Epilepsy, or epilepsy, is a chronic disease of the nervous system with damage to the brain, characterized by a pathological predisposition to convulsive attacks with loss of consciousness. The cause of such a disease can be different: head injuries, formations and structural changes in the brain, prenatal complications, hereditary predisposition, etc. The disease can be primary - independent (idiopathic, cryptogenic), and secondary (symptomatic) - indicating pathologies of the brain. According to statistics, in 75% of cases of epilepsy, its manifestations appear in childhood - age from birth to 18-20 years. When epilepsy is diagnosed, the symptoms of the disease can manifest in different ways, depending on the cause of the disease.
Epilepsy attacks are the result of hypersynchronous discharge in a group of nerve cells in the brain. A diseased brain exhibits increased convulsive readiness due to the peculiarities of metabolic processes. However, this is not the only basis for the principle of attack development. Hereditary predisposition to epileptic seizures is important, previous infections negatively affect the state of the nervous system, and traumatic brain injuries at any age can cause repeated seizures.
Epilepsy in children
Children are highly sensitive to changes in external and internal factors, so even a fever can cause an epileptic attack. In children, symptoms of the disease appear three times more often than in adults. The main cause of epilepsy is prenatal and perinatal complications:
- trauma during childbirth,
- hypoxia (oxygen starvation of the brain),
- infectious diseases during embryonic development (toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, cytomegaly, rubella).
After the first seizure, the risk of developing subsequent seizures is 23-71%. It is very important to consult a doctor when the first signs occur. Lack of treatment in 40-50% of cases provokes repeated seizures that occur within two years. In addition, there is always a risk of death.
Frequent seizures in childhood can cause the development of epilepsy. Even high temperatures can trigger seizures. During an attack, breathing stops and brain hypoxia occurs - a common cause of epilepsy.
Typically, an epileptic attack in children has the following symptoms:
- Loss of consciousness
- Muscle convulsions throughout the body
- Involuntary urination or defecation
- Muscle strain (straightening legs, bending arms)
- Chaotic movement of certain parts of the body (twitching of limbs, puckering of lips, rolling of eyes)
In addition to the typical manifestation of childhood epilepsy in the form of convulsive seizures, absence seizures, atonic seizures, infantile spasm and juvenile myoclonic seizures are separately identified.
With absence seizures, both the child and the adult do not fall. There are no convulsions. Without changing position, the patient freezes for a few seconds, with a detached gaze and no reaction to anything. The duration of an absence seizure ranges from a few seconds to half a minute.
Absence epilepsy in girls is observed more often (twice) than in boys and usually manifests itself at 6-7 years of age. As you get older, the attacks disappear or take on a different form.
Atonic attacks: a sick child suddenly loses consciousness with complete relaxation of the whole body. Characterized by severe weakness and lethargy. A sudden fall is often accompanied by injuries and bruises. The signs of atonic attacks are very similar to fainting.
Infantile spasm manifests itself as follows: suddenly the child brings his arms to his chest, leans forward (head or whole body) and straightens his legs. Frequent manifestations of infantile spasms have been noticed in the morning hours immediately after waking up. Children under 3 years of age most often suffer from such attacks.
Juvenile myoclonic seizures are characteristic of adolescence (13-15 years) and manifest themselves in the form of sudden involuntary twitching of the limbs (one or two arms, legs) within an hour before waking up.
Facts about the disease:
- Every year, 5-10 cases of epilepsy are registered per 100 people.
- Epilepsy occurs more often in men than in women.
- High incidence rates occur in early childhood and in persons over 65 years of age.
- A low standard of living is considered a determining factor in the development of the disease.
- 40% of patients do not experience additional intellectual, behavioral, or neurological disorders.
- 30% of patients suffer from epilepsy throughout their lives.
- On average, epilepsy lasts 10 years; in 50% of patients, the period of attacks lasts no more than 2 years.
- Mortality in 30% of patients with epilepsy is directly related to a seizure, and deaths during sleep are also common.
