Epilepsy
Epilepsy is another big category of neurological ailments. It is the condition or a chronic disorder, of recurring seizures, Seizures are sudden rush of electrical activity in brain. It can develop at any age, though generally occurs in early childhood or after age of 60.
Some common situations or combination of situations, that trigger seizures are as follows:
- Lack of sleep
- Fever or long illness
- Bright light, sound or other stress patterns
- Stress
- Medication, Alcohol, Drugs, Caffeine
- Irregular meal/food patterns
- Brain injury
- Lack of oxygen to Brain
- Heredity.
Noting down the patterns that trigger seizures in a journal can be useful. Recording down following points to present to your physician, is highly recommended and useful for your own sake:
- Day and Time
- Duration
- Trigger that you found unusual (smell, sound and sight)
- Sleep pattern
- Food /Meal ingested day before the onset of condition
- Activity around you
- Unusual stress (sudden news).
Keeping a journal will help to adjust your medications or exploring other treatments for the condition.
Electroencephalogram (EEG) is the most commonly used test for Epilepsy in which electrodes are attached to scalp with a sticky solution. The electrical activity pattern of brain is recorded and analyzed to find the deviation in normal pattern.
Presence of other abnormalities as brain tumor can be diagnosed later with CT Scan/MRI /PET that are causing epilepsy. Research can be continued to establish the reason of epilepsy if tumor or other abnormalities are ruled out.
The treatment patterns can be decided depending upon the severity of symptoms, health of patient and his response to medicines administered. Following treatment top the lists:
- Anti-epileptic drugs, Anti-seizure drugs, Anti-convulsive drugs,
- Brain surgery,
- Vagus Nerve Stimulator,
- Ketogenic Diets (High fat, Low Carbohydrate, Low Fiber diets),
- Deep Brain Stimulation -latest technique. (research is ongoing),
- Minimal Invasive surgery,
- Radiosurgery.
There is no cure for Epilepsy, though proper management by strategic medication and care, can help, to control the onset!