Epilepsy: Symptoms, Risk factors and Causes

Epilepsy is a condition that is marked by recurrent seizures caused due to repetitive abnormal electrical discharge within the brain. Epilepsy is most common among children and older adults, young adults are rarely affected. It is one of the most common neurological disorder. Epilepsy can affect anyone irrespective of their age, sex or race.

The symptoms of epilepsy also vary in different people. Few experience mild symptoms during a seizure-like stare blankly while the others may experience twitching of muscles of hands and legs.

A single episode of seizure does not mean that a person is having epilepsy at least two unprovoked seizure is usually required to diagnose epilepsy.

Epilepsy is incurable generally but with regular medications the symptoms are manageable.

Types of seizure:

An epileptic seizure is divided broadly under two headings:

• Generalized seizure
• Focal or partial seizure

Generalized seizure: This type of seizure results from electrical discharges that affect both the hemispheres of the brain.

A tonic-clonic seizure is a type of generalized seizure in which there is loss of consciousness with violent movements of the extremities, and in absence seizure which is also a type of generalized seizure, there are brief interruptions of awareness and activity.

Focal or partial seizure: The seizure activity in this type is limited only to one hemisphere of the brain. They may generalize in some instances. When the patient remains awake during a seizure episode the seizure is known as simple and partial but if the patient loses consciousness after a partial seizure the syndrome is known as complex and partial.

Symptoms:

The symptoms vary in different people. The symptoms observed are:

• Convulsion without temperature.
• Blackout or loss of consciousness
• Sudden stiffness of the body
• Sudden bouts of blinking
• Uncontrollable jerking movements of the extremities
• Fear and anxiety
• Changes in the senses of touch, smell, and sound.
• Extreme weakness of muscles

Causes:

• Epilepsy acquired brain may develop due to congenital or acquired brain diseases.
• Genetic influence
• Injury or trauma of the head
• Brain tumours, brain abscesses, stroke or brain trauma.
• Encephalitis or meningitis
• Prenatal injury.
• Anoxic brain

Risk factors:

The following people are at higher risk of developing the ailment:

• Young children
• Older adults
• Family history of epilepsy
• High fever with seizure in childhood
• Injury or trauma in head
• People having strokes or other vascular diseases
• Brain infections
• Dementia increases the risk of epilepsy in older adults

Complications:

The complications often associated with epilepsy are:

• Falling and injuring themselves
• Drowning
• Depression with suicidal tendencies
• Anxiety
• Accidents
• Complications during pregnancy and giving birth to a child with birth defects.
• Sudden unexpected death

When to see a doctor?

Visit the doctor at the earliest if you experience the following symptoms:

• A seizure lasting for more than four minutes.
• Two consecutive seizure immediately.
• If you have a high fever.
• During pregnancy.
• If you have abnormal blood glucose levels.

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