Epilepsy is a medical condition that causes seizures. There are different types of seizures that can happen. Each person with Epilepsy is is affected differently. While there is no cure, there are treatment options. The best thing you can do is learn all you can about your condition and seek the advise of medical professionals as well as from others who are living with this condition. They can help you to find a treatment program that suits your individual needs and goals.
Significance
Any medical term or disease that is called idiopathic, basically refers to a condition with an unknown cause. In these cases the medical community is unable to discover why the condition is occurring. In the case of Epilepsy this means that a person is having seizures, however the cause of the seizures is unknown. Epilepsy is a generic term for someone that has experienced two seizures, that can not be traced back to other medical conditions such as dehydration, low blood sugar or other explainable and reversible cause. Sometimes the development of Epilepsy and its related seizures can be triggered by a brain injury or there may be a defect in the brain structure at birth. Tumors, long term fever, or infections of the brain can also cause this condition. According to the Epilepsy Foundation (see link below) seven out of ten individuals diagnosed with Epilepsy are categorized as having Idiopathic Epilepsy.
Identification
All forms of Epilepsy stem from a neurological condition. Activities in your body are controlled by the nervous system and brain sending electrical signals through the body via neurons. Epileptic seizures occur when the brain's nervous system misfires, creating a sudden and uncontrolled surge of electrical activity in the brain. How a person is affected by the seizure is in part determined by the area of the brain where the misfire occurred. Different areas of the brain control different functions. The right side of the brain controls the left side of the body and vice versa. Some areas of the brain control speech, some control emotions, while others control vision and balance.
Features
Idiopathic Epilepsy as well as forms where the cause is known, create different types of seizures. The following is a very simplified and generalized explanation. There are generalized seizures. These seizures occur when both sides of the brain are involved in a widespread electrical misfire. Another category is partial seizures. In this case the incorrect electrical activity occurs in just one area of the brain. With less severe partial seizures the person remains alert and can recall what happened. In other cases there may be no recollection and there can be memory loss. The third type of seizure is absence or petit mal seizures. With these types, the person can lose consciousness or have a blank stare. They are more common in children, usually are very brief and the person may have many of them throughout the day. Each person is different, and it can take some time for your physician to fully identify what type of seizures you are having and how you will be affected.
Considerations
There is a process to help physicians diagnose Epilepsy. The doctor will need to take a history from the patient and will also need talk to others who witnessed the seizure. Blood tests, EEG's (which show the electrical activity of the brain, and scanning tests such as CAT scans and MRI's, will help to show the structure of the brain and any abnormal changes that could be causing the seizures. Tests may need to be repeated in order to obtain an accurate diagnosis. Your diagnosis may change in time as more is learned about your seizures. Just because you are diagnosed with Idiopathic Epilepsy does not mean that a cause will not eventually be found.
Prevention/Solution
If you are with someone who experiences a seizure there are certain steps you should take. First of all it is important to remain calm. Most seizures last only thirty seconds to two minutes. Do not try to control the person having the seizure or hold them down, but do whatever you can to prevent them from becoming injured. Move any potentially harmful objects away from the person. Make them as comfortable as you can. Do not put your fingers or anything else in or near the person's mouth. Avoid giving them anything to eat or during until they are fully awake and in control of their actions. A general rule is to call 9-1-1 if the seizure lasts more then five minutes, but use your own judgment and knowledge of the person having the seizure.
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