Epilepsy is a disease that primarily affects the brain. It can start at any age but usually in childhood or people over 60. It often lasts a lifetime, but sometimes it can improve slowly over time.
EPILEPSY: General about epilepsy | Symptoms | Causes | Diagnostic procedure | Treatment | Prevention | Questions and Answers | Sources/references
Epilepsy is an unexplained neurological disorder with many symptoms that occur with varying intensity and magnitude, and the reasons why it affects certain people are shrouded in mystery. In all cases, however, Epilepsy results from an electrical storm in the brain - an unregulated burst of neuronal activity.
This incorrect electrical discharge of brain cells causes seizures characteristic of Epilepsy, which can be rare or follow each other in series.
Image: The first signs of Epilepsy usually appear in childhood or during the adolescent period.
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Although cases of Epilepsy vary and the disease is unique to each individual, a standardized scheme is used to classify descriptions of seizures.
Attacks are classified into two main types:
- generalized (covering the whole brain), and
- partial (incorrect discharge occurs only in one brain area) seizures.
We further identify convulsion attacks within these categories according to the attack pattern. The two most common forms of seizures belong to the type of generalized seizures: Petite Mal seizures, which may include symptoms such as swallowing or staring movements and may occur several times a day, and Grand Mal seizures, which may begin with screaming, loss of consciousness, and a fall, followed by total body stiffness, followed by twitching, a period of confusion, and sometimes deep sleep.
Image: Small children can also have convulsions with a high fever, but this is not true Epilepsy.
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Partial attacks include temporal lobe attacks, which can be preceded by a vague feeling of discomfort in the stomach, hallucinations of feelings, distorted perceptions, such as Deja Vu, and Jacksonian seizures, manifested by muscle twitching that sometimes involves the entire body.
Epilepsy is the world's fourth most common neurological disease; it is estimated that 1 in 26 people develop it. In some people, the cause of Epilepsy can be identified, but in others, the cause is unknown. A single seizure does not mean you have Epilepsy. Epilepsy is diagnosed if you have had at least two unprovoked seizures at least 24 hours apart.
The first signs of Epilepsy usually appear in childhood or adolescence. Small children can also have convulsions with a high fever, but this is not true. Epilepsy, and usually, such convulsions do not occur after the age of three.
Symptoms
Seizures - abnormal brain or muscle activity - are the leading indicator of Epilepsy. But the attacks can be very different:
- Staring straight ahead and occasional brief periods of complete inactivity lasting a few seconds are characteristic of Petite Mal seizures
- loss of consciousness, rhythmic movements, and incontinence are among the most common signs of Grand Mal attacks, which can last up to 30 minutes
- constant smacking, aimless, senseless movements, and the feeling that the person is absent from the environment can predict temporal lobe attacks
- rhythmic twitching of the arm, leg, or face, often accompanied by temporary weakness or paralysis, is a sign of a Jacksonian attack
- Brain spasms in a sick child aged three months to three years, which are the result of a sudden rapid rise in temperature, are a sign of febrile convulsions
Video content: How to know if you have Epilepsy - different types of seizures.
Consult your doctor if you or someone with no prior history of Epilepsy has developed Epilepsy for the first time and reports an attack of brain spasms. A doctor's diagnosis is required. The causes can also be poisoning, stroke, or an overdose of medication.
In children with a fever, brain spasms can be a sign of meningitis; seek medical attention immediately. If convulsions follow each other without regaining consciousness, the brain may lack oxygen - call 112 or the emergency number immediately.
Causes
The causes of most cases of Epilepsy are unexplained. Sometimes, however, it is possible to identify a genetic basis or trace another possible factor, e.g., congenital disability, lead poisoning, congenital brain infection, head injury, alcoholism, drug use, or the consequences of some organic disease.
Image: Seizures are a common complication of drug intoxication, and up to 9% of cases of status epilepticus are caused by a drug or poison.
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The triggers of attacks can also be very different. Factors that can trigger seizures include certain chemicals or foods, sleep deprivation, stress, flashing lights, menstruation, certain medications (prescription and over-the-counter), and possibly birth control pills.
