Temporal lobe epilepsy symptoms are a set of tell-tale symptoms indicative of seizures in the temporal lobe of the brain. People can experience a variety of symptoms during temporal lobe seizure activity, including confusion, hallucinations, a sense of anxiety, and purposeless movements not under the patient’s control. Individuals who identify the symptoms of temporal lobe epilepsy and are not in treatment for epilepsy should seek the attention of a neurologist to get a full medical evaluation.
Temporal lobe epilepsy is characterized by partial seizures, meaning only part of the brain is involved. People can have simple or complex partial seizures. In simple seizures, the patient remains conscious and aware. Symptoms like uneasiness, aggression, an out-of-body sensation, confusion, restlessness, and repetitive movements can be experienced. People can also hallucinate sounds, smells, or tactile sensations. People may not realize they are having seizures and in fact, simple partial seizures are sometimes referred to as “auras” because people think they are warning signs that precede a seizure.
In a complex partial seizure, the patient loses awareness of the surrounding environment. Temporal lobe epilepsy symptoms during a partial seizure can include swallowing or chewing convulsively, babbling, or moving the fingers without being able to control them. The seizures are typically brief and when the patient recovers where will be no memory of the seizure. People can also remain confused or disorientated for several minutes after the seizure.
The best way to screen someone for temporal lobe epilepsy is to image the brain while a patient is experiencing temporal lobe epilepsy symptoms. This form of epilepsy doesn’t always leave tell-tale signs that can be recognized when seizure activity is not occurring. Patients can also be interviewed to collect a history and it can be helpful to hear from friends and family who may have more information about how the patient behaves during seizures.
A variety of triggers can cause seizure activity. Treatment includes identifying potential causes and triggers, as well as helping the patient manage and prevent seizures with medication. Under the care of a neurologist, a patient’s treatment plan can periodically be adjusted if there are changes in the patient’s condition such as a rise in seizure activity or a change in temporal lobe epilepsy symptoms. It is important to see a doctor if seizures persist for more than a minute, if a patient experiences several seizures in a row, or an unusual number of seizures are observed within a short period of time.