know well about epilepsy, can it be cured?

Epilepsy is a disorder of the central nervous system due to abnormal brain electrical activity patterns. It causes complaints of seizures, sensations and unusual behavior, until it loses consciousness.

Disturbances in the electrical activity patterns of the brain nerves can occur due to several things. Either because of abnormalities in brain tissue, imbalance of chemicals in the brain, or a combination of several factors causing these.

These health problems can be experienced by anyone, both men and women of all races, ethnic backgrounds, and ages.

Some people with epilepsy only stare blankly for a few seconds during a seizure, while others may repeatedly move their arms or legs. Having a single seizure does not mean a person has epilepsy. At least two seizures that were not provoked were diagnosed as epilepsy.

Symptoms of Epilepsy

Seizures are the main symptom of epilepsy that occurs when electrical impulses arise in the brain beyond normal limits. These conditions spread to the surrounding area, and cause uncontrolled electrical signals. The signal is sent also to the muscles, causing twitching to spasms.

The severity of seizures in each patient with epilepsy is different. Some last only a few seconds and are just like staring blankly, or there are repeated movements of the arms and legs.

Signs and symptoms during a seizure include:

Temporary confusion

Eyes staring blankly

Uncontrollable jerking of the arms and legs

Loss of consciousness

Psychic symptoms such as fear, anxiety or déjà vu

Doctors generally classify seizures as focus or generalization, based on how abnormal brain activity begins. Type of epilepsy

1. Partial seizures

When seizures arise due to abnormal activity in only one area of ​​the brain, it can be called focal seizures or partial seizures. These seizures are divided into two categories, namely:

Partial seizures without loss of consciousness.

As the name implies, this seizure does not cause fainting. Seizures only change emotions or sensory abilities such as to smell, feel touch from the outside, including the matter of sound. Partial seizures can also have symptoms in the form of jerks of the body that are not intentional, such as the arms or legs. Not only that, these seizures can cause spontaneous sensory symptoms, such as tingling, dizziness and flashing lights.

Partial seizures with disturbed consciousness can also be called complex partial seizures.

During complex partial seizures, a person is usually unable to respond normally to external stimuli. They also can not do repetitive movements, such as rubbing hands, chewing, swallowing or walking in a circle

Symptoms of partial seizures are known to be confused with other neurological disorders, such as migraine, narcolepsy, or mental illness.

To distinguish epilepsy from other disorders, a thorough examination and testing by medical personnel is needed.

2. General seizures

Seizures that involve all areas of the brain are called generalized seizures. There are 6 types of common seizures, namely:

Absent seizures that often occur in children and are characterized by empty stares or subtle body movements such as blinking eyes or hitting the lips. This seizure can cause a brief loss of consciousness

Tonic spasms can cause muscle stiffness. These spasms usually affect the muscles in the back, arms and legs. When that happens, someone can fall to the ground

Atonic seizures or drop seizures can cause loss of muscle control. Where, someone who experiences this seizure can suddenly collapse or fall

Clonic seizures are associated with jerky or rhythmic muscle movements. This spasm usually attacks the neck, face and arms

Myoclonic spasms usually appear as short jerks or jerks on the arms and legs

Tonic-clonic seizures are the most dramatic type of epileptic seizures and can cause sudden loss of consciousness. In addition, these spasms can cause the body to become stiff and tremble, and sometimes lose control of the bladder or bite the tongue

Causes of Epilepsy

Seizures in people with epilepsy can be triggered due to several conditions, for example stress, fatigue, or drug consumption. Based on the cause, epilepsy can be classified into:

Idiopathic epilepsy, that is, epilepsy whose cause is unknown.

Symptomatic epilepsy, which is epilepsy that occurs due to a disease that causes damage to the brain.

Epilepsy can occur at any age, whether female or male. However, epilepsy generally begins at the age of children, or even starts at the age of more than 60 years. Epilepsy is the most common neurological disease. Based on WHO data in 2018, around 50 million people in the world experience this disorder.

Diagnosis of Epilepsy

The diagnosis of epilepsy can be established after the doctor has a physical examination, especially the patient's nerve condition, as well as a series of tests to ascertain abnormal conditions in the brain. After epilepsy is diagnosed, it is important to start treatment as soon as possible, with dietary adjustments and drug administration.

When to see a doctor?

Someone with epilepsy is advised to immediately see a doctor if you experience the following symptoms:

The seizure lasts more than five minutes

Breathing or awareness does not return after the seizure stops

The second seizure soon occurred

Have a high fever

Experiencing fatigue

Is pregnant

Suffering from diabetes.

Sufferers have injured themselves during the seizure

Seizures for the first time

Treatment of epilepsy

Proper administration of drugs can stabilize electrical activity in the brain, and can control seizures in epilepsy sufferers. Drugs for treating epilepsy are antiepileptic drugs.

Complications of epilepsy

Epilepsy that occurs in patients in unexpected places, can make patients at risk of suffering injury or broken bones due to falling during a seizure. In addition to the danger of injury, sufferers of epilepsy can experience complications such as epilepticus and sudden death.

Most cases of epilepsy disorders can not completely recover. Nevertheless, this disease can be treated and controlled so that it does not recur frequently. So the treatment of epilepsy that is often done is the use of drugs. The type of medication consumed serves to help prevent seizures.

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