Physiology or nocturnal attack: the doctor told how to distinguish twitching in sleep from epilepsy

Many people shudder or twitch their limbs when falling asleep. Russian geriatrician, therapist Anastasia Fomina explained which night symptoms are the norm, and which require immediate examination by a specialist.

The doctor noted that slight physiological flinches during the transition from wakefulness to the sleep phase are absolutely safe: a person can be scared for a second, wake up and fall asleep again calmly. Epilepsy does not develop gradually - its attacks have clear manifestations.

- Among them are persistent, often asymmetric seizures or muscle tension in a dream, biting the tongue and involuntary urination, the inability to wake or dose a person at the time of this muscle tension. Also, symptoms will be severe headache, loss of memory about what happened and confusion after the attack, she explained.

Anastasia Fomina drew attention to the behavior of the elderly. If a person begins to actively talk in their sleep, gesture, fight or show physical aggression, this may not be epilepsy, but an early manifestation of the neurodegenerative process (dementia). In this case, an MRI of the brain and a visit to a specialized specialist are shown.

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