Facts About
Epilepsy
By Gray Rollins
A neurological disorder that affects the nervous system,
epilepsy is also known as ‘the seizure disorder.’ In fact,
epilepsy is often diagnosed after a person has had 2-3 seizures
that were not brought on by any known medical condition. A
seizure refers to sudden high-voltage electrical activity in
the brain, and it affects a person’s feelings or actions for a
short span of time. Seizures can be so mild as to go unnoticed
or be intensely disturbing in their ferocity. The cause of an
epileptic seizure is not known. It may be the direct result of
a brain injury or a heredity factor.
Anyone can develop epilepsy; it occurs across all ages and all
races of people. Epilepsy is quite common, affecting 1 in every
120 adults in the US alone. Whether a person will be epileptic
or not depends on his seizure threshold, (an individual’s
resistance level to seizures). A low seizure threshold means
the person is more prone to having seizures for no reason. Such
a person can easily develop a seizure when an apparently mild
outside event triggers it. A person with a high seizure
threshold is likely to get a seizure due to a serious outside
factor, like a head injury. This means that almost ANYONE CAN
HAVE A SEIZURE IF THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE RIGHT. Often, a seizure
may not immediately follow an injury. It may take place after
6-10 months, though there is no known cause for this delay.
Causes:
The causes of epilepsy can be classified into three groups.
Each group is characterized by a different type of seizure.
Symptomatic epilepsy:
In this kind of epilepsy, there is a
known cause for the seizure. This may include a head injury, a
stroke, or a scar on the brain. Infections like meningitis can
also lead to an epileptic seizure. A scan often reveals the
cause and treatment is started accordingly.
Idiopathic epilepsy:
There is no known reason for this type of
epileptic seizure, except a low seizure threshold. This person
has no disabilities and leads a normal life. Response to
treatment is fairly good among such patients.
Cryptogenic epilepsy:
When a doctor rules out the previous two
kinds of epilepsy, he or she may deduce that the seizure is
cryptogenic. So, it is surmised that underlying physical
reasons that need to be investigated are causing the seizures.
Making a diagnosis can be tricky because there are no obvious
symptoms in epilepsy. The person having the seizure can
remember little of what happens during that time. Therefore, it
is helpful to get information from someone who has seen the
seizure happening. Blood tests, EEG, CT scans, and MRI scans
provide additional information.
New cases of epilepsy are most likely to occur in children
during the first year of their lives. This tendency gradually
declines until the child reaches 10 years, after which it
stabilizes.
The people who are most vulnerable to an epileptic attack
include:
-Underweight babies
-Babies with abnormal brain structures
-People who have suffered a bleeding into the brain
-People who have had a serious brain injury
-People with cerebral palsy
-People with mental handicaps
-Children who have had febrile seizures
-People with a family history of seizures
Treatment:
Around 70% of the people with epilepsy are treated with
anti-epileptic drugs (AED’s). AED’s only prevent seizures; they
do not cure epilepsy. The type of AED and the dosage needed
depends on the type of seizure. Some people experience a
decrease in the tendency towards seizures as they age. Sadly,
there are people who never achieve control over their epilepsy
in spite of receiving the most suitable treatment.
About The Author: Gray Rollins is a featured writer for
EpilepsyExpert. To learn more about epilesy, visit us at
http://www.epilepsyexpert.com/ and
http://www.epilepsyexpert.com/epilepsytreatment/
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