Answer
The term aura is used to designate at least three different types of perceptive experiences. In this connection the term aura refers to the sensations or perceptions that sometimes precede an epileptic fit or seizure. These perceptions may be visual, auditory, olfactory, cognitive or visceral. They may be experienced by patients with seizure disorders or with full epilepsy.
The following are examples of sensations may be perceived in an aura:
Visual perceptions may include flashes of light, blurred vision, or abnormal visual patterns; auditory experiences may comprise ringing or buzzing sounds. During some auras
some patients experience salty, metallic or bitter tastes, others feel dizzy and lightheaded.
The aura is a warning that a seizure is about to take place. The person involved should take the precaution of sitting or lying down to prevent falling when the seizure arrives.
Work Step by Step
Epilepsy is caused by abnormal synchronous firing of a large number of brain neurons. The abnormal excitement and synchronized firing of these neurons may have a genetic etiology, or it may be the consequence of brain trauma. Epileptic seizures may range very mild to life threatening --from simple partial seizures , through petit mal seizures to gran mal seizures. A victim of a seizure may or may not lose consciousness. In any case, if the person becomes numb , loses orientation or loses consciousness he/she may fall and sustain serious life threatening head injuries.
The sensory perceptions of an aura are many and of many types: some of the most commonly experienced are flashes of light, ringing, buzzing sounds; bitter, salty, metallic tastes; numbness, tingling, dizziness, lightheadedness, abnormal feelings of fear and distress. These aural signs are warnings that a seizure is about to strike. The person experiencing the aura should sit or lie down to obviate the possibility of falling.
