Title:
What do you need to know about Epilepsy
Summary
Amongst the diseases that have frequently gripped Americans, Epilepsy is also the one. Though epilepsy allows its patients to lead a normal life yet the disease can be fatal due to the unexpected occurrence of seizures.
Keywords
epilepsy, health, seizure, coping, statistics
Article Body
Amongst the diseases that have frequently gripped Americans, Epilepsy is also the one. Though epilepsy allows its patients to lead a normal life yet the disease can be fatal due to the unexpected occurrence of seizures. Epilepsy can basically be defined as a disorder of the nervous system that causes a person to become unconscious suddenly, often with violent movements of the body. This attack that affects the individuals brain is termed as seizure. Seizures happen due to the large electrical activity in the cranium (the bone structure that forms the head and borders and protects the brain). An epileptic is hit by a seizure suddenly any time and anywhere. Every individual has his own resistance to fight these seizures which is known as the seizure threshold. The minimum the seizure threshold, frequent are the seizure attacks and impacts. Seizures vary from person to person; a person during this attack behaves according to the kind of seizure.
Causes of Epilepsy-
It is very difficult to trace the exact foundations of this disease. However, there is a threefold division made in this regard-
Cryptogenic Epilepsy- it is the most challenging kind of epilepsy for the doctors for no reasons to it are known and medicines too are not much effective.
Preventing and Healing Epilepsy- Diet is often given importance in case of epilepsy. This is because many epilepsy patients are found to have less of omega-3 fatty acid DHA in their blood. So, a diet rich in this like the fatty fish, canned tuna are often recommended to make up this deficiency.
Since epilepsy is read and administered differently in case of men, women and children, the remedies too differ in each case. For instance, epileptic children are mostly advised a diet which is rich in fats, adequate proteins and low in carbohydrates.
Apart form diet prescription; epileptic patients are given anti-epileptic or anti-convulsion drugs. These drugs are mean to control and prevent the seizures. These drugs increase the patients seizure threshold and avert the electrical charges in the brain that can cause seizures. Anti convulsion drugs are found to be quite successful in controlling seizures.
Cryptogenic Epilepsy- it is the most challenging kind of epilepsy for the doctors for no reasons to it are known and medicines too are not much effective.
For many people stress busters, biofeedback, acupuncture and meditation are cures to epilepsy.
Epilepsy Patients and You
Epileptic seizures can be quite scary for the rest of the public. Seizures can result in numbness, dizziness, and plucking clothes, smacking lips, swallowing and wandering around. Atonic seizures lead to a fall due to unexpected loss of muscle control; strong jerks to the body and at times even loss of consciousness are involved in myoclonic seizures and the most dreadful Tonic- clonic seizures result in an unconscious and stiffened body and loss of oxygen due to irregular breathing.
Cryptogenic Epilepsy- it is the most challenging kind of epilepsy for the doctors for no reasons to it are known and medicines too are not much effective.
But if any such seizure happens in public or at home, it is the duty of the rest to help the patient. Dont start hitting that person, stuff his mouth with something and give him some eatables or drinks. Just try to prevent him from any serious injury. Put some cushions near his head if at home or take the person to a roadside safe place if seizure hits publicly. Call an ambulance as fast as possible or rush to the nearest hospital.