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Epilepsy
Medical Questions » Epilepsy
| Name: Epilepsy |
| Also known as: |
| A brain condition causing recurrent seizures (fits). |
Causes of Epilepsy
May be congenital or acquired later in life after a brain infection, tumor, injury or with brain degeneration in the elderly. Chemical imbalances in the body, kidney failure and removing alcohol from an alcoholic or heroin from an addict may also trigger the condition. Fits are caused by a short-circuit in the brain after very minor and localized damage. This then stimulates another part of the brain, and then another, causing a seizure. Triggers such as flickering lights, shimmering televisions, certain foods, emotional upsets, infections or stress can start fits in some patients. |
Symptoms of Epilepsy
May vary from very mild absences in which people just seem to loose concentration for a few seconds or stumble (petite Mal epilepsy), to uncontrolled bizarre movements of an arm or leg and abnormal sensations (temporal lobe epilepsy or partial seizures), to a grand Mal convulsion which last for a minute or two and during which the patient becomes rigid, falls to the ground, stops breathing, muscles go into spasm, abnormal movements occur and the patient may urinate, pass faeces and become blue. Petite Mal epilepsy is far more common in children and teenagers than adults. Patients normally remain conscious during partial seizures. After recovering from a grand Mal fit, the patient has no memory of the event, is confused, drowsy, disoriented and may have a severe headache, nausea and muscle aches. Many patients with epilepsy develop warning auras before an attack which can be a particular type of headache, change in mood, tingling, lightheadedness or twitching. |
Tests for Epilepsy
An EEG (electroencephalogram) to measure the brain waves, blood tests to exclude other diseases and a CT scan of the brain to find any structural abnormality. |
Treatment for Epilepsy
Many different anti-epileptic drug combination in tablet or mixture form are used to control epilepsy. Regular blood tests ensure that the dosage is adequate. Medication must be continued long term, but after several years without fits, a trial without medication may be undertaken. Epileptics must not put themselves in a position where they can injure themselves or others.
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Complications of Epilepsy of its treatment
Status epileptics is a condition where one grand mal attack follows another without the patient regaining consciousness between attacks. |
Likely Outcome of Epilepsy
Most forms of epilepsy can be well controlled with appropriate medication. |
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