Symptoms and signs of the disease
The most well-known sign is a person falling and convulsing. But you should be aware of other symptoms: lack of reaction to others, sudden freezing, spontaneous and uncontrollable movements. It seems to others that all this makes sense.
With proper treatment, most patients live seizure-free. And a fair question arises: “What folk remedies can cure epilepsy forever?”
Epilepsy in adults
Epileptic seizures that appear after twenty years of age are usually symptomatic. The causes of epilepsy may be the following (for more details, see causes of epilepsy):
- head injuries
- tumors
- aneurysm (see cerebral aneurysm)
- stroke (see left and right side stroke)
- brain abscess
- meningitis, encephalitis (see first signs of meningitis)
- or inflammatory granulomas
Symptoms of epilepsy in adults include various forms of seizures. When the epileptic focus is located in clearly defined areas of the brain (frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital epilepsy), seizures of this kind are called focal or partial. A pathological change in the bioelectrical activity of the entire brain provokes generalized attacks of epilepsy.
Classification of generalized seizures: absences, tonic-clonic, myoclonic, clonic, tonic, atonic.
The most typical for the disease is a grand mal epileptic seizure, which begins suddenly and is not caused by changes in external factors:
- The appearance of an aura (unusual sensations of a different nature) for a few seconds indicates the onset of a seizure.
- A person falls unconscious with a characteristic loud cry, which is explained by spasm of the glottis and contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm.
- Breathing stops.
- Tonic convulsions begin (15-20 seconds): the muscles are tense, the body and limbs are stretched, the head is thrown back.
- The veins in the neck swell, the jaws are clenched, the patient’s face is deathly pale.
- This is followed by the clonic phase (2-3 minutes), manifested by jerky convulsions of the whole body.
- Recession of the tongue, accumulation of saliva and hoarse breathing were noted.
- Then the cyanosis slowly disappears and foam is released from the mouth (often with blood - from biting the tongue).
- The cramps gradually subside, and the body relaxes.
- At the end of the attack, the patient’s pupils are dilated and he does not react to anything.
- Involuntary urination is often observed.
- After a few minutes, consciousness returns, a feeling of weakness, lethargy, and drowsiness appears. The person remembers nothing about the seizure.
Before an attack, warning signs appear 1-2 days before: headache, poor health, increased irritability.
In cases where the seizures are prolonged, occur one after another and the person does not regain consciousness, the so-called status epilepticus occurs.
The most common cause of focal seizures are tumors in the temporal lobe - temporal lobe epilepsy, the symptoms of which begin with an autonomic aura:
- nausea
- stomach pain, heart
- cardiopalmus
- sweating
- labored breathing
The patient’s consciousness changes: thoughts lose connection with previous actions, usual interests and the real environment around him. A person is unpredictable, his personality seems to change.
An attack of temporal lobe epilepsy can last several minutes, or be prolonged (lasting hours, days), which often leads to severe personality changes.
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. It is 10 times more common than multiple sclerosis and 100 times more common than motor neuron disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
Causes of seizures
The exact cause of the disease is unknown. But it is precisely established how seizures occur.
Patients experience increased electrical discharges in neurons. Different areas are more excited, which is why different symptoms are observed.
Objectives of conservative treatment of epilepsy
Epilepsy is usually treated conservatively or surgically. Alternative treatment of epilepsy is also possible, based on the use of leaves, roots, seeds of herbs, their infusions, decoctions, collections, bee products, etc.
Research has proven that epilepsy is 50-80% curable. Properly selected drug treatment can achieve stable remission. Newly diagnosed epilepsy with subsequent treatment after the first course of therapy in 60% of cases no longer bothered patients, or receded for 2-5 years.
The conservative method of treating the disease mainly involves taking antiepileptic drugs. Therapy goals:
- Correct differential diagnosis of the form of epilepsy and seizures, which determines the adequate selection of medications.
