Some people suddenly start having seizures while working, lose their senses and the body becomes stiff. In common language it is called the symptoms of epilepsy, but do you know what to do with the person suffering from it at such a time? Perhaps only a few of you would be aware of this. Actually, everyone is aware of some common symptoms of this disease, but very few people know what this disease actually is and what are the reasons for its occurrence. With the aim of making people aware of this disease and making them aware of its correct treatment, we are raising this topic through Myhealthonly. Come, let’s make an effort to understand every little thing related to this disease.
In this article, we will know the types of epilepsy and the symptoms of epilepsy, but before that let us understand this disease very well.
What Is Epilepsy?
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Epilepsy is a type of brain disorder in which the nervous system is affected. In this disease, there is a blockage in the nervous system of the patient. Due to this, the brain is not able to send the right message to other parts of the body. As a result, his ability to express feelings and emotions is lost for some time. In such a situation the person behaves strangely. Cramps start in the muscles. Fainting may occur. The person may also feel tremors. This is called an epileptic fit. This is such a situation arising in the human mind, like a sudden power cut in a house due to a short circuit.
You know what epilepsy is. Come, now let us also know the types of epilepsy.
Types Of Epilepsy
Talking about the type of epilepsy, mainly its seizures are divided into two parts. Come, let us know about them in some detail.
- Generalized Seizures
This is an important type of epileptic seizure. In this, both the parts of the brain are affected. This type of epileptic seizure is divided into two parts :
- Absence seizures – In this type of seizure, the patient loses consciousness for some time and starts staring skyward.
- Tonic-clonic seizures – In this type of epileptic seizure, symptoms like shouting, unconsciousness, stiffness of muscles and falling unconscious on the ground are seen in the patient. At the same time, after the end of the attack, the patient may feel tired.
- Focal Seizures
This type of seizure affects only a specific part of the brain. For this reason it is also known as partial seizure.
- Simple focal seizures – This type of seizure affects a very small part of the brain. That’s why it doesn’t seem like a tour at all. It is characterized by a tingling sensation in the body along with a change in taste and smell.
- Complex Partial Seizures – In this type of seizure, the patient may be confused for some time. At the same time, in some cases, his ability to think and understand may end.
- Secondary Generalized Seizures – In this type of seizure, a very small part of the patient’s brain is first affected. Later it gradually spreads to both the halves of the brain.
Note- Epilepsy attack can be for a few minutes as well as for a long time. In either case, you must contact your doctor.
You have come to know the types of epilepsy, now it is the turn to know its causes.
Causes of Epilepsy
There can be many reasons for the problem of epilepsy. These include many diseases as well as brain injury due to an accident. Come, let us know about some of these important reasons.
- Due to transient ischemic attack (stoppage of blood flow to the brain).
- Due to mental injury due to an accident.
- Due to injury due to an accident in the womb itself.
- Due to lack of brain development at birth.
- Due to metabolic disorders present at birth.
- Due to having abnormal blood vessels in the brain.
After knowing the reason, now we are going to tell you about the symptoms of epilepsy.
Symptoms of Epilepsy
Talking about the symptoms of epilepsy, they can be displayed differently in each patient. Let us try to know about some of its common symptoms.
- Losing consciousness
- Fainting
- Dizziness
- Muscle stiffness
- Change in taste and smell
- Skin tingling
- Loss of the ability to think and understand.
- Froth at the mouth
- Fall into confusion
In the next part of the article, we will talk about the risk factors of epilepsy.
Epilepsy Risk Factors
You can easily understand the risk factors of epilepsy through the following points.
- Due to dementia (weakness of mental capacity) and Alzheimer’s (problem of forgetting due to mental weakness).
- Brain infection, such as – due to swelling and abscess in the nerves of the brain.
- AIDS, in which the body’s immunity is lost. It is also one of the risk factors for epilepsy.
- Brain tumors can also be a risk factor for this.
- Any other disease that weakens or destroys brain tissue.
- Genetic ie family history is also included in the risk factors of epilepsy.
After the risk factors of epilepsy, now we will tell you when to consult a doctor for the treatment of epilepsy.
When should a doctor be consulted for epilepsy?
Although you should contact your doctor only when the symptoms of epilepsy appear for the first time, but here we are going to tell you some conditions, due to which you should not delay in treating epilepsy.
- When a person has an epileptic seizure for a longer period than usual.
- When epileptic seizures started coming frequently.
- More than one seizure within a few minutes.
- When the mental condition of the person starts deteriorating with the onset of seizures.
Before treatment of epilepsy, its diagnosis is very important. Come, now let’s get some necessary information related to it.
Epilepsy Diagnosis –
If you are troubled by the problem of epilepsy, the doctor will first do a physical examination of you. Also, he will talk to you and try to know since when you have this problem. At the same time, an attempt will be made to explore your family history to find out whether the disease is genetic. Despite this, if the main cause of epilepsy is not known, you will be advised to have other tests.
- EEG – For the diagnosis of epilepsy, an EEG (Electroencephalogram) test is recommended. In this test, the patient is made to wear an EEG recorder for a day or a week. It records the changes in your brain during the seizure to see which part of the brain it is affecting.
