Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by surges of electrical activity in one’s brain. The disorder is primarily marked by severe and recurrent seizures. These seizures may happen due to some trigger factors or medical conditions or may be unprovoked. Considered to be the fourth most common brain disorder, epilepsy affects about 50 million people worldwide. Keep reading to learn more about types of epilepsy seizures, common causes, symptoms, and treatment options for the disorder.

What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy seizures are sudden and uncontrollable and lead to involuntary movements resulting from abnormal and excessive brain activity. This condition may result in momentary concentration lapses, jerky movements of the muscles, or severe, protracted convulsions. Loss of awareness and control over bowel or bladder function can occur together with an epileptic episode. It can vary in frequency from person to person and can affect a patient’s entire body or just a part of it. In addition, the condition may significantly lower a person’s quality of life.

Types of epilepsy seizures
Epilepsy doctors classify seizures into different categories – primary generalized seizures and partial seizures. The way the seizures start varies in each case. The primary generalized seizure is an electrical discharge that simultaneously affects both sides of the brain. On the other hand, partial seizures affect a small portion of the brain. Primary generalized seizures can be further divided into various types listed below.

• Absence seizures – They are common in children and is marked by involuntary body movements like eye blinking and lip-smacking, staring into space, and brief loss of awareness.
• Tonic seizures – Marked by muscular stiffness in one’s back, arms, and legs. People experiencing tonic seizures may lose consciousness and muscle control and suddenly fall to the ground or drop their heads.
• Clonic seizures – Here, the patient experiences repeated jerking muscle movements which majorly affect one’s neck, face, and both arms.
• Myoclonic seizures – Involuntary and short-lived jerks or twitches to one’s arms and legs, but a patient does not experience loss of consciousness.
• Tonic-clonic seizures – It is a common type of epileptic seizure that causes loss of consciousness, loss of control over the bladder, tongue biting, body stiffening, and shaking.

Causes and risk factors
Epilepsy is not a contagious condition. Various underlying diseases can cause the illness, but its fundamental cause remains unclear. However, some of its primary risk factors include traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, parasitic or viral infections of the brain, and stroke brought on by artery blockages. Epilepsy is more likely to occur in preterm babies who were born underweight. If a person experiences extreme stress, sleep deprivation, fatigue, and inadequate food and nutrition intake, they are at higher risk of the illness.

A lack of oxygen supply to the brain can also be dangerous. Those with cerebral palsy, genetic disorders like Down syndrome, mental disabilities, and neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s patients are also at risk. People with a family history of epilepsy or fever-induced seizures, bleeding in the brain, or abnormal blood vessels or structures in the brain are advised to be careful.

Symptoms
Epilepsy patients may show temporary symptoms such as loss of consciousness and disturbances of movement, sensation including vision, hearing, and taste, mood fluctuations, or changes in other cognitive functions. Usually, people with epilepsy have other physical problems like fractures or bruises and psychological issues like anxiety.

Diagnosis
An epilepsy diagnosis is made by a healthcare practitioner based on a patient’s physical and mental symptoms. Most epileptic patients may be diagnosed and treated at the basic healthcare level without needing advanced technology. To investigate brain function, a doctor may also do a few tests like an electroencephalogram (EEG), computed tomography (CT) scan, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Treatment and prevention
Most instances of epilepsy may be cured. Patients with epilepsy can achieve seizure-free status with the right therapy. The primary line of defense for epilepsy is oral therapies. Instead of addressing the underlying disease, they are often given to patients to treat the symptoms of epileptic episodes. About 70% of patients can manage seizure episodes due to these treatments. By lowering the propensity of brain cells to produce excessive and erratic electrical impulses, they stop seizures before they begin.

Patients who may not respond well to pharmacological therapies may also benefit from surgery. The best strategy to stop post-traumatic epilepsy is to prevent head injuries. Proper prenatal care can lower the number of new instances of epilepsy brought on by birth trauma. The decrease of cardiovascular risk factors, such as actions to prevent or control high blood pressure, diabetes, and unhealthy BMI, is the main goal in the fight against epilepsy linked to stroke. A doctor may also suggest making certain nutritional changes, including enough protein and limiting carbs.