Epilepsy facts

 

Epilepsy is defined as a disorder in which nerve cell activity in the brain  is disturbed, causing  more than one seizures.Seizures can include changes to your awareness, muscle control, sensations, emotions and behavior. 

 

Epilepsy can occur due to various causes- genetic ,acquired brain injury, trauma or stroke.It is presumed that there are more than one million cases per year in India.

 

Seizures can be triggered by certain events which happen before the onset of seizure and include stress,reduced sleep, alchohol abuse and withdrawal, hormonal and menstrual changes, fever and illnesses,flashing lights, physical over exertion,certain foods like caffeine,certain medications like antihistamines and drug default( missing epilepsy medications doses)

 

Seizure signs include temporary loss of awareness or consciousness, uncontrolled muscle movements, blank stare,confusion, changes in vision,hearing, taste, smell and numbness or tingling,difficulty in speech, faster heart rate, autonomic symptoms, behavioral and psychic symptoms etc.

 

In 70% of cases, the causes are not known (idiopathic).

The known causes include genetics,head injuries, birth related injuries, mesial temporal sclerosis, brain infections,developmental disorders, cortical malformations, auto immune disorders, vascular disorders including stroke, brain tumors and metabolic disorders.

 

A proper history taking would be the most important and first step towards making a diagnosis. Tests which help in confirming the diagnosis include EEG and MRI of the brain.

 

Treatment to control epilepsy include anti seizure medications, special diets and surgery. Anti seizure medication can control seizures in 60-70% of cases. The choice of anti seizure medication would depend on the seizure type, other medical conditions you may have, age, sex and your prior response to seizure medications. Please contact your epilepsy consultant for further information.