Diagnostic procedure
An electroencephalogram (EEG) performed after sleep deprivation can reveal abnormal brain waves characteristic of Epilepsy. However, imaging such as MRI or computed tomography can reveal the injury causing the seizures.
HEALING
Epilepsy can often be well controlled with medication. It is recommended that people who have Epilepsy wear a unique necklace or bracelet so that other people can immediately see what is happening to them during an attack and help them accordingly.
Conventional medicine
By taking medication regularly, in many cases, we can reduce the number of attacks and their intensity or even stop them completely; side effects can vary widely but are mild. Among the most commonly prescribed anticonvulsants are phenytoin, phenobarbital, valproic acid, carbamazepine, and gabapentin.
Alternative methods
It would be best if you never tried to treat Epilepsy yourself. It would be best to tell your doctor about any additional forms of treatment you may be taking to avoid possible drug interactions. There is no adequate compensation for the sound effects of treatment with conventional drugs.
Image: The best possible seizure control and safe living reduce the risk of injury or death from Epilepsy.
Dietary therapies can help control various types of seizures in children and adults when medications alone do not work. Diet therapy should only be used under the supervision and guidance of your healthcare team, including a dietitian and nutritionist.
Homeopathy
If conventional medicines cannot completely stop your spasm attacks, you may want the advice of a homeopath. Homeopathic remedies can be an effective adjunct to conventional medicine, but don't expect success overnight. The homeopath will also tell you how long you must wait before you can expect the treatment to start working.
Medicine of mind and body
People with Epilepsy can benefit from electroencephalogram biofeedback, as it helps change brain waves and thus prevent seizures. As they observe their brain waves on a computer screen, they can learn to control them with appropriate guidance.
Osteopathy
When Epilepsy results from brain damage, cranial osteopathy or craniosacral therapy can be helpful. Consult an osteopath about this.
Home treatment
Regularly practice biofeedback techniques learned from an experienced practitioner to prevent seizures. Also, ensure you get enough sleep, as lack of sleep can increase the possibility of attacks.
PREVENTION
Identify and avoid which foods, environmental factors, or physical and emotional cues precede an attack. There is nothing unusual if, e.g., a few hours before a Grand Mal attack, you are agitated or feel elated and if you are aware of warning "auras" - perhaps a particular smell or taste - immediately before the attack. Such a warning can remind you to lie down in time to avoid injuring yourself during the attack.
Video content: What is photosensitive Epilepsy (PSE)?
In cases where the aura is a smell, some people can stop the attack by sniffing something vital, e.g., garlic or rose. If the predicted symptoms are depression, irritability, or headache, an additional drug dose (with your doctor's approval) may help prevent an attack. In Jacksonian seizures, the seizure can sometimes be stopped by forcefully squeezing those parts of the body that tend to twitch.
Questions and answers
What causes epileptic seizures?
The causes of most cases of Epilepsy are unexplained. Sometimes, however, it is possible to identify a genetic basis or trace another possible factor, e.g., lead poisoning, congenital brain infection, head injury, alcoholism, etc. Factors that can trigger seizures include certain chemicals or foods, sleep deprivation, stress, flashing lights, menstruation, certain medications, and possibly birth control pills[1].
Does one seizure mean we have Epilepsy?
A single seizure does not mean you have Epilepsy. Epilepsy is diagnosed if you have had at least two unprovoked seizures within 24 hours[2].
Is Epilepsy curable?
Although there is no known cure for Epilepsy, the development of treatments has allowed most people to control their seizures. Treatment can help most people with Epilepsy have fewer seizures or stop having seizures altogether.
Image: Homeopathy treats both the physical symptoms of Epilepsy and the underlying factors that trigger it.
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There are conventional treatments, alternative treatments, homeopathy, osteopathy, and mind and body medicine to choose from[3].
Sources and references
Source: Family Health Guide. Conventional and alternative treatment, Dr. Jaro Lajovic, Publishing House Mladinska knjiga
- Encyclopedia - Epilepsy, p. 242, 243
- Epilepsy Is Not Resolved - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Understanding Epilepsy - https://www.epilepsy.com
