These tests are normally administered in the doctor’s office or hospital setting and take approximately an hour including set-up.

THE SETUP: The technician will be applying 24 electrodes to the area of your scalp, forehead, ears, and near the corner of your eyes. You will also be fitted with 2 electrodes to monitor your heart during the test.

RUNNING THE TEST: The recording time for the test is usually 20-30 minutes. During this time, the technologist may ask you to open your eyes briefly; but for the most part the you will keep your eyes closed. For 10 or more minutes during the test, you will be allowed to relax and sleep if possible.

At the beginning or end of test, the technician may administer several stimuli which are designed to identify activity that correlates with seizure disorder as opposed to a healthy response.

Stimuli includes:

Photic: A series of flashing lights that repeat in short sequences.
HV: An exercise where the patient will take deep breaths continuously at a rapid pace. 

PREP AND PLANNING:
Patients should wash their hair the morning or night before testing to ensure that they have a clean scalp. No conditioner or hair products should be used the day of testing.

Caffeine should be avoided for 12 hours previous to the test. The doctor may request that you get less than 4 hours sleep. This will increase the likelihood of capturing abnormalities and will make sleep easier to capture.

Will it hurt and is it safe?

The test involves no needles and is not painful. The electrodes used will provide no stimulation and nothing will be felt during the test. Adhering the electrodes to the scalp requires the use of paste that will leave a residue and may leave you with messy hair. Patients should plan accordingly to go home and wash their hair after the test, or bring a hat. The testing and all of its’ products are totally safe, non-invasive and harmless.

When will I get the results?

The test will be interpreted by your neurologist and results will be available to you during a follow-up visit. If possible, bring along a family member or friend to the appointment to help you remember the information you’re given. Abnormal activity that is identified by the technologist will be flagged for earlier review.

The ambulatory EEG consists of 24 electrodes that will monitor the electrical activity of your brain and heart. The electrodes will be applied with conductive gel and hardening paste. Once the electrodes have been placed, your head will be wrapped and the recording equipment will be secured using a belt that you will wear during the test. If you have sensitive skin, applying the electrodes may be mildly uncomfortable, however, most people experience no pain. You will feel nothing during the test. Set-up time is approximately an hour and fifteen minutes. The recording time will generally be 24-72 hours.

PREPARING FOR THE TEST:

· Please come to the EEG appointment with a clean scalp.
· The day of the test, do not use any conditioner or hair products.
· Wear a comfortable shirt that you can wear the entire duration of the test (including sleep). Tank Tops, button downs or breathable T-shirts work the best. If possible, wear something with a wide collar or V-Neck. This will make it easier to apply the heart monitors.
· If you have assistance it is possible to change your shirt during the test if you wear a button down shirt alone, otherwise you will not be able to change your shirt.
· Changing your pants during the test is not a problem.
· You may also want to bring a button down shirt or a zipped hoodie that you can wear over the equipment.
· If you have a loose fitting beanie or hat, this can be worn over the head wrap.

THINGS TO AVOID
As a rule, engaging in your normal day to day activities is fine except for the following:

· Heavy exercise. Especially anything that causes you to sweat or pulls on the electrode wires. The EEG records best when in a relaxed state, so plan on restful activities such as watching TV, reading, and sleeping for as much of the test as possible.
· Avoid touching your head or adjusting the head wrap.

DURING THE TEST:

· If possible, stay indoors and use an air conditioner or fan if temperatures exceed 85 degrees.
· It is rare, but occasionally one or more electrodes will come loose during the test. If you cannot easily re-secure these, do not worry. The remaining electrodes are still functioning.
· You will see a blinking green light on the equipment that indicates the test is recording.
· There is a button on the equipment that you can press if you experience an episode. This will mark the test for the neurologist to review this period of time in more detail.
· Chewing obscures the EEG recording. Eat as you normally do, but avoid snacking over a prolonged period of time (such as eating chips), or chewing gum.

