Epilepsy
⚕️Sponsor of todays My Health Series posts⚕️
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder marked by recurrent, unprovoked seizures caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Seizures can vary from brief lapses in attention or muscle jerks to severe convulsions and loss of consciousness.
⚡ WHAT IS A SEIZURE?
A seizure is a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain.
Not all seizures are due to epilepsy — other causes include fever, alcohol withdrawal, or head trauma.
Epilepsy is diagnosed when two or more unprovoked seizures occur >24 hours apart.
🧠 TYPES OF EPILEPSY & SEIZURES
🔹 Focal (Partial) Seizures – Affect one area of the brain
| Type | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Focal aware (simple partial) | Fully conscious; unusual sensations or movements |
| Focal impaired awareness | Confusion, unresponsiveness, repetitive motions (e.g., lip-smacking) |
🔹 Generalized Seizures – Involve both sides of the brain
| Type | Symptoms |
|---|---|
| Tonic-clonic (grand mal) | Convulsions, stiffening, jerking, loss of consciousness |
| Absence (petit mal) | Staring spells, brief loss of awareness (mostly in children) |
| Myoclonic | Sudden jerks of arms or legs |
| Atonic | Sudden loss of muscle tone; may fall |
| Tonic | Muscle stiffening |
| Clonic | Repetitive jerking movements |
🔍 CAUSES & RISK FACTORS
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Genetic | Inherited epilepsy syndromes |
| Brain injury | Head trauma, stroke, birth injury |
| Infections | Meningitis, encephalitis, neurocysticercosis |
| Structural brain issues | Tumors, malformations |
| Metabolic issues | Low blood sugar, electrolyte imbalance |
| Unknown (idiopathic) | No identifiable cause |
🧪 DIAGNOSIS
Electroencephalogram (EEG): Measures brain electrical activity
MRI/CT scans: Identify structural brain problems
Blood tests: Rule out infections, metabolic causes
Neurological evaluation: History + symptom patterns
💊 TREATMENT OPTIONS
🔹 1. Medications (Antiepileptic Drugs - AEDs)
| Common AEDs | Notes |
|---|---|
| Levetiracetam (Keppra) | Well-tolerated, few interactions |
| Valproate (Depakote) | Broad-spectrum, not safe in pregnancy |
| Lamotrigine (Lamictal) | Good for focal and generalized seizures |
| Carbamazepine (Tegretol) | Effective for focal seizures |
| Phenytoin, Topiramate, Lacosamide | Others based on seizure type |
✅ 70% of people achieve good control with meds
⚠️ Requires regular monitoring for side effects and drug levels
🔹 2. Surgical Treatments (For drug-resistant epilepsy)
| Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Lobectomy | Removes seizure-producing brain area |
| Laser ablation | Minimally invasive destruction of small brain tissue |
| Corpus callosotomy | Prevents seizure spread between hemispheres |
| Hemispherectomy | For severe cases in children |
🔹 3. Neuromodulation
| Device | Function |
|---|---|
| Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS) | Sends electrical pulses to the brain |
| Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS) | Detects and blocks seizures |
| Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) | Targets specific brain regions |
🔹 4. Dietary Therapy
| Diet | Who it helps |
|---|---|
| Ketogenic diet (high-fat, low-carb) | Children with drug-resistant epilepsy |
| Modified Atkins or low glycemic index diet | More flexible alternatives |
🔹 5. Lifestyle & Supportive Care
Medication adherence is critical
Avoid triggers: lack of sleep, alcohol, stress
Use medical alert ID
Regular follow-up with a neurologist
Education on seizure first aid
🚨 SEIZURE FIRST AID
✅ Stay calm
✅ Lay the person on their side
✅ Protect their head
✅ Do not restrain or put anything in their mouth
✅ Call emergency services if:
Seizure lasts >5 minutes
Person doesn’t regain consciousness
It's their first seizure
🩺 PROGNOSIS
~70% of people can live seizure-free with treatment
Some may outgrow epilepsy or enter long-term remission
Others may need lifelong management, especially with comp
Comments
Post a Comment
Thank you.