Epilepsy: Symptoms, Causes And Treatments | Dr. Pramod Chaurasia

 What Is Epilepsy? 

It is a disorder of the central nervous system that causes disturbance in the nerve cell activities in the brain. It can often cause seizures. It is also called a seizure disorder. 

What Causes Epilepsy? 

 There can be different reasons behind having epilepsy. It can be caused by different types of genetic disorders. It also can occur because of a former brain injury such as trauma or shock. Besides that, some infectious diseases such as Meningitis, HIV, and viral encephalitis can cause epilepsy. 

Symptoms Of Epilepsy

There can be several symptoms of epilepsy, including 

·        Extreme fatigue

·        Muscle contraction or muscle cramps

·        Senses like needles or pins all over the body

·        Amnesia

·        Anxiety

·        Depression

·        Staring spells

·        Often faints

·        The patient can experience abnormal behaviours, sensations, and loss of consciousness while having seizures. 

·        Uncontrollable jerking and movements of arms and legs

·        Behavioural change

·        Temporary confusion

If you experience any of these symptoms, it is advised to consult a neurologist as soon as possible, especially if the seizure lasts for more than 5 minutes of normal breathing flow doesn't return after the seizure. You can consult Dr Pramod Chaurasia as he is one of the best neurologists in the country.

 

Treatments

Epilepsy can be treated by medications, and for extreme cases, neurological surgery can be needed if doctors diagnose it's a connection with the nervous system. Usually, the medications include nerve pain medicine, sedative medicines, and anticonvulsants. Consume the medicines according to your doctor's guidelines. 

There are different types of brain surgery for epilepsy patients, such as 

·        Respective Surgery

·        Multiple Subpial Transections

·        Hemispherectomy

·        Corpus Callosotomy

Doctors Prescribe The Procedure Based On The Nature Of Epilepsy. 

Also, sometimes, doctors prescribe Meditation to improve the quality of living mental health and increase concentration. It is also important to make some changes in your diet while undergoing the treatment. Healthy eating is necessary to overcome epilepsy. Doctors also may advise cutting off alcohol consumption and smoking completely during this time. 

One thing to remember, in the case of epilepsy, is the most important is the mental support of friends and family members towards the patient. They have to notice the improvement and let the doctor know about the behavioural changes of the patient. 

Epilepsy can take time to cure. If you are suffering from it or any of your dear people are suffering, it is important to keep patient. 

When Do Epilepsy Patients Need Surgery? 

 If surgery can be done, it can be an effective way to cure epilepsy. But surgery cannot be done in every case. Epilepsy surgery is most effective if the patient feels seizures in a single location in the brain. 

 It is not the first choice of doctors. One has to undergo surgery if at least two anti-seizure surgeries have failed. 

It is surgery on the nervous system and done by an expert neurosurgeon only. Dr Pramod Chaurasia is an expert neurosurgeon with years of experience in this field. You can consult him for further discussion.

 

How Long Does It Take To Get Back To Normal Life After The Operation? 

The general recovery can take weeks to months. You should not expect that the seizures would just disappear after the surgery, as it can take months to stop. It takes a long time for the brain to heal.