Can alcohol or a hangover cause an epileptic attack?

The development of epileptic disease in certain cases is associated with alcohol consumption.
According to statistics, epileptic attacks occur three times more often in alcoholics than in abstainers. The cause of the first seizure in 30% of cases is drinking alcohol in excessive doses. Epileptics are advised to completely abstain from alcohol to avoid negative consequences for their own health.

Why do epileptic seizures occur?

Human nervous tissue is a complex structure. Neurons have increased excitability, therefore they are able to perceive and transmit electrical and chemical signals to the distal parts of the body. As a result, tonic tension occurs in the muscles. Such contractions can be so strong that they interfere with a person's ability to function.

The cell body has a nucleus and special processes - dendrites and axons. This structure ensures high electrical conductivity of the entire nerve fiber, including the most distant areas of its location in the body.

The development of increased electrical excitability of brain areas occurs under the influence of various risk factors, including hereditary predisposition, the presence of serious head injuries, radiation injuries, and poisoning of neurons with chemicals.

One of these substances is alcohol and all those products that contain it. Entering the body through the digestive tract, alcohol is absorbed into the blood and reaches the brain with its current. Its high doses (or small ones, but delivered regularly at short intervals) cause an increase in the bioelectrical activity of the brain. This leads to extraordinary and strong contraction signals transmitted via centrifugal neurons to the muscle fibers.

So, is it possible to drink alcohol if you have epilepsy? In order to prevent attacks or make them less intense or rare, the intake of alcohol into the body should be stopped.

Diagnosis of the disease

Currently, there are no specific diagnostic tests that can detect alcoholic epilepsy. But, knowing the symptoms preceding the attack, it is possible to identify the initial stage of the disease. Particular attention should be paid to the following warning signs:

• Talking while sleeping.
• Frequent convulsions and shudders.
• Walking in your sleep.
• Absence of the above symptoms.

After a preliminary diagnosis has been made, the patient is sent to a medical facility for further examination. In this case, a set of diagnostic measures is used, including instrumental and laboratory tests. The most common ones include the following:

• General blood and urine analysis.
• MRI.
• CT scan.
• Electroencephalography.

It is very important that the above studies are carried out as soon as possible after the attack. In this case, it will be possible to most accurately establish a diagnosis and begin appropriate treatment.

How else does epilepsy manifest against the background of alcohol?

When a patient suffers from epilepsy, while drinking alcohol, he may develop (or intensify, if previously observed) symptoms such as:

• confusion;
• walking at night;
• deterioration of intelligence (up to dementia);
• trance states of the brain, when its zones cease to adequately perceive the existing state of affairs.

The patient's condition may worsen until persistent psychoses appear, which tend to become chronic. A drinking patient with epilepsy almost constantly experiences a feeling of fear . He is worried and angry. His mood shows hopelessness and melancholy.

Untreated epilepsy caused by alcohol can lead to hallucinations and delusional states. The social behavior of such patients is significantly hampered, and their presence in society is almost impossible. But family members and close people suffer especially, since it is quite difficult to help in this case.

First aid to a patient

1. A person having a seizure should be placed on a sofa, bed, or other soft surface to prevent injury from the seizure. If this is not possible, it is necessary to hold the head of the person suffering from epilepsy.
2. The victim should not be allowed to walk, especially if there are dangerous places or traumatic things nearby. It is necessary to try to bring the person into a calm state.
3. The person should be laid down and his head turned to the side.
4. If a person has clenched his jaw tightly, you should not open his mouth.
5. It is necessary to immediately detect the period during which the seizure lasts. As a rule, the duration of an attack does not exceed a few minutes, so if the attack continues after five minutes, you should call an ambulance.
6. It is necessary to provide access to fresh air to the person, not to crowd around him. If there are tight clothing, it should be unbuttoned or removed.
7. At the end of the epileptic attack, the patient should be placed on his side.
8. It is very good if the patient, after everything that has happened to him, falls asleep. It is necessary to call an ambulance so that doctors can indicate further instructions.

There are certain features of the progression of alcoholic epilepsy :

• Not in every case does epilepsy progress to the next, more severe, stage of the disease.
• Epileptic signs, which are characteristic of the normal course of the disease, may be absent on echoencephalographic examination. Other characteristics of the disease also differ; in addition, the person simply begins to degrade.
• The tonic phase is predominant during the period of attacks, but the attacks themselves remain identical to each other.
• In alcoholics, the development of delirium tremens can often be observed during seizures.

Important: Only if the patient completely refuses alcohol can we talk about the cessation of the disease. There have been no cases of such self-medication in other forms of the disease. By eliminating alcohol addiction, the disease can be stopped.

What are the long-term consequences?

The toxic effect of alcohol on a neuron is manifested not only in the occurrence of bioelectric excitability. There is also a toxic effect, manifested in wrinkling of the outer shell, destruction of intracellular fluid, reduction or complete destruction of the nucleus. Such neurons become non-viable over time. Their restoration, if possible, is a very long process. Nervous tissue is practically incapable of regeneration , so there is no point in hoping that once you stop drinking, it will return to its original form.

