Treatments for Epilepsy And Seizures
Epilepsy refers to a chronic disorder that is characterized by recurrent seizures. It is a group of disorders which have tendencies for unprovoked and recurrent seizures. A seizure is a rush of electrical activities in the brain.
Seizures and epilepsy are categorized into many divisions. Seizure on its own has two classifications. These include generalized seizures and focal seizures. While generalized seizure affects the entire brain, focal seizures affect some parts of the brain.
Patients who are epileptic may experience mild seizures which last for only a few seconds. During this period, the victim remains unconscious of happenings around him.
According to reports obtained from World Health Organization (WHO), epilepsy is the fourth most common diseases of the nervous system. Worldwide, about 65 million have epilepsy. In the United States alone, about 3 million people are affected. The prevalence of epilepsy is higher in males than females.
When the seizures are stronger and more powerful, the victims can experience spasms and uncontrollable muscle twitches which may last for a few minutes.
On several occasions, people who suffer from epileptic usually experience the two types of seizures. They may show symptoms of other neurological conditions which can aggravate their conditions.
Seizures are the results of surges in electrical activities within the brain. In most cases, the brain becomes overwhelmed by these electrical surges.
These surges cause temporary disturbances in the messaging systems of brain cells. Biological activities in the victim’s brain become halted during seizures. This halt often persists till the seizure stops.
Causes of seizures
There are several factors responsible for seizures and epilepsy. Some of these include high fever, head trauma, low blood sugar and a loss of urine. Other symptoms may come up especially during the seizures.
The victim may also appear restless or seem to be in great discomfort shortly the attack. Rhythmic movements of the arms and legs for a few seconds are also observed. In addition to this, some epileptic patients often give out sounds during attack.
The eyes may also remain open. It takes a few minutes for the victim to regain consciousness.
What Are the Treatments for Epilepsy?
In most cases of epilepsy, drugs are usually prescribed to control the seizures. Surgeries are not recommended except when medications are not effective.
The first step towards the treatment of epilepsy starts with visiting your doctor. Your doctor will subject you to several diagnostic tests to examine the present stages of the stages.
Once your physician is satisfied with the tests, he writes out a list of medications to cure your ailment. In cases where certain infections of the brain are responsible for the epilepsy, surgeries may be carried out to get rid of those infections.
There are a number of anti-epileptic drugs available. Depending on the results of your tests, your doctor will prescribe a suitable medication. Medications are currently the common approach to fight epilepsy.
Anti-epileptic drugs must be used with great cautions. The type of drug administered also depends on tolerance to side effects and individual genetic composition.
When drugs seem not to be efficient, surgeries may be recommended. Apart from this, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) may be prescribed. Epileptic drugs are orally taken.
You must inform your doctor if there is any history of allergies to drugs of if you have other nervous infections in the past. This will guide his decision on the type of drugs to prescribe.
All over the world, especially in the underdeveloped countries, epileptic patients are subjected to stigmatization and dehumanizing conditions by people around them. Epilepsy can be cured if the right approaches are adopted.