Seizure (epilepsy)

General or Other | Neurology | Seizure (epilepsy) (Disease)


Description

Epilepsy is a form of intellectual retardation or mental illness and is not contagious. There are several types of seizures, and symptoms of each type behaves differently in different people. Seizures can last from several seconds to several minutes. Consciousness can be lost or maintained during the seizure, depending on the type of epilepsy. Some people remember what happened during the seizure, while others did not realize they have seizures.

Causes and Risk factors

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder that is due to factors that interfere with electrical impulses to the brain. The nervous system produces lightning sudden, excessive and disorganized, leading to convulsions. Seizures temporarily interfere with muscle control, control defecation (fecal elimination), speech, vision and conscious patient. Seizures is frightening, especially if severe. Fortunately, treatment reduces the abnormal electrical impulses in the brain and control seizures.

The causes of epilepsy are not fully known. Less than half of people with epilepsy have a primary unidentified cause. Epilepsy can occur in individuals without risk factors. Can not always be identified cause. This applies, in particular, in many forms of epilepsy in children. In some people, epilepsy is due to a tumor, infection or brain injury. Epilepsy is more common in children than in adults. There may be in families (ie, more cases of epilepsy in the family), but not required to have family history of epilepsy for someone to make epilepsy. Epileptic seizures occur when abnormal electrical discharges of neurons disrupt the normal balance of nerve impulses. Factors that determine the abnormal electrical discharges are not always clear.

Diseases that can cause epilepsy are: head trauma; stroke or other diseases affecting blood flow to the brain; atherosclerosis (deposition of fat) cerebral arteries; brain tumors; brain infections such as meningitis or encephalitis; Alzheimers disease; alcohol abuse; drug abuse and rehab period. Tumors, areas of scar tissue due to trauma or other diseases can damage a certain area of the brain and may cause partial seizures. Seizures are only visible symptom of epilepsy.

Diagnosis and Treatment

The majority of epileptic seizures are controlled through drug therapy, particularly anticonvulsant drugs. The type of treatment prescribed will depend on several factors including the frequency and severity of the seizures as well as the persons age, overall health, and medical history. An accurate diagnosis of the type of epilepsy is also critical to choosing the best treatment.

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