Every year, about 5 million individuals are diagnosed with epilepsy, according to the World Health Organization.
About 80 percent of people with epilepsy are in low-income countries that do not receive proper health treatment. This is due to the rise in malaria-endemic conditions, traffic injuries, birth-related injuries, and public health programs and services.
Epilepsy is a chronic disorder in which the patient has recurring and unwanted seizures. A person will be diagnosed with epilepsy if they are having two unwanted seizures that are not caused by a known medical condition or addiction to alcohol or low blood sugar.
Who can get epilepsy?
Epilepsy can affect anyone, but it is most common in young children and older adults. Men are more likely than women to acquire epilepsy, according to research published in 2021, probably due to higher exposure to risk factors like alcohol consumption and head trauma, and road accidents.
Common symptoms of epilepsy
The most common sign of epilepsy is seizures. Symptoms vary from one individual to another, depending on the type of seizure.
When seizure attacks, there is an abnormal activity happening in just one area of the brain, called a focal seizure. It falls into two categories; Focal Seizure and Generalized Seizure.
Focal onset aware seizure or simple partial seizure is a condition in which the patient does not lose his or her consciousness. A focal onset seizure occurs for several reasons. Brain tumors, stroke, epilepsy and low blood sugar level.
After an attack, you will remember what happened. These seizures can cause you to feel fearful or anxious.
- Dizziness
- Twitching limbs
- Sense of taste, smell, sight, hearing, and touch are all affected.
Focal unaware seizures or complex partial seizures involve loss of awareness or consciousness. Seizures arise in one part of the brain rather than the whole. People who suffer from head injuries, trauma, tumors and stroke are more likely to develop these seizures. These are the symptoms;
- Blank staring
- Unresponsive
- Doing repetitive movements.
Generalized seizure affects the whole brain, while focal or partial seizure affects only one portion of the brain. There are different types of generalized seizures. It includes;
- The absence of seizures – also known as petit mal seizures, which usually happen in children. Symptoms can be distinguished if the kid stares into space or lip-smacking for at least 5 to 10 seconds, and it happens hundred times per day.
- Tonic seizures – causes stiffening of the muscles that affect your back, arms, legs and loss of consciousness
- Atonic seizures – also called drop seizures, when it attacks, you may lose control of your muscles which causes sudden collapse and fall.
- Clonic seizures – are associated when a person repeatedly jerks the muscle in rhythm.
This seizure affects the face, neck, and arms.
Research says that about half the people with epilepsy have no identifiable causes, and the other half be traced to various factors, such as;
- Genes – research shows that epilepsy runs in the family.
- Head trauma – car accidents, traumatic head injury, and falls may cause epilepsy.
- Infections – such as meningitis, HIV, and some parasitic infections can cause epilepsy.
- Developmental disorders – autism and ADHD can sometimes associate with epilepsy
- Prenatal injury – babies inside the womb are susceptible to brain and head injuries. Poor nutrition, oxygen deficiency, and infection in the mother may cause brain damage that results in epilepsy or cerebral palsy.
Treatment for epilepsy will lead to fewer seizures or will stop completely. The treatment will be based on the severity of the symptoms, your health condition, and how well your body responds to the therapy.
Some treatment options include the following;
- Anti-epileptic, anticonvulsant or antiseizure drugs – These drugs can reduce the number of seizures and can sometimes eliminate attacks. The right amount of drug must be taken exactly as prescribed by the doctor.
- The ketogenic diet – according to the studies, half of the children who do not respond to medication benefit from the ketogenic diet, which is high fat and low carb diet.
- Vagus nerve simulator – if medication fails, the doctor will recommend vagus nerve simulator, this device is placed under the skin on your chest and the electricity from the device stimulates the nerve that runs through the neck to prevent or stop the seizure attack.
- Brain surgery – the brain area that is causing seizures will be removed.
Epilepsy changes and affects one person’s quality of life. It affects the impact on learning, school performance, attendance, relationships, employment and social interactions. The more severe the condition is, the more likely neurobehavioral disorder will develop. Epilepsy can be managed in its earlier stage. Proper nutrition, medication and advice from a health care professional will reduce the risks of attack or even stop seizures. You may also enroll in epilepsy clinical trials for possible treatment.
