History from an eye witness is most important. You may need some “special tests” EEG – (Electroencephalogram) It records electrical activity from the surface of the brain. It records `brain waves’ using a special machine. Small electrodes are placed all over the scalp and you are asked to lie down quietly and sleep for 15 to 20 minutes.The electrodes record the electrical activity from different areas of the brain. The entire test takes 30 to 40 minutes. It is pain-less and non-invasive. The EEG can help in diagnosis of the type of epilepsy ie whether it is a type of generalized epilepsy or a type of partial epilepsy. Diagnosis of the type of epilepsy helps your doctor choose the appropriate anti-epileptic medication.   Brain Scan It is called an MRI scan. The machine used is called a scanner. The test takes half an hour. It can be noisy but it does not hurt.The scanner takes lots of pictures of your brain. They are recorded on film. These pictures help to find out where you have the epilepsy.