THE CAMERA:

· Place the camera where you plan to spend the most time.
· Plug the camera in when possible. If the battery is low, the camera will indicate this with a beeping noise. There are no buttons on the camera and you do not need to do anything else.
· You do not need to move the camera when you get up for a short time. Any personal activities may be done away from the camera, but aim to spend 80% of the test in front of the camera.
· When you go to bed, make sure you move the camera to record your sleeping activity.
· The camera can record in the dark. However, in order for night vision to work properly make sure you plug the camera into a power source.

AFTER THE TEST:

· The technician will set-up a time to return to the office for removal of the equipment.
· It will take around 30 minutes to remove the head wrap and electrodes.
· The conductive paste and hardening gel will be removed using a spray bottle and water.
· Once all the electrodes are removed, there will be some residue from the paste and your hair will likely be messy.
· Bring a hat if you like, and plan on going home to shampoo and clean the remaining paste.

An electroencephalogram, (Greek: enképhalos meaning literally “electric brain test”) otherwise known as EEG, is a test that picks up the electrical activity of the brain in order to record and track brain patterns. The test represents this activity as fluctuating lines on the recording.

Doctors will order an EEG…
…to Confirm that epilepsy is the cause of symptoms or events.
…to Differentiate between cardiovascular related episodes and neurological events.
…to Adjust medications.
…to Localize seizure events for surgery or treatment.
…to Correlate physical manifestations with brain activity.
…to Assess the quality of sleep.
…to Identify brain related deficits due to brain tumor, brain dysfunction, or stroke.

EEGs are non-invasive and completely safe. Unlike CT Scans or MRIs with contrast, an EEG can be repeated on a regular basis without any risk. The EEG is not stimulating or otherwise affecting your brain in any way. 

During the EEG, you will not feel the test running at all. The EEG is not stimulating your brain in any way. Rather, it is passively picking up the electrical impulses your brain is always generating.

No, the technician will never cut your hair. The technician uses a paste that will leave a residue in your hair and on your scalp, so you may
want to plan on a shampoo afterward. But your hair will recover just fine – the paste used does not have any long term effects on hair or skin.

What if I have very thick hair, a wig, braids, dreadlocks, or a weave?

Generally, the technician can work around any hair related challenges, though it may increase the prep time. If you have a wig, you will need to remove it before the prep begins. There are certain instances where dreadlocks or thick braids may present an unresolvable problem, but this is quite rare.

Every movement or thought you have is the result of electrical activity in the brain, which, in turn, is triggered by chemical signals given off on a neuronal level. Under normal circumstances, the billions of neurons in the brain fire in specific combinations or neuronal pathways enabling us to have purposeful control over our mental facilities. A Seizure is when the neurons are firing at random or all at once in a chain reaction causing the person to lose control over their physical or mental faculties. When a person has seizures repeatedly, this is considered epilepsy.

Causes of seizure can include:

Genetic: This accounts for the majority of seizure cases. In these cases, there is a chemical imbalance in the brain that causes the neurons to fire in a non-purposeful way. While many childhood epilepsies can be cured with aging, epilepsy is usually considered to be a lifelong diagnosis. However, medication can oftentimes help lessen the effects of epilepsy over time.

Traumatic Brain Injury: When a brain injury occurs, the damaged area in the brain can sometimes cause seizure activity to spread to the surrounding areas.. In some of these cases, surgery can remove the damaged area and reduce or eliminate the seizures.

Medication induced: Seizures can be induced by medication or withdrawal from medication that the body is used to. In most of these cases, titrating or removing the problematic medications will stop the seizure condition.

Fever: Fevers increase the risk of seizures, especially in children. Usually childhood febrile seizures do not re-occur during adulthood, though the risk is increased.
Hormonal: In some cases, seizures may start after pregnancy or menopause. Any hormonal or chemical change in the body can affect the likelihood of seizure.

Sometimes ruling out the possibility of seizures is as important as confirming that they exist. Many cardiovascular events can mimic seizure symptoms. It is important to consider Stroke/TIA, Complex Migraines, and Heart Conditions as possible causes of patient symptoms. In some cases, an EEG will help guide the doctor away from the likelihood of seizure and towards these other possibilities.