Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesSeizure TypesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatment

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Causes

Seizure Types

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatment

As a neurological condition affecting the central nervous system, including the brain, it may not surprise you that havingmultiple sclerosis (MS)puts you at a slightly higher risk ofseizuresandepilepsy. In fact, an estimated2% to 5%of people living with MS have epilepsy, compared with 1.2% of the general population. Epilepsy is thought to be aboutthree times more common in MS.

Verywell / Cindy Chung

While scientists don’t understand exactly why there’s a higher risk of epilepsy when you have MS, it may be due to a complex interplay between the role of inflammation in both conditions and brain damage from MS lesions, which could lead to electrical disruptions. More research needs to be done to understand this connection.

Research shows that seizures, if they occur, most often begin sometime after the onset of MS. Some studies have also founda link between the severity of MS and the risk of epilepsy, meaning that the more severe the case of MS, the more common seizures seem to be.

There are two types under which seizures are classified: generalized and focal. As in the general population, the latter are the most common type in MS; close to 70% of seizures that occur in MS are focal.

Generalized Seizures

A generalized seizure involves your whole brain. There are six types of generalized seizures, buttonic-clonic seizuresare the most common type in MS.

While they’re distressing to witness, most people who experience a tonic-clonic seizure don’t actually feel them. Afterward, the person will typically feel exhausted, washed-out, and disoriented. Head and bodily injury can sometimes occur if the person collapses when the seizure begins.

An Overview of Tonic-Clonic Seizures

Focal Seizures

These seizures are broadly classified as the following:

Types of Seizures

Television and movie depictions of seizures often paint an incomplete picture of how they can be experienced. Seizures can vary significantly in their symptoms and severity—some are transient and nearly imperceptible, while others can be far more severe and unnerving.

Seizure symptoms depend on the type of seizure you’re having, but in general, could include:

It’s important to note that many of the paroxysmal (sudden and brief) symptoms of MS, includingspasticity,sensory distortions, andunexplained slurring, can mimic a seizure.

Paroxysmal Symptoms of MS

You’ll need to see a neurologist who can tell you if your symptoms are paroxysmal symptoms or actual seizures.

A brain wave test called anelectroencephalogram (EEG)shows a difference between the two, so your healthcare provider may order one to make this distinction. You may also have some other lab and/or imaging tests to confirm or rule out a diagnosis of epilepsy.

Though you may have been living with your MS for some time and feel well-acquainted with its effect on you, it’s important that your healthcare provider determine what’s causing how you are feeling. Delaying a proper diagnosis if you are indeed having a seizure can lead to consequences and keep you from being properly treated.

Seizures in people with MS tend to be mild and cause no permanent damage. In most cases, anticonvulsant medications are needed to control or entirely eliminate the seizures.

There are a variety of medications available to treat epilepsy, each with varying potential benefits and risks. In fact, some of these anticonvulsants are also used to treat MS symptoms like pain and tremors.

Some examples of anticonvulsants include:Tegretol, Carbatrol (carbamazepine)Neurontin (gabapentin)Valproic acidTopamax (topiramate)

Some examples of anticonvulsants include:

The goal with both MS and epilepsy is to find what works the best in decreasing your symptoms and controlling your seizures while also keeping side effects to a minimum. Your healthcare provider will work with you to find the best medication for your needs and symptoms.

If you’re having paroxysmal symptoms rather than seizures, your healthcare provider may still treat you with an anticonvulsant if the symptoms are disrupting your quality of life. Thankfully, paroxysmal symptoms usually disappear within a few months.

How Epilepsy Is Treated

A Word From Verywell

If you’re experiencing any seizure-like symptoms, such as muscle spasms, twitches, weakness, or tremors, it’s important to speak with your healthcare provider, who can refer you to a neurologist for further investigation. Whether you’re having seizures or paroxysmal symptoms, your medical team can come up with a treatment plan that helps you get control of your symptoms and improves your quality of life.

SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Burman J, Zelano J.Epilepsy in Multiple Sclerosis: A Nationwide Population-Based Register Study.Neurology. 2017;89(24):2462–2468. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000004740.Dagiasi I, Vall V, Kumlien E, Burman J, Zelano J.Treatment of Epilepsy in Multiple Sclerosis.Seizure. 2018;58:47–51. doi:10.1016/j.seizure.2018.04.001.Kavčič A, Hofmann WE.Unprovoked Seizures in Multiple Sclerosis: Why Are They Rare?.Brain and Behavior. 2017;7(7):e00726. Published 2017 May 24. doi:10.1002/brb3.726.Moreo N, Benbadis SR.Seizures and Multiple Sclerosis. Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. Epilepsy Foundation. Published March 3, 2018. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/diagnosis/seizure-imitators/seizures-and-multiple-sclerosis.Walsh S, Corbett J, Tan KM, Broadley S.111 Epileptic Seizures in Multiple Sclerosis.Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.2018;89:A44. doi:10.1136/jnnp-2018-ANZAN.110.

Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Burman J, Zelano J.Epilepsy in Multiple Sclerosis: A Nationwide Population-Based Register Study.Neurology. 2017;89(24):2462–2468. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000004740.Dagiasi I, Vall V, Kumlien E, Burman J, Zelano J.Treatment of Epilepsy in Multiple Sclerosis.Seizure. 2018;58:47–51. doi:10.1016/j.seizure.2018.04.001.Kavčič A, Hofmann WE.Unprovoked Seizures in Multiple Sclerosis: Why Are They Rare?.Brain and Behavior. 2017;7(7):e00726. Published 2017 May 24. doi:10.1002/brb3.726.Moreo N, Benbadis SR.Seizures and Multiple Sclerosis. Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. Epilepsy Foundation. Published March 3, 2018. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/diagnosis/seizure-imitators/seizures-and-multiple-sclerosis.Walsh S, Corbett J, Tan KM, Broadley S.111 Epileptic Seizures in Multiple Sclerosis.Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.2018;89:A44. doi:10.1136/jnnp-2018-ANZAN.110.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Burman J, Zelano J.Epilepsy in Multiple Sclerosis: A Nationwide Population-Based Register Study.Neurology. 2017;89(24):2462–2468. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000004740.Dagiasi I, Vall V, Kumlien E, Burman J, Zelano J.Treatment of Epilepsy in Multiple Sclerosis.Seizure. 2018;58:47–51. doi:10.1016/j.seizure.2018.04.001.Kavčič A, Hofmann WE.Unprovoked Seizures in Multiple Sclerosis: Why Are They Rare?.Brain and Behavior. 2017;7(7):e00726. Published 2017 May 24. doi:10.1002/brb3.726.Moreo N, Benbadis SR.Seizures and Multiple Sclerosis. Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. Epilepsy Foundation. Published March 3, 2018. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/diagnosis/seizure-imitators/seizures-and-multiple-sclerosis.Walsh S, Corbett J, Tan KM, Broadley S.111 Epileptic Seizures in Multiple Sclerosis.Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.2018;89:A44. doi:10.1136/jnnp-2018-ANZAN.110.

Burman J, Zelano J.Epilepsy in Multiple Sclerosis: A Nationwide Population-Based Register Study.Neurology. 2017;89(24):2462–2468. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000004740.

Dagiasi I, Vall V, Kumlien E, Burman J, Zelano J.Treatment of Epilepsy in Multiple Sclerosis.Seizure. 2018;58:47–51. doi:10.1016/j.seizure.2018.04.001.

Kavčič A, Hofmann WE.Unprovoked Seizures in Multiple Sclerosis: Why Are They Rare?.Brain and Behavior. 2017;7(7):e00726. Published 2017 May 24. doi:10.1002/brb3.726.

Moreo N, Benbadis SR.Seizures and Multiple Sclerosis. Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. Epilepsy Foundation. Published March 3, 2018. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/diagnosis/seizure-imitators/seizures-and-multiple-sclerosis.

Walsh S, Corbett J, Tan KM, Broadley S.111 Epileptic Seizures in Multiple Sclerosis.Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.2018;89:A44. doi:10.1136/jnnp-2018-ANZAN.110.

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