilepsy can be a potentially disabling, chronic, and socially isolating condition, most people with the disorder can live a normal and full life. Most people with epilepsy do not have intellectual disabilities.

To obtain disability with epilepsy, your insurance company will require proof of your condition, symptoms, and impact on your job performance. This will prove that you suffer daytime seizures that cause you to lose consciousness or convulse on a regular basis.

In more severe cases, if you are unable to work due to frequent seizures, such as experiencing at least one seizure a week despite adhering to prescribed treatment, you can file a claim for social security disability benefits. Those that qualify are unable to work and expect to be unable to work for at least 12 months.

Epilepsy Self Test

Do you think you may have epilepsy? While it is highly recommended to be diagnosed by a doctor, there are some epilepsy self testings that you can do while you are at home. You can also talk to a neurologist online and share your symptoms as well as ask questions. There are tons of highly rated verified doctors willing to help give you answers.

The main way to test for epilepsy is through an electroencephalogram. In this test, electrodes are attached to your scalp and record the electrical activity in your brain. However, if these tests do not show anything, it’s still possible to be diagnosed with epilepsy based on your symptoms.

A study has shown that as many as 90,000 people were misdiagnosed with epilepsy, resulting in as many as 1 in 4 cases. This is because it can be notoriously difficult to diagnose and there are a number of medical conditions that can appear to be very similar and share symptoms. If your online tests diagnoses you with epilepsy, get a second opinion before you begin to look into treatment.

Feel Safer With FOUND ME

Considering that your mind and body can seize at any given moment without any warnings can be terrifying. Being fearful is a common and completely valid emotion to feel when living with the condition.

FOUND ME is here to help with the stresses of seizing and falling unconscious. A medical wristband holding a QR code can be extremely helpful, especially in cases of emergency when people don’t know you but want to help you.

The QR code around your wrist carries important and vital information that can be shared with first responders when they scan it while at the same time all of your emergency contacts are notified.

If you would like to learn more about FOUND ME, please visit www.foundme.com.

Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Your heart is pounding. Your palms are sweaty. Your mind and body feel completely disconnected from the world. Whether it’s your first panic attack or your hundredth, panic attacks are never a pleasant experience. But they are more common than you may think, and if you experience panic attacks, know that you are not alone. Up to 35 percent of the population experience a panic attack at some point in their lives. 

Not all panic attacks are the same, some are more severe than others, some last longer than others, and some are more frequent than others. Panic attacks can be triggered from a range of different things. And we don’t refer to them as ‘attacks’ for no reason. Panic attacks literally attack you, and most of the time it’s when you least expect it. 

In this blog, we’ll cover everything you need to know about panic attacks: what you need to know about them, what you can do to help yourself when experiencing one, and how you can help someone else going through a panic attack. But before we jump into it, do you know what a panic attack actually is? 

A panic attack is a sudden episode of intense fear or dissociation that triggers a number of reactions and symptoms. It is usually a frightening experience that may lead the individual feeling out of control. Some symptoms can mimic a heart attack, or the feeling of dying. 

Panic Attack Triggers 

People who experience panic attacks regularly are more likely to distinguish what their triggers are. High levels of stress is one of the most common triggers that lead to panic attacks, but some of the other triggers include: 

Artificial lights

Lights that resemble hospital or classroom lights can trigger anxiety and dissociation, leading to a panic attack. 

Crowds

Also known as agoraphobia, it is the intense fear of becoming overwhelmed or unable to escape or get help. 

High temperatures

There is a dramatic increase in panic during the summer, and this is because heat increases pulse rate, leading to dizziness and dehydration. 

Smoking

Individuals addicted to nicotine will experience withdrawals when they are not able to smoke, leading to anxiety and panic attacks. 

Caffeine

Known as another common trigger, people predisposed to anxiety disorders can experience a range of symptoms leading to a full blown panic attack.

Symptoms Of a Panic Attack

Panic attacks can feel like heart attacks, or even seizures and strokes. It’s important to be able to distinguish what a panic attack feels like. During a panic attack, physical symptoms can build up within minutes, or even seconds. These include: 

• Uncontrollable racing heartbeat or heart pounding. This can be so intense you may even be able to hear your own heartbeat. 
• Feeling faint, dizzy, light-headed, or nauseous. This can make you feel very sick quickly and could lead to vomiting. 
• Sweating, shaking or trembling. Hot and cold sweats can develop quickly due to heart palpitations. Shaking and trembling can develop from fear. 
• Numbness or tingling. This typically occurs in the hands and feet due to blood pressure increases and decreases. 
• Chest or abdomen pain. A heavy chest or pressure on the abdomen can be uncomfortable or painful, but is a common symptom of a panic attack.
• Struggling to breathe. During increased heart rate, it can be difficult to breathe, especially in a state of panic and increased stress. 
• Disconnected or dissociated from your mind, body, and surroundings. Dissociation is another common symptom stemmed from anxiety and panic attacks. 
• Fear of dying. Many of the symptoms that come with panic attacks are frightening and can lead to the fear of dying. 