The second link of the pathological process is the negative impact on the conduction system. The nerve fibers through which such electrical signals are transmitted to the muscles are connected to each other into special structures - nerve ganglia. The speed of the reflex signal depends on the quality of their connection. Distortion of its strength and direction becomes possible.

Drinking individuals who consume alcohol constantly are doomed to the death of nervous tissue. As a result, not only reflex movements suffer, but also the relationship with the centers of the brain and spinal cord. The functioning of the entire nervous system deteriorates, and epilepsy progresses.

What is the danger of such a condition?

An epileptic seizure, enhanced by alcohol, is dangerous not only for health, but also for human life. The timing of death can be several days or hours, since convulsive activity can reach not only skeletal muscles, but also elements of the respiratory system. Blockage of the respiratory system can lead to uneven breathing or suffocation.

Lack of oxygen in the body tissues leads to their hypoxia and asphyxia, and over time – loss of functionality. The possibility of cerebral edema and, over time, the body falling into a coma cannot be ruled out. There is a possibility that aspiration will occur from your own saliva, fluid (during drinking) or vomit (if vomiting accompanies this condition).

Possible negative action

Contraindications:

• cardiovascular diseases in the acute stage;
• appendicitis;
• weakness of breathing;
• prenatal condition of a pregnant woman;
• low blood pressure;
• renal failure;
• intestinal obstruction and bleeding.

Side effects:

• increased heart rate;
• decreased blood pressure;
• arrhythmia;
• headache, asthenia;
• nausea, vomiting;
• diarrhea, flatulence;
• symptoms of dehydration;
• decreased body temperature;
• in rare cases, clouding of consciousness is observed.

Is there a difference in the quality of the products consumed?

The negative effects of alcohol in epilepsy may be enhanced if the product consumed is made from denatured raw materials. Alcohol of unguaranteed quality may contain not only ethanol, but also methanol - a monohydric alcohol in its chemical structure, and a poisonous transparent liquid in quality.

Used in everyday life as a solvent. However, unscrupulous manufacturers sometimes include it in counterfeit alcohol products to reduce their price.

The toxic effect of such drinks increases significantly, up to a complete loss of vitality. This monohydric alcohol, entering the body, turns into formaldehyde - a substance that is tropic to the proteins of the human body. By binding them, it affects the nervous system and can bring it to complete exhaustion.

Alcohol can be fatal

If you suffer from alcohol addiction, this means that you are likely to hit the bottle hard. You breastfeed at any time and for several days. If this is the case, then there is a real risk of seizures. Moreover, if you suddenly decide to quit a bad habit, this will also cause certain consequences.

If a person with this condition dies suddenly and unexpectedly, and no obvious cause of death is found, it is called sudden death due to epilepsy (SUDEP). So, a sudden refusal of strong drinks can lead to SUDEP.

If you want to reduce your use of alcohol, it is important to do so gradually to reduce the risk of seizures. It is also possible to receive treatment to stop the seizures that occur during alcohol withdrawal. Once you stop drinking, the hangover shouldn't return until you start drinking again.

How does alcohol interact with epilepsy medications?

When a person is diagnosed with epilepsy, he is prescribed a number of specific drugs that help reduce the bioelectrical activity of neurons. Such treatment, started in a timely manner, can prevent attacks and increase the periods between their manifestations.

Their influence on the rate of death of neurons and inhibition of the deterioration of brain functions has been proven. That is why these medications should be taken on a regular basis. Therefore, whenever alcohol is taken, its toxic and destructive effect on the neuron will “bump into” the restorative drug effect .

The interaction of the chemicals and alcohols that make up the drug has not been fully studied, however, the presence of an opposing effect on the cell will be extremely unfavorable. Due to physiological failure, the functioning of the central nervous system will be difficult; electrical impulses sent by neurons to skeletal muscle fibers and other parts of the brain may become hyperdeveloped.

Another negative side of the interaction between alcohol and antiepileptic drugs is a decrease in the concentration of the latter in the human blood. This helps to reduce the therapeutic effect and lengthen the treatment period. At the same time, each drug has a number of side effects. In the case of epilepsy treatment, alcohol can increase the likelihood of negative side effects and the development of complications.

In some cases, it is noted that antiepileptic drugs enhance the effect of intoxication that occurs after drinking an alcoholic drink.

Doctors categorically do not recommend drinking alcohol simultaneously with special medications against epilepsy.

Treatment

If a person realizes his problem in a timely manner and seeks medical help. The first condition before prescribing drugs is a complete abstinence from drinking alcohol. This will require consultation with a psychologist and narcologist. With chronic alcoholism, a person has a persistent psychological dependence. This condition requires treatment in a specialized clinic. Such treatment and rehabilitation may take several months.

Several techniques are used in the treatment of both epilepsy and chronic alcoholism. Namely, this is drug therapy, psychocorrection and social rehabilitation. The last stage is especially important for alcoholics. At the same time, a person learns to live without alcohol.

