What causes epileptic seizures?

Causes and Risk Factors

Many abnormalities of the nervous system can result in seizure activity. Seizures can also occur in the normal nervous system when its metabolic balance is disturbed. The cause (etiology) of epilepsy may be not clearly known (idiopathic) or related to a particular disease state. About 35% of all cases of epilepsy have no clearly definable cause.

Genetic Factors

Some persons may have a genetic predisposition to the development of seizures. There is also an increased incidence of epilepsy in relatives of those with a seizure disorder.

Head Injury

Seizures may develop at or around the time of injury or years after (usually not more than 2 years later).

Stroke

Seizures can occur at the time of a stroke or many years later. They may occur with strokes that result in lack of blood flow to the brain or with those that involve bleeding (hemorrhage) into or around the brain.

Metabolic Disturbances

Disorders that change levels of various metabolic substances in the body sometimes result in seizures.

Altered levels of sodium, calcium, or magnesium (electrolyte imbalance)
Kidney failure with increased urea in the blood (uremia) or changes that occur with kidney dialysis

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or elevated blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
Lowered oxygen level in the brain (hypoxia)
Severe liver disease (hepatic failure) and elevation of associated toxins

Toxins

Overdose of and abrupt withdrawal from some prescription drugs can result in seizure activity. Substances that may induce seizures include the following:

Antipsychotic medications (e.g., chlorpromazine, haloperidol, clozapine)
Aminophylline (bronchodilator; Phyllocontin®, Truphylline®)
High doses of penicillin
Lithium (Eskalith®)
Tricyclic antidepressants (Elavil®, Limbitrol®, Tofranil®)

Chronic illicit drug use also may cause seizures, particularly cocaine, heroine, amphetamines, and PCP. Alcohol withdrawal can produce seizures, which usually occur 12-24 hours after the last drink but can occur up to 48 hours or more after binge drinking. Poisoning from carbon monoxide, lead, and other heavy metals also may cause seizures.

Infections

Infections of the nervous system may result in seizure activity. These include infection of the covering of the brain and the spinal fluid (meningitis), infection of the brain (encephalitis), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and related infections.

Tumors

Cancerous (malignant) and benign brain tumors may be associated with seizures. The location of the lesion influences the risk.

Degenerative Disorders
Several neurodegenerative disorders produce seizure activity, including the following:

Alzheimer’s disease
Creutzfeld-Jakob disease
Neurofibromatosis
Phenylketonuria (PKU)
Tuberous sclerosis
Sturge-Weber syndrome
Tay-Sachs disease

Cerebral Palsy

Epilepsy is often a symptom of cerebral palsy, which results from lack of oxygen, infection, or trauma during birth or infancy.

Febrile Seizures

Febrile seizures occur in small children and are caused by high fever. From birth up to the age of 5, about 2% to 4% of children in the United States experience a febrile seizure. Approximately one-third of these children may experience another febrile seizure, but only a few develop epilepsy.

Triggers

Triggers do not cause seizures but provoke the onset of a seizure or cause a seizure in a patient whose epilepsy is under control. Alcohol consumption, hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle, sleep deprivation, flickering or flashing light, and stress can trigger a seizure in a susceptible person.

This information came from here:

http://www.neurologychannel.com/epilepsy/causes.shtml

Check this out;
http://www.edgarcayce.org/health/database/chdata/data/prepil3a.html

This is something boyond "comon knowledge".

The castor oil packs are warm castor oil soaked pieces of flannel that are put for one hour on the abdomen three finger widths to the right of the belly button for 5 days, then left off for 5 days, then one last course for 5 days.
This heals adhesions in the lacteal ducts, freeing the chile to flow freely (your great alkaline reserve). This should be combined with a light massage of the area (not deep).
Remember you have more lymph than you have blood in your system. This shows how important it is.
Even elephantitis is caused by blocked lymph ducts in the extremities. See?
Epilepsy also includes combined with the above, mis-aligned vertebrea, resulting in congestions at the base of the head. These typicly result in a sort of short circuiting between the sypmathetic and cerebro spinal nervous systems. And as the other gentleman has explained the multiply types of causes, or unknown idiopathic causes, this still has similar causes. Ice at the base of the head can help stop a siesure.
The pineal gland of the brane is typicly involved with this short circuit. A bump to the head, or trauma to the spine, or even glandular imballances can each contribute to the cause, but in and of themselves are not usually the only cause, with the exception of head trauma.
I like the other answer on this board that is very informed from a current medical perspective.