Seizure vs epilepsy comes down to this: a seizure is a single event caused by sudden, uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain, while epilepsy is a condition in which seizures keep happening. Anyone can have a seizure, but epilepsy is diagnosed by a medical specialist after at least two unprovoked seizures.
This guide explains the difference and some related terms, such as PNES and febrile seizures. For symptoms, see our guide to the symptoms of epilepsy.
healthdirect explains that seizures happen when there are sudden and uncontrolled changes to electrical signals in the brain (healthdirect).
The Epilepsy Foundation describes epilepsy as a medical condition that affects the brain and causes seizures, and one of the most common neurological disorders (Epilepsy Foundation). For a plain definition, read what epilepsy is.
If you are asking whether a seizure and epilepsy are the same, these are the points that separate them.
TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.
Make a referral →Several terms describe things that sound close to epilepsy, and your specialist is the best person to explain which applies to you.
Never decide on a diagnosis yourself; a proper assessment by a specialist is what sorts these out. Our guides to epilepsy and other conditions and autism and epilepsy cover conditions that can sit alongside epilepsy.
In simple terms, brain cells communicate with electrical signals, and a seizure is a sudden burst of uncontrolled activity. Epilepsy happens when you have recurrent seizures. A specialist can explain what is happening in your own brain, and our guide on whether you can grow out of epilepsy explains what outcomes may look like.
This table shows what to do in each situation, and your doctor can fill in the details.
TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.
Make a referral →If you or someone you care for has epilepsy and needs hands-on help, TQN Care provides trained support workers who follow each person’s seizure management plan. Our high-care and complex support service covers personal care and community access, and our guide to high intensity supports explains what that can include. Tell us what you need and we will call you back.
Epilepsy is diagnosed after at least two unprovoked seizures, and it happens when you have recurrent seizures. If you have had unusual episodes you are unsure about, describe them to your GP or specialist.
No. A seizure is a single episode of sudden, uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain, while epilepsy means recurrent seizures diagnosed by a specialist. Anyone can have a seizure, so a doctor needs to assess what happened.
About 1 in 30 children will have a febrile seizure, usually only once. Ask your GP or paediatrician whether a febrile seizure affects epilepsy risk for your child, and call 000 if a seizure is prolonged or you are worried.
PNES stands for psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. A proper assessment by a specialist is needed to say whether episodes are PNES, epilepsy or something else, so do not assume either diagnosis without it.