Symptoms, causes, and treatment of epilepsy

People with epilepsy experience recurrent seizures, because a

sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain causes a temporary
disturbance in the messaging systems between brain cells.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) describe epilepsy as "a common neurological condition
characterized by recurrent seizures."

This article will explain the types, symptoms, treatment, and

prognosis of epilepsy.

Epilepsy symptoms

Epilepsy is a neurological condition.

The main symptom of epilepsy is repeated seizures. If one or more of

the following symptoms are present, the individual should see a
doctor, especially if they recur:

 a convulsion with no temperature (no fever)

 short spells of blackout, or confused memory

  intermittent fainting spells, during which bowel or bladder
control is lost, which is frequently followed by
extreme tiredness

 for a short period, the person is unresponsive to instructions or

questions

 the person becomes stiff, suddenly, for no apparent reason

 the person suddenly falls for no clear reason

 sudden bouts of blinking without apparent stimuli

 sudden bouts of chewing, without any apparent reason

 for a short time the person seems dazed and unable to

communicate

 repetitive movements that seem inappropriate

 the person becomes fearful for no apparent reason; they may

even panic or become angry

 peculiar changes in senses, such as smell, touch, and sound

 the arms, legs, or body jerk, in babies these will appear as a

cluster of rapid jerking movements

The following conditions need to be eliminated. They may present

similar symptoms and are sometimes misdiagnosed as epilepsy:

 high fever with epilepsy-like symptoms

 fainting

 narcolepsy, or recurring episodes of sleep during the day

 cataplexy, or periods of extreme muscle weakness

 sleep disorders
 nightmares

 panic attacks

 fugue states, a rare psychiatric disorder

 psychogenic seizures

Causes: How does a person get epilepsy?

A person with epilepsy will have recurrent seizures.

Every function in the human body is triggered by messaging

systems in our brain. Epilepsy results when this system is
disrupted due to faulty electrical activity.

In many cases, the exact cause is not known. Some people have
inherited genetic factors that make epilepsy more likely to
occur.

Other factors that may increase the risk include:

head trauma, for instance, during a car crash

brain conditions, including stroke or tumors

infectious diseases, for instance, AIDS and viral

encephalitis

prenatal injury, or brain damage that occurs before birth

developmental disorders, for instance, autism or

neurofibromatosis

It is most likely to appear in children under 2 years of age,

and adults over 65 years.
 What a patient with epilepsy experiences during a seizure will
depend on which part of the brain is affected, and how widely and
quickly it spreads from that area.

The CDC note that the condition "is not well understood."
Often, no specific cause can be identified.

Is epilepsy common?

In 2015, epilepsy affected 1.2 percent of the population in the

United States, or 3.4 million people, including 3 million adults and
470,000 children.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimate that epilepsy

affects 50 million people worldwide.

Epilepsy treatments

There is currently no cure for most types of epilepsy. However,

surgery can stop some kinds of seizure from occurring, and in many
cases, the condition can be managed.

If an underlying correctable brain condition is causing the

seizures, sometimes surgery can stop them. If epilepsy is diagnosed,
the doctor will prescribe seizure-preventing drugs or anti-epileptic
drugs.

If drugs do not work, the next option could be surgery, a special

diet or VNS (vagus nerve stimulation).

The doctor's aim is to prevent further seizures from occurring,

while at the same time avoiding side effects so that the patient can
lead a normal, active, and productive life.

Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs)

 The majority of AEDs are taken orally. The type of seizure the
patient is having will decide which drug the doctor may prescribe.
Patients do not all react in the same way to drugs, but AEDs appear
to help control seizures in 70 percent of cases.

Drugs commonly used to treat epilepsy include:

 sodium valproate

 carbamazepine

 lamotrigine

 levetiracetam

Some drugs may stop seizures in one patient, but not in

another. Even when the right drug is found, it can take some time to
find the ideal dose.

Types of epileptic seizures

There are three diagnoses a doctor might make when treating a

patient with epileptic seizures:

 Idiopathic: There is no apparent cause.

 Cryptogenic: The doctor thinks there is most probably a cause,

but cannot pinpoint it.

 Symptomatic: The doctor knows what the cause is.

There are three descriptions of seizures, depending on where in

the brain the activity started.

Partial seizure

A partial seizure means the epileptic activity took place in just part
of the patient's brain. There are two types of partial seizure:
  Simple partial seizure - the patient is conscious during the
seizure. In most cases, the patient is also aware of their
surroundings, even though the seizure is in progress.

 Complex partial seizure - the patient's consciousness is

impaired. The patient will generally not remember the seizure,
and if they do, their memory will be vague.

Generalized seizure

A generalized seizure occurs when both halves of the brain

have epileptic activity. The patient's consciousness is lost while the
seizure is in progress.

Tonic-clonic seizures (previously known as grand mal seizures):

Perhaps the best known type of generalized seizure. They cause a
loss of consciousness, body stiffness, and shaking.

Absence seizures: Previously called petit mal seizures, these involve

short lapses in consciousness where the individual appears to be
staring off into space. Absence seizures often respond well to
treatment.

Tonic seizures: Muscles become stiff, and the person may fall.

Atonic seizures: A loss of muscle control causes the individual to

drop suddenly.

Clonic seizures: This is associated with rhythmic, jerking movements.

Secondary generalized seizure

A secondary generalized seizure occurs when the epileptic activity

starts as a partial seizure, but then spreads to both halves of the
brain. As this development happens, the patient loses consciousness.