Epilepsy Diagnosis: An Overview
In order to help make an
epilepsy diagnosis, the physician will ask a number of detailed questions about your medical history, perform a physical exam, and order tests.
Doctors have developed a number of different tests to determine whether a person has epilepsy and, if so, what kind of
seizures the person has. In some cases, people may have symptoms that look very much like a
seizure but in fact are nonepileptic events (also called
nonepileptic seizures) caused by other disorders. Even doctors may not be able to tell the difference between these disorders and epilepsy without close observation and intensive testing.
The Importance of Medical History in Making an Epilepsy Diagnosis
Taking a detailed medical history, including symptoms and duration of the seizures, is still one of the best methods available to determine if a person has epilepsy and what kind of seizures he or she has.
The doctor will ask questions about the seizures and any past illnesses or other symptoms a person may have had. Since people who have had a seizure often do not remember what happened, caregivers' accounts of the seizure are vital to this evaluation.
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