Panic Attack Versus Anxiety Attack

You may hear the terms “anxiety attack” and “panic attack” used interchangeably which is understandable as they share some common symptoms. Panic attacks and anxiety however, have different features, symptoms and disorders. 

Panic attacks are very abrupt surges of intense fear and discomfort followed by other physical and mental symptoms. Whereas anxiety affects more of the emotional and protective responses to the human body. 

Panic attack Anxiety 

Sudden/abrupt Gradually builds 

Lasts for minutes  Can last for months

Sense of detachment  Restlessness 

Shaking and trembling  Fatigue 

How To Help Calm a Panic Attack

Unfortunately, there is no magic cure to end panic attacks, but there are things you can do to help yourself when experiencing a panic attack. Panic attacks cause shortness of breath, as the heart pounds and races, it feels harder and harder to breathe. Focusing on breathing is crucial and will help your body feel more calm despite your unpleasant symptoms. By bringing attention to your breathing, you may even be able to focus on it instead of being fixated on your panic-related symptoms. Deep breathing exercises can allow your mind to stay in the present. 

Alongside deep breathing, grounding techniques can also be helpful to ease a panic attack. For example, you can find an object and smell or taste it to distract your mind. In a viral Tiktok, influencer @ericbzink holds up a lemon and says “freaking out? Bite right into a lemon. if you’re at home and experiencing a panic attack, grab a lemon”. Eating something sour is a form of a grounding technique that can actually help you calm down. The shock from the sour and bitter flavor can shift your attention away from the panic attack. 

Always Be Prepared

It’s like preparing for a car accident, we don’t want to anticipate one, but it’s best to be prepared. Preparing for a panic attack can help you remain as calm as possible when experiencing one. Let’s get into a few steps that can help you prepare for an unwanted panic attack: 

Know your triggers

Increasing self-awareness about your mental health is always helpful. If you have panic attacks regularly, you should be able to learn about your triggers. Ask yourself questions, is it the location you’re in, the people you’re around, the sounds you hear?

Leave the situation

Removing yourself from a situation when facing a panic attack can be helpful. If you are experiencing a panic attack at a party or gathering, for example, go to a room where you can work on your breathing. You can also splash cold water on your face and close your eyes to help the calming process. 

Use your grounding techniques

Learn what helps you during a panic attack. Is it calling a best friend or a family member? Is it taking a cold shower? Maybe listening to music helps you calm down. Grounding techniques can help lessen the severity of a panic attack while shortening the length of it. 

FOUND ME Emergency Bracelets For Reassurance

Experiencing a panic attack can leave you feeling worried and frightened. Difficulty breathing may lead you to unconsciousness. Individuals that struggle with severe anxiety tend to collapse during a moment of stress and panic. FOUND ME can help with the anxiety that comes with it.

A bracelet with a QR code containing all of your medical information can help someone trying to help you, or a paramedic, gain access to the important information about you. Including blood type, allergies and any medical condition that should be known to a provider.

FOUND ME can help ensure that whoever tries to help you can help you by saving time and gaining critical information about you. Also by scanning the QR code on your FOUND ME bracelet first responders can start a multilingual chat or video chat with your emergency contacts who can then be informed.

To learn more about FOUND ME and how it can help you, visit FOUNDME

Why Do People Choke?  

Have you ever been sitting at a restaurant, enjoying your meal, when suddenly you begin to cough repeatedly? This is often referred to as food “going down the wrong pipe.” It’s an embarrassing experience as it creates unwanted attention for those around you. Fortunately, this form of choking isn’t known to be dangerous and the recovery process is simple: drink some water and wait for your throat to clear up. 

Now, let’s imagine a more intense scenario. Your child is at the fair eating their favorite hot dog while laughing with friends. Suddenly, he or she starts to show signs of distress and difficulty breathing. You can see the panic surge over them as they gasp for air. Your child is choking, what do you do? A common instant may be to pat them on the back, or you may put your hand down their throat to help them dislodge the food or object, but what if you’re causing more harm than good? 

There are many forms of choking, some more severe than others. Choking is common and can even be fatal. Witnessing somebody choking can be a terrifying experience, especially for those who are unsure how to help the person choking without worsening the situation. 

Hot dogs, popcorn, lollipops and jelly beans – these are some of our favorite foods and snacks. But these foods are common foods that people choke on, especially children. Choking usually occurs during eating – eating too quickly, laughing while eating, or taking too big of a bite. Let’s get into the steps to take when trying to help yourself, somebody else, or your child when choking. With basic knowledge and tips about what you can do to help, you’ll know exactly what to do when facing such a situation. 

