Epileptic Seizure

An epileptic seizure can be defined as the sudden change in the brain functioning, causing as altered behavior. A person who is having an epileptic seizure may experience a fall, uncontrollable movements of the body, twitching, drooling and sometimes, even loss of bladder control. This seizure attack lasts for a few minutes, after which the person regains his sense, albeit he might feel very tired and dazed. It is estimated that in the united states, one in every hundred people have experienced an epileptic attack or has been diagnosed with epilepsy. Let us know in detail about epilepsy, by looking at its types, causes, triggers, symptoms, as well as the various treatment options.

Epileptic Seizure Types

There are four main types of seizures, which people experience, namely, generalized seizures, partial seizures, status epilepticus and nonepileptic seizures.

Generalized Seizures: Generalized seizures are those that affect both the sides of the brain, from the time the seizure begins. They often result in loss of consciousness of the person. Generalized seizures are further divided into four categories, namely, generalized tonic clonic, atonic, myoclonic and absence.

Partial Seizures: A partial seizure affects only a particular area, on one side of the brain. Partial seizures might later result in a generalized seizure, i.e. affecting both the cerebral hemispheres of the brain. Partial seizures are of two types, namely, simple partial seizures and complex partial seizures.

Status Epilepticus: Usually, seizures end after a few minutes. However, if they continue for a long time, or if they occur in series, it could be due to status epilepticus. Status epilepticus means a continuous or prolonged state of seizure.

Nonepileptic Seizures: Nonepileptic seizures are events which can change the behavior of the person for a short while, and bear a great resemblance to the epileptic seizures. However, the difference between epileptic seizures and nonepileptic seizures is that while the former is caused by electrical changes that abnormally occur in brain, the latter is not caused due to the abnormal brain functioning.

Symptoms

There are some warning symptoms that a person experiences before the attack actually occurs. These include changes in smell, taste and sound, a feeling of fear, panic, headache, dizziness, nausea and numbness. Although, some people might experience no such warning signals whatsoever. Here is a list of the commonly experienced symptoms.

• Loss of consciousness
• Confusion
• Difficulty in hearing and smelling
• Visual difficulty
• Twitching and shaking
• Stiffening of the body
• Tongue biting and drooling
• Incontinence
• Weakness and exhaustion

Causes

As mentioned above, epileptic seizures are caused due to abnormal brain functioning. However, what causes the brain to function in an abnormal way, is still not known. Some researches show that epileptic seizures could be caused due to head injuries. Or in some cases, lack of adequate amount of oxygen during childbirth, could be the cause behind this abnormal brain functioning. Brain tumors, lead poisoning, meningitis, encephalitis, certain genetic conditions and brain development problems before birth, could cause epileptic seizures too. In the elderly, Alzheimer's disease is a possible cause behind epileptic seizures.

Triggers

There are certain triggers, which may cause an epileptic seizure in a person. Not taking the medication accurately, as prescribed by the doctor, can trigger an attack. Some other triggers are changes in hormones of the body, stress and anxiety, photo sensitivity, intake of drugs and alcohol, and altered sleep patterns.

Treatment Methods

For diagnosing epileptic seizures, an electroencephalogram (EEG) is performed, which records the brain wave patterns of the person. A CT scan or an MRI scan, are conducted to identify the cause of epilepsy. Blood tests and the symptoms that a person experiences are other ways to identify and diagnose the causes.

Once the cause has been identified, the treatment is suggested accordingly. Although, no cure for epilepsy has yet been found, the various treatments prescribed by doctors do help in preventing another seizure. The Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs), for example control and prevent seizures in seventy percent of the people, although they have no use in stopping a seizure, when it is actually happening.

If the epilepsy is severe and medicines are unable to control it, brain surgery is the next option. Surgery for treating epilepsy can only be considered, if seizures are due to functional problems in a particular area of the brain only.

Another treatment option is vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), in which an electrical device is implanted in the chest area, which continuously stimulates the vagus nerve. The vagus nerve starts from the brain towards the other body parts, and communicates messages between the two.

To prevent epileptic seizures, it is important to avoid the triggers, i.e. taking eight hours sleep everyday, avoiding stress by doing exercises and yoga, refraining from drugs and alcohol, and the most important, taking the medicines properly.