How is epilepsy diagnosed?

A physician will consider a patient's history, an examination of the brain and nervous system, blood work and other tests in making a diagnosis of epilepsy. Eyewitness accounts of a patient's seizures may also help a physician determine the type of seizures involved. The electroencephalograph, or EEG, is the most commonly used test in diagnosing epilepsy. An EEG provides a recording of electrical activity in the brain. Some patterns of activity are unique to particular forms of seizures. In some situations, physicians may also use other kinds of tests to find what is causing the seizures.