Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes frequent and unexplained seizures. Epilepsy is more common among children and teenagers but can occur at anytime in a person's life. Though some causes of epilepsy are unknown, most people diagnosed generally have had severe head trauma, a genetic influence, or the condition is brought on from a disease or developmental disorder. The severity of each person's symptoms differs along with the triggers, so it is always important to seek medical attention to prevent any problems.
Symptoms
Many people diagnosed are aware of what causes their seizures and are able to avoid triggers, but others are unaware and do not have a warning. Epilepsy affects all neurological activities during a seizure, which can alter physical ability, emotions and the sensations of touch, taste and sound. Common signs of a seizure include legs jerking, loss of consciousness, confusion during and after, vision loss, deafness and spacing out. Each person's severity of seizures differs and can occur in one part of the brain and others affect the whole brain, changing the symptoms.
Control Loss
During a seizure, many people lose control of their body, which may cause them to fall, wherever they are standing or sitting. Depending on where a person is during a seizure, he could potentially fall and break a bone or cause a head injury. Drowning is also more common among those diagnosed with epilepsy since they could fall while showering or swimming if alone. Those with epilepsy have to be aware of potential incidents daily while operating machinery, or performing basic activities to prevent injury to themselves or others around them.
Pregnancy Complications
Those with epilepsy are perfectly able to become pregnant and carry their baby to term. Seizures during pregnancy are very dangerous and can affect the development of the fetus and the mother's well-being. Medications that control seizures brought on by epilepsy also produce abnormalities to babies, so medical attention is important. Expecting mothers may need attentive monitoring and adjustments in medications.
Status Epilepticus
Status epilepticus occurs when a person with epilepsy has numerous recurring seizures without regaining consciousness or continuous seizure activity, which may last more than five minutes and sometimes up to 30 minutes. Classifications of status epilepticus, similar to epilepsy, range from person to person, and can usually fall under convulsive or non-convulsive depending on the severity. Those with status epilepticus should consult a doctor to prevent worsening since this condition can sometimes cause permanent brain damage and sometimes death.
Sudden Death
Sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is uncommon, usually affecting one in 1000 people diagnosed with epilepsy. SUDEP does not have any warning signs, and usually the death is abrupt and unexpected. Along with a lack of warning signs, SUDEP does not seem to have any noticeable causes. The presence of status epilepticus is one factor known to raise the risks of SUDEP, though not a certainty. Controlling seizures through treatment can also help to prevent an occurrence of SUDEP, while also controlling epilepsy.
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