Common Causes Of Choking

There are many causes of choking, the following are several most common reasons that may lead to choking: 

Mechanical causes AKA Not Eating Carefully:

Taking too large of bits, eating while speaking or laughing, or eating too quickly are common mechanical causes that lead to choking. 

Swallowing objects:

Our mouths are designed to turn solid foods into perfectly shaped mush, making it easy to chew and swallow while eating. Objects such as tooth-picks, bottle lids, and corks may not conform to the correct shape like food does and can fall down the trachea which may lead to choking. 

Neurological causes:

Swallowing is directed by signals from the brain to the muscles of the mouth and throat. Brain disorders can affect the nerves and negatively impact the brain mechanism guiding the individual to chewing and swallowing correctly, which could lead to choking. 

Musculoskeletal causes:

Weakness of the muscles of the mouth or throat can make swallowing less effective causing difficulties chewing and swallowing. One out of two people suffer from musculoskeletal disorder, making it common for those with the disorder to choke on food or liquids. 

 Allergic reactions:

Severe allergies can cause swelling in the back of the mouth that can block the airflow. This can be dangerous if you are allergic to something that you are not aware of, as you may ignore the signs until you begin to choke and experience difficulty breathing. 

How To Help Someone Who Is Choking 

There are signs to look for when someone is choking that you should be aware of. The universal sign for choking is hands clutched to the throat, but there are other indications which may help you determine whether or not someone is choking according to the Mayo Clinic First Aid Guide: 

• Inability to talk
• Difficulty breathing/loud breathing/wheezing 
• Coughing, which may be weak or forceful 
• Skin, lips, and nails turning blue
• Flushed skin, pale looking
• Loss of consciousness

If the individual is able to cough forcefully, the person should keep coughing and it’s safe to encourage them to do so. If the person is choking and can’t talk, the American Red Cross recommends a “five-and-five” approach: 

Give 5 back blows:

Stand to the side behind a choking adult. For children, you can kneel down behind them. 

1. Place one arm across the chest for support
2. Bend the person over at the waist so the upper body is parallel with the ground
3. Deliver five separate back blows between the person’s shoulder blades with the heel of your hand

Give 5 abdominal thrusts: Perform five abdominal thrusts

1. Stand behind the person who is choking
2. Place your arms around their waist and bend them forward
3. Clench 1 fist and place it above the belly button 
4. Put the other hand on top of your fist and pull sharply inwards and upwards 
5. Repeat 5 times 

Alternate between 5 blows and 5 thrusts:

Repeat this process until the blockage is dislodged. 

What To Do If You Are Choking: Performing Abdominal Thrusts and Heimlich Maneuver On Yourself 

If you’re alone and choking, call 911. While you are waiting for the paramedics, there are some things you can do to help yourself and attempt to dislodge the item:

• Place a first slightly above your belly button/navel. 
• Grasp your fist with the other hand and bend over a hard surface, like a table, chair or countertop.  
• Move your fist inward and upward. 

What To Do If A Pregnant Woman or Obese Person Is Choking: 

To clear the airway of a pregnant woman or obese person, you can: 

• Position your hands a little bit higher than advised with a regular Heimlich maneuver, at the base of the breastbone, just above the joining of the lowest rib
• Proceed as with the Heimlich maneuver, pressing hard into the chest which a quick thrust 
• Repeat until the food or blockage is dislodged. If the person becomes unconscious, there are steps you can follow. 

What To Do If The Person Choking Has Fallen Unconscious 

• Lower the person on his back onto the floor, with arms to the side. 
• Clear the airway. If a blockage is visible at the back of the throat, reach a finger into the mouth and attempt to gently remove the blockage. Don’t try to sweep your finger if you can’t see the object. Be cautious of not pushing the food or object deeper into the airway. 
• Begin CPR. If the object is lodged and the person doesn’t respond after you take the previous advised measures.

Let’s Be Prepared For Emergencies With FOUND ME

Now that we’ve covered the steps to follow when helping yourself and others when choking, there is an extra measure of safety you can take. FOUND ME is a company that can help you or a loved one in case of a medical emergency. FOUND ME offers interactive bracelets and necklaces with unique QR codes. If you or a loved one has an emergency (accident…or an allergic reaction), a paramedic or first responder can scan the QR code and gain access to important vital information, such as blood type, allergy, etc. And rest assured, it’s all confidential. You can set the FOUND ME app so that your medical records will be shared only after one of your emergency contacts allows it. 

Also when first responders scan the FOUND ME QR code, up to five people in your emergency contact list will be notified immediately and a chat or video chat can be started if needed. 

FOUND ME App can also be used to keep track of your medical records while storing them all in one safe place. To learn more about FOUND ME and everything it has to offer, visit FOUND ME