HEALTH

Understanding The Causes and Management of Epilepsy Disorders.

Epilepsy is a long-term (chronic) disease that causes repeated seizures due to abnormal electrical signals produced by damaged brain cells. A burst of uncontrolled electrical activity within brain cells causes a seizure. Seizures can include changes to your awareness, muscle control (your muscles may twitch or jerk), sensations, emotions, and behavior. Epilepsy is also called a seizure disorder. It affects millions of people worldwide, cutting across age, gender, and socio-economic backgrounds.

The cells in your brain send messages to and receive messages from all areas of your body. These messages are transmitted via a continuous electrical impulse that travels from cell to cell. Epilepsy disrupts this rhythmic electrical impulse pattern. Instead, there are bursts of electrical energy like an unpredictable lightning storm between cells in one or more areas of your brain. Understanding its causes, types, symptoms, and treatment options is crucial in raising awareness and supporting those affected by this disorder.

Types of Seizures:

Healthcare providers classify epilepsy by their seizure type. Seizure categories are based on where they start in your brain, your level of awareness during a seizure and by presence or absence of muscle movements.

There are two major seizure groups:

Focal onset seizures:

Focal onset seizures start in one area, or network of cells, on one side of your brain. This seizure used to be called partial onset seizure. There are two types of focal seizures:

• Focal onset aware seizure means you’re awake and aware during the seizure. Healthcare providers once called this a simple partial seizure.
• Focal onset impaired awareness seizure means you’re confused or have lost awareness or consciousness during the seizure. This seizure type used to be called complex partial seizure.

Generalized seizures:

General onset seizures affect a widespread network of cells on both sides of your brain at the same time. There are six types of generalized seizures.

Absence Seizures: This seizure type causes a blank stare or “staring into space” (a brief loss of awareness). There may be minor muscle movements, including eye blinking, lip-smacking or chewing motions, hand motions, or rubbing fingers. Absence seizures are more common in children, last for only seconds (usually less than 10 seconds), and are commonly mistaken for daydreaming. This seizure type used to be called petit mal seizures.

Atonic Seizures: Atonic means “without tone.” An atonic seizure means you’ve lost muscle control or your muscles are weak during your seizure. Parts of your body may droop or drop such as your eyelids or head, or you may fall to the ground during this short seizure (usually less than 15 seconds). This seizure type is sometimes called “drop seizure” or “drop attack.”

Tonic seizures: Tonic means “with tone.” A tonic seizure means your muscle tone has greatly increased. Your arms, legs, back or whole body may be tense or stiff, causing you to fall. You may be aware or have a small change in awareness during this short seizure (usually less than 20 seconds).

Clonic seizures:  “Clonus” means fast, repeating stiffening and relaxing of a muscle (“jerking”). A clonic seizure happens when muscles continuously jerk for seconds to a minute or muscles stiffen followed by jerking for seconds up to two minutes.

Tonic-clonic seizures: This seizure type is a combination of muscle stiffness (tonic) and repeated, rhythmic muscle jerking (clonic). Healthcare providers may call this seizure a convulsion, and once called it a grand mal seizure. Tonic-clonic seizures are what most people think of when they hear the word “seizure.” You lose consciousness, fall to the ground, your muscles stiffen and jerk for one to five minutes. You may bite your tongue, drool and lose muscle control of bowels or bladder, making you poop or pee.

Myoclonic seizures: This seizure type causes brief, shock-like muscle jerks or twitches (“myo” means muscle, “clonus” means muscle jerking). Myoclonic seizures usually last only a couple of seconds.

Common Causes of Epilepsy

Epilepsy can develop due to various factors, including:

• Genetic Factors: Some people inherit a predisposition to seizures.
• Brain Trauma or Injury: Head injuries from accidents or falls can trigger epilepsy.
• Infections: Conditions such as meningitis, encephalitis, or neurocysticercosis can contribute to seizure disorders.
• Stroke or Brain Tumors: These conditions can interfere with normal brain function, leading to seizures.
• Developmental Disorders: Autism spectrum disorders and other neurodevelopmental conditions are sometimes associated with epilepsy.

Symptoms of Epilepsy

Epileptic seizures can present with various symptoms, including:

• Uncontrollable jerking movements of the limbs
• Temporary confusion or staring spells
• Loss of consciousness or awareness
• Sudden emotional or cognitive disturbances
• also, Repetitive movements such as lip-smacking or hand rubbing

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Managing and Treating Epilepsy

1. Medication Therapy

Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) are the primary treatment for epilepsy, helping to control seizures in most patients. The choice of medication depends on the type of seizure, age, and overall health of the patient. Regular monitoring and adherence to prescribed medication are essential for effective seizure control.

2. Lifestyle Modifications:

Individuals with epilepsy can take proactive steps to reduce seizure triggers, such as Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, Managing stress through relaxation technique, Avoiding alcohol and recreational drugs, and Staying hydrated and eating a balanced diet

3. Surgical and Alternative Treatments

For individuals who do not respond well to medication, alternative treatments may be considered: Surgery in cases where seizures originate from a specific brain area, surgical intervention may help reduce seizure frequency. Vagus Nerve stimulation (VNS) is a device implanted in the body that sends electrical impulses to the brain to help control seizures. Lastly, the ketogenic Diet a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet has shown benefits for some individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy.

4. First Aid for Seizures

Knowing how to assist someone during a seizure can make a significant difference. Important steps include; Keeping the person safe by moving sharp objects away, Placing them on their side to prevent choking, Avoiding restraint or placing anything in their mouth, and Timing the seizure and calling emergency services if it lasts longer than five minutes

Conclusion

Epilepsy and seizure disorders are complex neurological conditions that require proper understanding, early diagnosis, and comprehensive management. While epilepsy can pose significant challenges, many individuals successfully control their seizures through medication, lifestyle changes, and medical interventions.

Raising awareness about epilepsy helps combat stigma and ensures that those patients receive the support they need. With ongoing research and medical advancements, the future holds promise for improved treatments and, potentially, a cure. By fostering a supportive and inform society, we can create a better quality of life for individuals living with epilepsy.

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