Understanding Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a broad term that encompasses a variety of brain disorders that cause seizures. It is one of the most common brain conditions and can affect people of any age.
Signs & Symptoms
The primary symptom of epilepsy is seizures. A seizure is a brief change in brain activity. It can last anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.
Someone may be diagnosed with epilepsy if they have two or more seizures unrelated to another cause, such as a fever or low blood sugar.
Seizures can look different in different people. Signs may include:
- Confusion
- Staring
- Rapid blinking
- Twitching or shaking
- Falling to the ground
- Loss of consciousness
- Body stiffening
Causes
While the cause of epilepsy is unknown for many people, certain conditions impact the brain and may lead to the development of epilepsy:
- Brain tumor
- Traumatic brain injury
- Infection in the brain from a virus, bacteria, or parasite
- Stroke
- Oxygen deprivation of the brain
- Certain genetic disorders
- Certain neurological diseases
Treatment
If left untreated, recurring seizures impact quality of life, increase the risk of injury, and may shorten life expectancy.
Common treatments include:
- Medicine: Anti-seizure medication works by controlling improper brain signals.
- Surgery: This can remove the affected area if seizure activity occurs in only one part of the brain.
- Diet: A specialized ketogenic diet may be effective for some types of epilepsy, especially in children.
- Nerve stimulation: An implanted device stimulates the vagus nerve to reduce seizures.
Self-Care
Successful epilepsy treatment takes the combined efforts of healthcare professionals and the person with epilepsy. Many self-care practices aid in reducing seizure triggers and keeping the body healthy:
- Take all medications as prescribed.