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About 50 million people worldwide experience seizures, meaning that about 1 in 10 people in the world have experienced this condition at least once in their life.

If someone around you is having a seizure, understanding what steps you can take to help them get through the episode will make a big difference.

Signs and symptoms of a person having a seizure

Seizures are actually a series of disorders that affect electrical activity in the brain. Not all seizures will produce the dramatic episodes that people think of, such as the body shaking violently, the mouth is foaming, the eyeballs turning upwards. However, most seizures are characterized by an unexpected shaking.

In fact, classic seizure episodes, in which the patient loses muscle control, twitching hands and / or feet, foaming at the mouth (as a result of saliva blown through clenched teeth), or falling unconscious, is only one of many seizure types present. This condition is known as generalized tonic-clonic seizure. However, this feature represents only one of the many types of seizures.

Seizures can seem scary, especially if you've never had this condition before. Even though you may feel helpless around the victim, there are many things you can do to help.

What can be done to help someone who has had a seizure?

1. Stay calm

Seizures can last for several minutes and the person may take several hours to fully recover. Write down the length of the episode, if possible. If it lasts more than three minutes or the person is pregnant (no matter how long the seizure was), get medical help right away (110/118).

2. Protect the victim from injury

If the victim is in a standing position, slowly help the person lie down on the floor. Then, tilt his body to one side. This will help him breathe better.

Remove glasses, tie, belt, or anything around the neck that might make breathing difficult. Loosen the collar. Remove the area from sharp and dangerous objects to prevent injury.

Tuck something soft and flat, such as a folded shirt or jacket, under the head. Be careful not to put too much stress on his body.

Do not force anything, including your fingers, into the victim's mouth. Inserting a foreign object into the victim's mouth could result in injury, such as a broken tooth or jaw. You also have the chance to get bitten.

Don't try to hold or move the person. This can also lead to injury, such as a sprained shoulder. Don't shake the victim to revive him either.

Do not perform CPR or rescue breaths. Usually the victim will return to normal breathing on his own after recovering.

2. Don't leave the victim alone

Check his body for possible injuries.

If during the seizure the victim has difficulty breathing, open his mouth slowly to clean the contents of the mouth of any residual vomit or saliva. If this is difficult, get medical help immediately.

Stay with the victim until the seizure ends and after she is fully conscious. When he is able to give a conscious response, help him to sit in a safe place. Once he is able to communicate, tell him what happened in plain language. Calm the victim and keep checking vital signs, such as breathing and pulse.

Let him rest or take a nap until medical help arrives. Most people after having a seizure will feel very sleepy, confused, and tired.

Don't offer any food or drink until the person is fully conscious and responsive.

When to seek professional medical help?

Not all seizure episodes require emergency medical assistance. However, immediately call for medical help (118) in the following situations:

• The person is pregnant or has diabetes
• Episode happens in water
• Lasts more than five minutes
• The victim was unconscious after recovering
• The victim does not breathe after recovering
• The victim has a high fever
• The victim complained of severe headaches after recovering
• There are further seizures before the person is fully conscious
• The victim injures himself during the episode
• Followed by signs of a stroke, such as difficulty speaking or understanding the other person's speech, loss of vision, and inability to move part or all of one side of the body
• If the cause is consuming poison or inhaling smoke
• If you know this is her first seizure, or if you have any doubts at all.