- Video EEG – In some cases, the patient is kept in the hospital for a few days. Here, with the help of special equipment (eg – EEG recorder and camera), the physical symptoms along with the brain are closely monitored at the time of the attack. This process of diagnosing epilepsy is called video EEG.
These have become common tests, which are used to treat epilepsy. At the same time, in some cases, many other investigations are also done, which prove to be helpful in finding out other causes of epilepsy. Come, let’s have a look at them too.
- Blood test
- Blood sugar test
- Complete blood count
- Kidney function test
- Liver function test
- Spinal cord test
- Infectious disease testing
- CT scan
- MRI scan
After knowing about the diagnosis of this disease, now we will get information about how to treat epilepsy.
Epilepsy Treatment
How to treat epilepsy? If this question is cropping up in your mind, then tell that in most of the cases it can only be controlled. Let us now look at some of the methods adopted for the treatment of epilepsy.
- Epilepsy medicines are used to control epilepsy in the early stages. For this, doctors recommend taking anticonvulsants (anticonvulsants, which correct brain damage). Its quantity can be reduced or increased according to the time.
- If the problem of epilepsy is due to tumor, abnormal blood vessels (abnormal blood vessels) or bleeding (bleeding) in the brain, then this problem can be overcome by performing surgery on the affected area to treat epilepsy.
- In some cases, doctors may also surgically remove abnormal blood vessels to treat epilepsy.
- A Vagal Nerve Stimulator can be implanted in the brain. A vagal nerve stimulator is an artificial device similar to a pacemaker implanted in the heart to control epileptic seizures.
- At the same time, doctors recommend a ketogenic diet (low carbohydrate diet with high fat and protein) to treat epilepsy, especially in the case of children.
After knowing the medicine for epilepsy and the treatment of epilepsy, now let us know some home remedies related to it.
Best Home Remedies for Epilepsy
- Coconut oil
Material :
- Coconut oil (as needed)
How to use :
- Use coconut oil instead of refined oil in cooking.
- You can also use it in salads.
How often to use :
- You can use it regularly.
How useful :
Coconut oil also contains fatty acids with powerful antioxidant properties. Due to these properties, coconut oil is considered helpful in reducing the problem of epilepsy.
- CBD Oil
Material :
- 10 Grams of pharmaceutical CBD (Cannabidiol) oil
How to use :
- Place 10 grams of CBD oil under the tongue with the help of a dropper and swallow it after keeping it in the mouth for a minute.
- Keep in mind that before taking it, to consult a doctor.
How often to use :
- It can be used once a day.
How Profitable
According to experts, anti-epileptic effect is found in CBD oil, which can prove to be helpful in removing the problem of epilepsy by removing brain damage.
- Vitamins
If we talk about vitamins helpful in the problem of epilepsy, then deficiency of vitamin B-6, vitamin E, folic acid (vitamin B-9), vitamin D, vitamin K and biotin (vitamin B-7) is also a cause of epilepsy. May be the reason. For this reason, it is recommended to take foods containing these vitamins to overcome epileptic seizures caused by nutritional deficiencies. If you want, you can also take supplements of these vitamins.
After knowing the home remedies, now we will tell you about the beneficial and harmful foods in this problem.
What should be eaten and what should not be eaten in epilepsy
Dieticians often recommend a low-carbohydrate and high-fat diet to reduce the problem of epilepsy and the number of seizures. According to a research, Atkins and ketogenic diet have been considered helpful in providing relief to a great extent in the problem of epilepsy.
Foods To Eat
Following are some foods with less carbohydrate and more fat and protein, whose consumption can help in overcoming the problem of epilepsy.
- Beef
- Cheese
- Broccoli
- Milk
- Almond
- Olive oil
- Sesame oil
Foods To Avoid
- In the problem of epilepsy, it is mainly advised to stay away from foods that exhibit high glycemic effect (eg:- pizza, soft drinks, rice, pasta and chips).
- At the same time, there are some vegetables and fruits, which exhibit high glycemic effect, Such as:- mangoes, bananas, raisins, dates and mashed potatoes. You are advised to stay away from all these.
- Although Ginkgo biloba is mentioned to be used as a herbal medicine in the Ayurvedic treatment of epilepsy, it has also been shown to increase epileptic seizures in some cases. For this reason, it is advised not to take Ginkgo Biloba in the problem of epilepsy.
- At the same time, consumption of alcohol can prove to be harmful in the problem of epilepsy, hence it is advised not to take it in epilepsy.
In the next part of the article, we will try to know some measures to prevent epilepsy.
Prevention Tips for Epilepsy –
There is no alternative to epilepsy when it comes to prevention, but you can reduce its risks by keeping a few things in mind.
- Take a balanced diet.
- Get enough sleep.
- Do not use intoxicants (medicines).
- Use a helmet while driving to reduce the risk of brain injury in case of an accident.
The problem of epilepsy is so complex that it is not easy to explain it completely. Despite this, in the article we have tried to explain it well. In the article, we have also given some information related to its causes, symptoms and home remedies, which are going to be of great use in getting relief from this disease. At the same time, you can also get a lot of benefit in this problem by adopting the methods of diagnosis and treatment suggested in the article. Provided that before taking any step, you should read all the information given in the article once. Only then come to a proper conclusion. Hope this article will be of help to many patients who are looking for a cure for epilepsy.
