During an epileptic seizure, do you need to put something in your mouth to prevent yourself from biting your tongue? Stop it!

"During an epileptic seizure, putting something in the mouth can prevent the patient from biting his tongue to commit suicide."

It is said on the Internet and in movies and TV shows that if someone around you suddenly has an epileptic seizure and falls to the ground and convulses, you can put something in their mouth to prevent the patient from "biting his tongue to commit suicide."

Rumor analysis: This is a rumor.

During an epileptic seizure, the skeletal muscles of the whole body are in a state of spasm and contraction, and the same is true for the muscles in the mouth. If you put something hard in your mouth, it is easy to break the teeth or even cause serious trauma to the oral mucosa. If it is soft, it is easy to be crushed by the teeth and fall into the airway, causing suffocation. Therefore, never put anything in the mouth of a person who is having an epileptic seizure!

You must be familiar with this scene in the TV series:

If someone suddenly falls to the ground, loses consciousness, has convulsions in his limbs, and foams at the mouth, people around him will say that he is having an epileptic seizure and that they need to quickly pry open his teeth and find something to put in his mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue.

"During an epileptic seizure, putting something in the mouth can prevent the patient from 'biting his tongue to commit suicide'" is probably the most common "first aid method for epilepsy" on the Internet, but in fact, this practice is completely wrong. Never put anything in the mouth of someone who is having an epileptic seizure !

Why can't you put anything in your mouth during an epileptic seizure?

First, let’s talk about what an “epileptic seizure” is.

It is a sudden change in behavior caused by abnormal discharges in the cerebral cortex. Epileptic seizures are very common, affecting 1 in 10 people in their lifetime. In addition, these seizures are often short-lived, usually over in 1 to 2 minutes.

Why shouldn't you put anything in the mouth of someone who's having an epileptic seizure?

Because it is very dangerous and may cause secondary and more serious injuries.

You should know that when an epileptic patient is convulsing, the skeletal muscles of the whole body are in a state of spasm and contraction, and the same is true for the muscles in the mouth. If the object you put in is hard, it is easy to cause tooth fracture or even serious trauma to the oral mucosa. If it is soft, it is easy to be bitten by the teeth and fall into the airway, causing suffocation. Compared with these more fatal injuries, a tongue bite can be said to be a relatively minor "skin injury".

I remember when I was in the neurology ward, I went to the emergency room at night to consult a migrant worker who had an epileptic seizure. When I arrived at the emergency room, the patient had stopped convulsing, but a lot of blood kept flowing out of his mouth. The reason was that when this poor patient had an epileptic seizure, a kind person around him took a large stainless steel spoon from the dormitory and forced it into his mouth, saying "I was worried that he would bite his tongue." As a result, the patient needed to go to the operating table for anesthesia and surgery to stop bleeding that night. If there was no "spoon", the patient could go home after observation for one night at most, and he could see a neurologist during the day next time.

In addition to not stuffing things in, there are two more "don'ts" to keep in mind:

Do not give him any food, water, or medicine until he is fully awake.

Don't hold down his twitching limb too hard.

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What to do if someone is having an epileptic seizure

After saying so many nos, are you just going to watch them twitch?

Of course not, here are some things you can do to help him.

1. Companionship

Don't worry, you don't need to stay with him for too long, just a few minutes. Because most epileptic seizures don't last more than 5 minutes. You should stay with him for these few minutes.

2. Keep track of time

Keep track of the duration of the seizure. Seizures usually start suddenly and end in 1 to 2 minutes. But be aware that if they last more than 5 minutes, it is a medical emergency and you need to call 911.

3. Remove

Removing here does not mean moving him, but removing hard or sharp objects around him. In addition, you can unbutton his collar or tie to make his breathing easier.

In addition, you can also control the scene and not let so many people gather around to watch the fun.

All that's left is to wait patiently: wait for him to wake up.

When the convulsion stops, the patient will enter a "post-ictal" state. This state is a transition period from the epileptic seizure to conscious awareness. During this process, he may appear to be awake but still a little confused. The specific duration varies from person to person, ranging from a few seconds, a few minutes, to several hours. During this period, you can try to communicate with him and ask him if he needs help, such as whether he needs help calling his family, or you can ask him to tell him that he just had an "epileptic seizure." If this is not his first seizure, then the information you provide can help him understand his current state.

Whether you are a passerby or a relative or friend around you, you have done very well so far.

Summarize

Seizures are very common, affecting 1 in 10 people at some point in their lifetime. If you see someone around you suddenly collapse and convulse, remember: do not put anything in their mouth.

Looking in the mirror of rumors

Learn and master scientific first aid methods, do not blindly believe in information on the Internet or "rumors", and avoid "doing good with bad intentions".

Author: Yu Zhouwei, attending physician of neurology, author of "Sleep Formula"

Reviewer: Li Jingjing, Professor and Chief Physician, Department of Neurology, Beijing Tiantan Hospital