Epilepsy
Overview
Epilepsy is condition where electrical impulses in the brain misfire and cause seizures. An epilepsy seizure can be mild or severe. Most can be controlled with medication or surgery. Not every seizure is caused by epilepsy. Some are caused by other conditions and diseases.
Symptoms & Diagnosis
Symptoms of epilepsy can include jerky movements of the body (including arms and legs), confusion, and sometimes a loss of consciousness. Some people have a blank stare when the seizure hits. Seizures can be partial or complex. Partial seizures cause jerky motions and change emotions as well as other sensory organs, which affect smell, taste, sound, etc. Complex epilepsy seizures involve more types of motions, such as rubbing hands, chewing, or walking around and around. They always alter consciousness and many times, result in unconsciousness. A diagnosis of epilepsy is given if you have two unprovoked seizures. If you are having epilepsy symptoms, see a doctor for treatment. Neurological tests and brain scans will be done to determine the severity of your condition and which meds will work best.
Known Causes
In 50% of cases, epilepsy causes are not known. In the other 50%, epilepsy can be genetic, the result of major head trauma, or because of brain damage from another disease. Epilepsy becomes more common in the elderly and many of these cases are the result of a stroke. Dementia, or dying brain cells, can also cause epilepsy, as can an injury to the fetus during pregnancy.
Treatments/Procedures
Medications are at the front line of epilepsy treatment. It is often time-consuming finding the right combination of drugs and doses, but once it’s been accomplished, most cases of epilepsy are under control. You don’t need to necessarily be on medications for the rest of your life. Some people are able to discontinue them without seizures after a few years. Some children do not have epilepsy as adults.
Epilepsy surgery is usually the last resort. Sometimes doctors remove the part of the brain where the seizures originate. Other times they may make a series of cuts to keep seizures from spreading throughout the brain. All brain surgery can have complications. There are other seizure control methods, such as vagus nerve stimulation or a ketogenic diet, which is high in fats and low in carbohydrates.
Prevention / Vaccination
You cannot prevent epilepsy but you can change your lifestyle so that there are fewer things which can trigger seizures. For example, working on emotional problems or reducing stress can help. So can not drinking alcohol and getting plenty of sleep. Always take your medications and avoid over-stimulating the senses. Spending all day playing a video game is a good example of this type of stimulation.
Prognosis / Management
Epilepsy is a condition which can be well-managed in most people. Eat a healthy diet, get plenty of sleep and always take your medications. If you are diagnosed with epilepsy, it is very important to wear a medic alert bracelet, dog tags, or carry a medical ID card identifying your disease, meds, and who to call in case of emergency.
Alternative Treatments & Productsz
There are not a lot of alternative treatments for epilepsy. One that is sometimes used is called biofeedback. It uses relaxation techniques to reduce heart rate, blood pressure and other body functions that rise with levels of stress. Getting the recommended doses of vitamins and minerals is also important. Many people on epilepsy meds do not get enough vitamin D and calcium.