subject: How to Treat Epilepsy [print this page] Epilepsy is a condition that is caused by abnormal electric impulse in groups of nerve cells found in the brain. This neurological disorder is characterized with repeated fits or attacks of unconsciousness which occur with or without convulsions. The seizures that occur can be result of various situations that include damage resultant from high fever, stroke, toxicity, or electrolyte imbalances.
Furthermore, epilepsy connotes that an individual has seizures which recur over time in an unpredictable fashion. Each set of seizure is related with a particular epileptic cause. Causes of Epilepsy are mainly brain chemistry, hereditary causes, head injury, cerebrovascular disease, prenatal injuries and several environmental causes.
Epilepsy causes seizure and can occur at any point in life. It is cause by abnormal brain function, or rude between of neurotransmitters. Epilepsy can start as early as during infancy, and can also develop in adults. Part of living with this state comes from understanding it and knowing some of the possible causes of epilepsy.
When this ailment is diagnosed in infants, there are usually different causes as compare to when it is noticed in adults. For babies and children, some of the causes of epilepsy might be:
Treatment methods control seizures for most people with epilepsy. Antiepileptic drugs are the most common form of treatment. With certain types of epilepsy, when medication is not effective, surgery may be. Another option is vague nerve stimulation, a recently approved therapy in which an electrical device is implanted in the affected person's shoulder to periodically stimulate a cranial nerve.
Keep calm and reassure other people who may be nearby. Unless the individual and his/her disorder are well-known to you, you should have someone call 911 and ask for an ambulance immediately. Especially if this is a first time seizure, the person should be taken to the nearest hospital emergency department for an evaluation. What is clear, however, is that anti-epileptic medications should at least be considered for discontinuation in patients who are seizure-free for 10 years. If a medication is going to be discontinued, it should be weaned gradually to avoid trigger a seizure.
Vagus nerve stimulation - This procedure involves minor surgery and is a relatively new treatment that helps prevent or lessen the severity of seizures. An electrical stimulator is placed beneath the skin of the upper chest. The stimulator, which emits electrical impulses, is connected to an electrode that is attached to a nerve in the neck through a small incision.
