Seizures are a common complication of traumatic brain injury, and can occur immediately following the injury, or may develop later. While even mild brain injury can result in seizure, the risk of post-traumatic seizure is generally related to the severity of the injury.
Survivors of traumatic brain injury are 12 times more likely than the general population to experience seizures. About 53% of people who suffer mild closed head injury experience early post-traumatic epilepsy, while 57% of traumatic brain injury survivors develop seizures within one year of injury. About 30% of all brain injury survivors develop post-traumatic seizures, and 80% of these occur within the first two years following injury.
The Electroencephalograph, otherwise known as the EEG, is the tool used to diagnose epilepsy. This tool monitors the electrical activity in the brain, and is able to show abnormality in more than 80% of epileptic patients.
Most doctors treat traumatic brain injury survivors with a preventive anti-seizure medication, regardless of whether or not the patient has experienced a seizure.