Seizures often raise concerns about breathing. While it may appear that someone has stopped breathing during a seizure, understanding the physiological changes can help guide appropriate responses. Most seizures are brief and resolve without lasting harm.
How Seizures Affect Breathing
During a seizure, particularly a generalized tonic-clonic seizure, the body undergoes intense muscle contractions that can directly impact respiratory function. The initial tonic phase involves a stiffening of muscles, which can include those in the chest and diaphragm. This muscular rigidity can temporarily prevent air from entering or leaving the lungs, leading to a brief period where breathing is shallow, irregular, or may seem to stop entirely. Following this, during the clonic phase, rhythmic jerking movements can also disrupt normal breathing patterns.
The abnormal electrical activity in the brain during a seizure can also interfere with the brain regions that control breathing. This disruption can lead to temporary pauses in breathing, known as apnea. Although breathing changes are common during seizures, complete cessation of breathing is typically brief and often resolves on its own.
Identifying Respiratory Distress During a Seizure
Observing signs of respiratory distress during a seizure is important. A person experiencing breathing difficulties may show changes in skin color, such as bluish lips or face, a condition known as cyanosis. This bluish tint indicates a lack of sufficient oxygen in the blood. Noisy breathing, which can manifest as snoring, gasping, or gurgling sounds, also suggests an airway that is not fully clear or effective.
Other indicators include labored breathing, where the chest or neck muscles appear to be working unusually hard to draw air in, or prolonged periods without visible chest movement. While some irregular breathing is expected during a seizure, these specific signs of distress warrant closer attention. It is important to differentiate these from typical seizure-related breathing changes, which are usually brief and resolve as the seizure subsides.
Providing Immediate Assistance During a Seizure
When someone is having a seizure, keep them safe and ensure their airway remains open. Do not attempt to restrain the person or place anything in their mouth, as this can cause injury. Instead, gently guide them to the floor if they are standing, and clear the area of any hard or sharp objects.
Once the convulsive movements have stopped, gently roll the person onto their side into the recovery position. This position helps prevent them from choking on saliva or vomit and keeps the airway clear. You can also loosen any tight clothing around their neck to aid breathing. Stay with the individual, reassure them calmly, and monitor their breathing until they regain full awareness.
When to Call for Emergency Medical Help
Most seizures are self-limiting, but some situations require immediate emergency medical attention. Call for an ambulance if the seizure lasts longer than 5 minutes, or if one seizure immediately follows another without the person fully regaining consciousness.
Call for help if the person appears injured during the seizure, if their breathing becomes difficult or does not return to normal after the seizure, or if the seizure occurs in water. Seek emergency care if this is the person’s first seizure, if they are pregnant, or if they have an underlying medical condition like diabetes.