Epilepsy, also commonly known as a seizure disorder, is a medical condition that affects mental and physical functions.
Epilepsy causes clusters of nerves in the brain to work abnormally, which causes recurrent seizures. A person is often diagnosed with epilepsy if he or he has at least two unprovoked seizures.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2.2 million Americans have epilepsy. Epilepsy can become more common as people age. However, lifetime risk of developing epilepsy is 4 percent. The goal of treatment is to render patients seizure-free with antiepileptic medications.
At times, patients can still experience seizures despite being on medications. Epilepsy surgery and electronic stimulation (via vagal nerve stimulator) are safe alternatives for intractable epilepsy.
There are many different causes of epilepsy. Epilepsy can be genetic, caused by a prior head trauma, and can be seen in individuals with history of meningitis, encephalitis, brain tumor or stroke.
Types of epileptic seizures
General seizure: The entire brain is involved in this type of seizure. The person may make a noise and stiffen for several seconds with rhythmic movements of the arms and legs. The eyes usually remain open during the seizure. After the seizure is over, the person may act confused. This seizure also is known as a grand mal seizure.
Partial seizure: Only part of the brain is involved in this type of seizure, meaning only part of the body is affected. For example, if the part of the brain that controls hand movement is affected, the person’s hand may jerk. Symptoms of partial seizures can include small repetitive movements. After having a partial seizure, the person may act confused.
Absence seizure: Absence seizures are most common in children. Those affected by this type of seizure often stare blankly and can blink repetitively. These seizures only last a few moments, and some people may have many of these in one day.
When diagnosing epilepsy, physicians often use an electroencephalogram, or EEG. This test records the electrical activity in the brain. People with epilepsy will often have changes in brain wave patterns, even when not having a seizure. Diagnosis is aided by having a CT, MRI or PET scan. The scans can find abnormalities in the brain that might be causing seizures.
Anyone experiencing a seizure for the first time should see a doctor immediately.
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