Burning-rubber smells and déjà vu: when odd sensations may be a seizure
Not every epileptic seizure involves collapsing. A health professional explains how temporal lobe seizures can show up as strange smells, sudden fear or a feeling of unreality.
Illustration: AI-generated image
Most of us picture an epileptic seizure as someone falling, losing consciousness and convulsing. In reality, seizures can look very different. Sometimes they appear only as an odd smell, a rush of fear or a strong sense of déjà vu.
That is the message from John Kim, an advanced clinical practice health professional, as reported by Croatian news site Index.hr. He points to seizures that begin in the temporal lobe, the part of the brain involved in memory, emotion and processing sensory information.
What these seizures can feel like
When abnormal electrical activity arises in that area, people may notice a smell of burning rubber, smoke or chemicals when nothing nearby could cause it. Others feel intense déjà vu, or the opposite: a familiar room or person suddenly seems strange.
Other possible signs include:
- sudden waves of fear or panic, or a sense that something bad is about to happen
- an odd feeling rising from the stomach towards the chest or throat
- changes in taste
- a brief blank stare or confusion
- repeated movements such as lip-smacking, chewing or swallowing
These episodes are often very short, so they are easily put down to tiredness or stress.
The aura is a seizure too
Kim stresses that an aura is not just a warning of a seizure to come. It is a type of focal seizure in its own right. Sometimes it is the only symptom; in other cases it develops into a seizure with loss of consciousness. If the electrical activity spreads to both sides of the brain, it can become a bilateral tonic-clonic seizure, with loss of consciousness and strong muscle contractions.
Do not jump to conclusions
Smelling something that is not there, known as phantosmia, does not automatically mean epilepsy. It can also be linked to migraine or sinus problems. Déjà vu on its own is not a sign of epilepsy either, as healthy people experience it from time to time.
The reason for caution is when episodes keep returning, especially if they look similar each time or come with sudden fear, confusion or other neurological symptoms. In that case, speak to a doctor.
Diagnosis and treatment
Assessment usually starts with a detailed conversation about your symptoms, followed by a neurological examination. A doctor may recommend an EEG, which records the brain's electrical activity, and sometimes an MRI scan to look for structural changes. If epilepsy is confirmed, treatment normally begins with medication. When drugs do not control the seizures well enough, other options, including surgery, may be considered.
If a seizure lasts five minutes or longer, or seizures repeat without recovery in between, call emergency medical services immediately.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If you are worried about your symptoms, see your doctor.
