Epilepsy - Diagnosis and Treatments

What Is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a neurological disorder when the brain's normal electrical activity goes haywire leading to uncontrolled seizures. These seizures can happen in two forms, convulsive or non-convulsive.

The latter refers to which part of the body the seizure affects. Convulsive seizures are when they go on all over your body, leading to loss of consciousness and sometimes even injuries; non-convulsive seizures only affect one area of the body like their eyes or one limb.

Epilepsy can also cause problems in mood, memory, language, and problem-solving skills that vary from person to person based on what areas of the brain have been affected by seizure activity.

When Does Epilepsy Start?

Epilepsy can appear at any time during childhood but is most common between the baby and toddler years. Your risk of getting epilepsy may depend on your family history or if there were febrile convulsions in your mother's womb.

It also depends on how much the brain is developed at birth. Many researchers now believe that epilepsies are genetic, so having an older sibling with epilepsy increases your chance of developing it too.

What Are The Symptoms Of Epilepsy?

There are around 200 different types of seizures, so different people have different types of seizure symptoms.

The most common type of seizure is called a 'Generalised Tonic-Clonic Seizure'. This is the kind that most people with epilepsy will have.

Generalized tonic-clonic seizures are the kind of seizure that you see in movies or read about in books, where someone collapses to the ground shaking, having trouble breathing, or even foaming at the mouth.

These seizures are caused when electrical signals in the brain get out of control and spread everywhere really fast. During this seizure, there are tonic phases where muscles tense up and then clonic phases where they release all their energy causing your whole body to shake.

Sometimes you can have just one of these phases while other times it consists of both together. It's very difficult to know exactly when this type of seizure will happen because it can be triggered by so many different things.

The other types are known as partial-onset seizures, complex partial seizures, secondarily generalized seizures, and atypical absence seizures.

The symptoms that people with epilepsy can get depend on which area of the brain is affected. Partial-onset seizures only affect one side of the brain while complex partial seizures affect both sides, but in some instances, there may be no symptoms at all even though you'll still get a diagnosis.

How Is Epilepsy Diagnosed?

You will need to go see a Neurologist so they can check out your brain using an EEG. Electroencephalography involves placing numerous electrodes on your scalp to record the brain's activity.

These are small implants that are only placed temporarily during the EEG. After checking the recordings, your neurologist can then determine if an EEG or other tests are needed to find out more information about the type of epilepsy that you have.

Once this has been established treatment options can be discussed with you and your whole family.

Most people with epilepsy will probably need to see their neurologist for regular checkups, even if they're feeling ok. This can help to control any seizures that might interfere with your daily life.

How Is Epilepsy Treated?

There are two kinds of treatment for people with newly diagnosed epilepsy. If you are old enough, your neurologist may advise you to either try and epilepsy diet or prescribe you medication.

Your diet should be tailored specifically for you depending on what type of seizures you have and how comfortable you are with relaxation techniques like color therapy, aromatherapy, yoga, hypnotherapy, and meditation.

There is no 'one size fits all' diet because everyone's brain is different and responds differently to food. Some people find that this works well for them while others find it difficult to follow or just don't see much improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions On Epilepsy

What Are Some Common Anticonvulsant Drugs?

Some of the most common anticonvulsants used to treat epilepsy are Lamictal, Tegretol, Trileptal, Topamax, and Divalproex.

These work by changing the chemicals in your brain to help prevent your seizures. Most people can still take them even if they're on a special diet.

What Is A Typical Day Like For Someone With Epilepsy?

This will depend on what type of seizures you have and where they've been diagnosed in the brain. Some people have to take medication every day, others only have to take it occasionally and some may be able to take their medication as and when they need it.

When you first start taking your medications you should probably see a Neurologist first to make sure that this is the right treatment for you.

After that, you'll probably be referred to an epilepsy dietician or counselor who can help tailor the diet to your specific needs.