While cirrhosis scars from excessive drinking are irreversible, quitting alcohol and leading a healthier lifestyle can help your liver heal from alcohol-related liver disease. People who drink in moderation alcohol and the brain are not likely to experience seizures. Although these are general guidelines, your tolerance or consumption recommendation can vary based on your overall health, size, and medical condition.
- Alcohol consumption or withdrawal may trigger seizures in those with epilepsy.
- Seizure medicines can lower your tolerance for alcohol, so the immediate effects of alcohol consumption are greater.
- Another one of the big reasons people with epilepsy are warned not to consume alcohol is that many of the anti-seizure and anti-epileptic drugs that treat epilepsy do not mix well with alcohol.
- It’s also important to understand that quitting alcohol after a period of alcohol abuse or misuse may be harder for people diagnosed with epilepsy than it is for those without it.
Though alcohol can trigger seizures, they are more often linked to withdrawal from alcohol if your body has developed a tolerance for it and dependency on it. People with epilepsy should consult their doctor before using alcohol, as alcohol can affect epilepsy medications. Alcohol use can also trigger seizures in people with epilepsy if withdrawal symptoms begin to occur. Epilepsy can cause seizures to occur with more mild levels of alcohol withdrawal than would occur in most people. Heavy alcohol use can lead to seizures, especially when you stop drinking and start to enter a period of withdrawal.
There are some specific considerations that may affect your risk of seizures when using alcohol. Over 50% of alcohol withdrawal seizures may relate to additional risk factors, such as preexisting epilepsy, structural brain lesions, or drug use. The authors report that over 90% of alcohol withdrawal seizures occur within 48 hours after the last drink. It’s also important to understand that quitting alcohol after a period of alcohol abuse or misuse may be harder for people diagnosed with epilepsy than it is for those without it. People with epilepsy may have a higher risk of withdrawal seizures than others. The choice about whether to drink alcohol as someone with epilepsy goes beyond, “Does alcohol cause epileptic seizures?
But one of the most discussed triggers on MyEpilepsyTeam is alcohol. Let’s take a look at the relationship between alcohol and seizures to shed some light on why drinking is a potential trigger. Over half of those with alcohol withdrawal seizures may have repeat seizures, and up to 5% of cases may lead to status epilepticus.
Get medically reviewed epilepsy resources delivered to your inbox
Those with epilepsy who have alcohol dependence and stop drinking suddenly have an additional risk of withdrawal-induced seizures. Excessive alcohol consumption may cause seizures, particularly alcohol withdrawal after heavy drinking. Binge drinking can cause alcohol withdrawal seizures in people, even for individuals who do not have epilepsy. For people with epilepsy, alcohol may interfere with anti-seizure medications and increase the risk of seizures. In people with epilepsy, drinking three or more drinks may increase the risk of seizures.
If you think that someone has alcohol poisoning, get medical attention right away. Nerve cells in the brain, known as neurons, create, send and receive electrical impulses. Anything that disrupts the communication pathways can lead drugs brains and behavior to a seizure. However, certain food groups also have benefits when it comes to helping with the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms and detoxification. Below is a collection of FAQs based on what we do know about this subject.
Symptoms of an Alcohol Seizure
The answer to whether alcohol can trigger seizures is more complex than you might think. Drinking too much alcohol can lead to life-threatening conditions, such as seizures. An alcohol-related seizure may result in your inability to control your actions, which could be dangerous. However, there have been reports that the risk of seizure increases in an alcohol-dependent person who misuses a sedative and takes nonsedative AEDs. When alcohol withdrawal syndrome sets in, seizures may arise within approximately 6 to 48 hours. Alcohol withdrawal seizures may begin within hours to days of stopping alcohol use or starting an alcohol detox.
A classification system distinguishes the different types of seizures. Health care professionals typically classify seizures as focal or generalized. Seizures are classified based on how and where the brain activity causing the seizure began. If health care professionals don’t know how the seizures began, they may classify the seizures as unknown onset. Epilepsy is defined as a spectrum of disorders that involve the central nervous system (brain and spine).
When to see a doctor
Additionally, if a seizure cannot be stopped or multiple seizures occur in rapid succession, it could result in permanent injury or prove fatal. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, seizures by themselves typically are not fatal. However, they may cause people to fall and sustain potentially serious injuries, such as head injuries. Alcohol seizures may share symptoms with seizures that are not linked to alcohol. Find in-depth information on anti-seizure medications so you know what to ask your doctor.
Can alcohol trigger seizures in epilepsy?
Alcohol poisoning also can occur when adults or children accidentally or intentionally drink household products that contain alcohol. Join the conversation today to share your experiences and connect with others on MyEpilepsyTeam. Experiencing this kind of seizure can make you hurt yourself by biting your tongue or hitting your head.
The timeframe will be different for everyone, but seizures will normally start within the first 72 hours. Alcohol has the potential to enhance some side effects of anti-seizure medications, including drowsiness and dizziness. Alcohol can also impact how certain medications are absorbed by the body. Do not mix anti-seizure medication and alcohol without first speaking to a physician. Alcohol withdrawal seizures can occur within a few hours or up to 72 hours after stopping drinking.
Types of Tests for Severe Epilepsy: Blood Test, EEG, and More
A report from 2021 also found that alcohol-related deaths were five times more likely in people with epilepsy than those without the condition. Symptoms are generally mild during the first 12–24 hours of withdrawal but increase in intensity around the third day without alcohol. Heavy alcohol consumption is a common trigger for seizures in those who already have epilepsy. This article looks at alcohol intoxication wikipedia the connection between alcohol, seizures, and epilepsy, as well as treatment options and support. Use of this website and any information contained herein is governed by the Healthgrades User Agreement. Even when the person is unconscious or stops drinking, the stomach and intestines continue to release alcohol into the bloodstream, and the level of alcohol in the body continues to rise.
Most of these medications lower your alcohol tolerance, causing you to become intoxicated or feel the effects of alcohol more quickly or severely. Heavy, long-term alcohol use and withdrawal from alcohol can lead to seizures. Alcohol can also trigger seizures if you have epilepsy and often interacts poorly with anti-seizure medications. Heavy drinking, particularly withdrawal from heavy drinking, may trigger seizures in those with epilepsy.
It’s important to discuss drinking with your doctor, especially as it relates to any medication you may be taking. It’s best to seek medical advice before having any alcoholic beverage since each person is unique. A heathcare provider can assess whether light or moderate alcohol drinking is safe.
However, a genetic predisposition to alcohol withdrawal seizures is possible. Alcohol abuse is a major precipitant of status epilepticus (9-25% of cases), which may even be the first-ever seizure type. Prompt treatment of alcohol withdrawal seizures is recommended to prevent status epilepticus. During the detoxification process, primary and secondary preventative measures can be taken.
If you research a medication and these symptoms show up, it’s likely that AED will lower your tolerance for alcohol, too. Ultimately, everyone’s brain is different and responds to alcohol in different ways. You may choose to try a drink or two of alcohol in a controlled environment to find out if it triggers seizures, or you may decide drinking is not worth the risk of having a seizure at all.