Epilepsy in alcoholics is treated with antiepileptic drugs, which must be taken on an ongoing basis. These include Phenytoin, Carbamazepine, Felbamate, etc. These drugs are prescribed individually for each patient. If one seizure occurs, you should not wait for the next one; you should immediately seek medical help. An individual treatment regimen will prevent recurrences.

Also important in this case are drugs that have a sedative effect, and sometimes even tranquilizers are required. Chronic alcoholism itself provokes personality changes; a person becomes overly nervous. And if there is a ban on alcohol, then there will also be aggression. Sedatives help suppress the characteristic symptoms of epilepsy.

Additionally, mandatory drugs in the treatment regimen for alcoholism are:

• Neuroleptics;
• Anticonvulsants;
• Vitamin preparations.

Can alcohol trigger epileptic seizures?

The impact of alcohol when diagnosed with epilepsy is in the nature of increasing the bioelectric charge of neurons, which is already high and significant. It’s another matter when heavy drinking provokes the development of epilepsy, including its primary attacks. This situation is quite possible and is often regarded by narcologists as a trigger reaction for the appearance of foci of increased electrical conductivity in the brain.

This situation is especially dangerous if the patient has a hereditary predisposition to epilepsy. Up to a certain point, a dormant pathological process is initiated and finds its way out in the form of status epilepticus. Under such conditions, the intensity of attacks can immediately be high, and the frequency of their occurrence can be quite frequent.

Symptoms

With this pathology, there is a very clear connection between the appearance of symptoms of the disease and the intake of alcoholic beverages. An epileptic seizure of alcoholic origin is very similar to the signs of traditional epilepsy, but has certain features unique to this type of disease. Let's look at them in more detail:

• Burning headache.
• Severe pain throughout the body.
• Confusion.
• Weakness.
• Nausea.
• Increased salivation.
• Sleep disorders.
• Dizziness.
• Bitterness.
• Touchiness.
• Lack of appetite.
• Speech disorders.
• Wheezing when breathing.
• Paleness of the face.
• Blueness of the nasolabial triangle.
• Irritability.

After drinking alcohol, an epileptic attack in most cases occurs on the 2-3rd day of drinking alcohol. But it is important to note that even if a person stops drinking alcohol, an epileptic attack can still occur. After all, long-term heavy drinking has a strong toxic effect on brain cells.

The epilepsy attack itself after alcohol has the following manifestations:

• Loss of consciousness.
• Rolling eyes.
• Muscle cramps.
• The appearance of foam at the mouth, sometimes mixed with blood, which can occur when biting the inside of the cheeks.
• Uncontrollable bowel movements or urination.
• Hoarse breathing.
• Spasm of the lower jaw.
• An erupting loud cry that appears due to a spasm of the vocal cords.
• Vomiting may occur.
• Throwing the head back.

The attack can last from several seconds to several minutes. After this, the person regains consciousness, but does not remember the seizure itself. The patient feels unbearable pain and pressure in the muscles, which is why his limbs may be completely immobilized for some time. Then the person falls into deep sleep for several hours, after which he develops alcoholic insomnia, characterized by the following manifestations:

• Early awakening.
• Chills.
• The appearance of hallucinations.
• Increased body temperature.
• Bitterness.
• Confusion.
• Delirium tremens.

After the end of the attack, personality degradation is observed, accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Impaired coordination.
• Slurred speech.
• Decreased attention.
• Inhibition or increased aggression.
• Violation of facial expressions.

What to do?

It often happens that a patient suffering from epilepsy cannot independently refuse to drink alcohol. He drinks without thinking that he himself accelerates the onset of the next attack, increases the duration of his treatment and makes possible potential complications, such as loss of intelligence or death.

In this case, a set of measures is provided that fully combines the treatment of alcoholism and epilepsy. Carrying out such treatment requires accuracy and diligence, so the psychological component comes first.

It is important to simultaneously treat concomitant diseases, especially those affecting the quality of blood supply and cardiac activity . Prescribed medications are half the battle. In addition to them, a huge role is given to a healthy lifestyle, nutritious nutrition, vitamin therapy, medical exercise, and physiotherapeutic procedures.

You can handle the situation competently if you want it well. Then everything is in your hands.

Prevention

Prevention of alcoholic epilepsy involves stopping drinking alcohol. In order to prevent the occurrence of new attacks, alcohol must be eliminated completely. Sometimes this requires comprehensive treatment for alcoholism and psychological rehabilitation.

To prevent epilepsy, it is equally important to eat properly and take vitamins. Exercise moderately and maintain normal body condition.

Preventive measures are very important, since epilepsy accompanying alcoholism often leads to pathologies of the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal tract, visual and auditory dysfunction. And also a person is rapidly degrading, his work skills are significantly reduced, the thinking process becomes more difficult, etc. This disease is fraught with the occurrence of severe mental disorders. Therefore, both prevention and correct treatment must be carried out.

Olya

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