Do you or any of your family members suffer from epilepsy? So, follow the article, it will be your comprehensive guide on how to deal with this disease.
Many questions are asked about epilepsy, and there are many ignorant speculations and false beliefs about the nature of this disease, but have you ever wondered what epilepsy is or its causes? And how is it treated? Below you will find the complete answers:
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is caused by the failure of the brain to control the production of electrical energy flowing through the nervous system cells responsible for moving muscles and controlling sensations.
As for an epileptic seizure, it occurs when a sudden charge of electrical energy ejects from the nerve cells that affects the person’s awareness, body movement and sensations for a short period of time. It is possible that repeated seizures called epileptic convulsions occur.
There are several forms of epileptic seizure, which are as follows
An epileptic seizure that affects the sensory centers that results in smelling a strange smell, seeing false lights, or feeling pain or numbness in a part of the body.
An epileptic seizure in one of the movement centers results in muscle spasms, loss of consciousness and a fall to the ground.
An epileptic seizure in a behavioral center that results in unprovoked behavior, such as laughing for no reason or feeling afraid without any real threat.
Types and symptoms of epilepsy
Epilepsy has been classified into two types, each with different symptoms, as follows
1. Generalized epilepsy
This type of epileptic activity spreads to include the brain as a whole, and the patient loses consciousness completely, and may be accompanied by involuntary urination with increased saliva secretions.
The duration of the seizure is 3-4 minutes, but the patient needs 20 minutes before returning to the original state.
Symptoms of generalized epilepsy are as follows
Loss of consciousness and falling.
Muscle stiffness and spasm.
Increased salivary secretions.
Coma and muscle relaxation, and urination or stools may occur.
vomiting, nausea
confusion when awake
2. Partial epilepsy
Partial epilepsy in which the epileptic activity remains limited to one or more centers of the brain without including the brain as a whole, so it is not accompanied by loss of consciousness.
This type of epilepsy manifests itself in a specific area of the brain, and the symptoms change according to the affected area, and the duration of the seizure is from seconds to three minutes.
Symptoms of generalized epilepsy were as follows
Maintain contact with reality ie no loss of consciousness.
Experiencing difficulty in speaking properly.
Contractions and twitching of the organs.
Problems with the senses, such as: smell and taste.
Feeling of fear and isolation.
Causes of epilepsy
There are several causes and factors behind the annoying epilepsy disease, the most important of which are:
Violent injury, such as: falling from a high height.
Developmental disorders, such as: autism, neurofibromatosis.
Stroke, which may damage the brain and increase the chances of developing epilepsy.
Infectious diseases, such as: meningitis, viral encephalitis.
Complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Babies before birth are quick to develop brain damage that may be caused by several factors, such as:
Infection of the mother.
Malnutrition.
Lack of oxygen during childbirth.
There are also a number of factors that stimulate the emergence of these seizures, most notably the following:
Risks associated with epilepsy
Epilepsy may pose many risks, including but not limited to
Obstruction of the airway due to slipping of the base of the tongue or as a result of suffocation from secretions, especially secretions from the mouth.
Heavy bleeding, as a strong head injury can occur as a result of the casualty falling after losing consciousness on the ground or by hitting the head with a hard object.
Injury to wounds or burns, as the victim may fall on a sharp or hot object during an epileptic seizure.
Danger to the patient''s life and the lives of others, as a person may lose consciousness while driving a car.
Epilepsy treatment
There are several treatments for epilepsy, including
Take anti-seizure medications, but the dosages prescribed by the doctor must be adhered to.
Using the vagus nerve stimulator method, using a medical device that is surgically installed under the skin, helps prevent convulsions and reduces the frequency of epileptic seizures.
Following a ketogenic diet reduces the frequency of seizures by following a strict high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, where the body breaks down fats instead of carbohydrates for energy.
Surgical intervention, in order to remove the area of the brain that causes electrical activity that leads to nerve attacks.