- Identification of the cause of epilepsy (symptomatic form) - exclusion of a structural defect of the brain (tumor, aneurysm).
- Elimination of factors that provoke seizures (alcohol, overexertion, hyperthermia, lack of sleep).
- Relief of seizure or status epilepticus. This is done by taking anticonvulsant medications (one or a combination) and providing first aid when a seizure occurs. It is mandatory to control the patency of the airway and prevent tongue biting, protecting the patient from possible injuries.
Reviews
Traditional methods of combating epilepsy have helped many people cope with the disease.
We recommend reading: Treatment of intercostal neuralgia with folk remedies - recipes and useful exercises
A few reviews about home treatment:
The main thing is to find out the cause of epilepsy before starting any treatment. I needed to change jobs and take a course of valerian infusion. Therefore, you should not immediately agree to harmful medications; perhaps it will be enough to change your lifestyle.
Anatoly, 32 years old
Among homemade recipes, I only trust soothing mixtures with apricot kernels. It was these methods that helped cure my son.
Tamila, 41 years old
Drug treatment of epilepsy
With the help of medications, epileptic seizures can be controlled. To do this you should:
- Take medications strictly as prescribed by the doctor.
- Seek advice from a doctor if the patient wants to change the prescribed antiepileptic drug to a generic (analogue).
- Do not stop taking medications on your own.
- Notify your doctor about the disappearance or reappearance of depression, unusual mood swings, and changes in general health.
When the disease is quickly diagnosed, half of the patients live without seizures, taking one drug prescribed for the first time for the treatment of epilepsy.
Therapy begins with a small dose of an antiepileptic drug. It is recommended to carry out monotherapy (treatment with one drug). If seizures do not disappear and the patient’s condition does not stabilize, the dose is gradually increased until positive dynamics are achieved.
For partial seizures use:
- carbamazepine: Finlepsin (50 tablets, 260 rubles), Carbamazepine (50 tablets, 40 rubles), Zeptol, Timonil, Tegretol (table, 300-400 rubles), Karbasan, Actineural.
- valproates: Convulex (syrup 130 rub., drops 180 rub.), Convulex Retard (table. 300-600 rub.), Depakine Chrono (table. 30 pcs. 580 rub.), Enkorat-Chrono (table. 130 rub.), Valparin Retard (table. 30 pcs. 380 rubles, 100 pcs. 600-900 rubles).
- phenytoin: Difenin (price 50 rubles).
- Phenobarbital: Luminal
Carbamazepine and valproate are first-line drugs. Phenytoin and phenobarbital have many side effects and are rarely used.
The daily dose of carbamazepine is 600-1200 mg, valproate is 1000-2500 mg, which is taken in equal parts in 2-3 doses.
Prolonged preparations are convenient to use - retard forms, which are taken 1-2 times a day. These are Depakine Chrono, Tegretol - PC, Finlepsin Retard.
For generalized attacks, valproate and carbamazepine are prescribed. Idiopathic generalized epilepsy is treated with valproate. For absence seizures, ethosuximide is used. Carbamazepine and phenytoin are not effective for myoclonic seizures.
In recent years, new antiepileptic drugs have often been used - Lamotrigine and Tiagabine, which have shown their effectiveness in practice.
Discontinuation of treatment may be considered if there have been no seizures for five years, and is based on a gradual reduction in drug dosage until complete discontinuation.
Treatment of a patient with status epilepticus is carried out with the help of sibazone (Seduxen, Diazepam), which is administered slowly intravenously (2 ml of 10 mg of the drug is dissolved in 20 ml of 40% glucose). Repeated administration is possible after 10-15 minutes. If sibazone is ineffective, Hexenal, Phenytoin, sodium thiopental are used (1 g of the drug dissolved in saline is administered as a 1-5% solution). After administering 5-10 ml of the drug, pause for a minute to avoid respiratory depression and hemodynamics.
Inhalation anesthesia with nitrous oxide with oxygen (2: 1) is advisable to use when intravenous administration of drugs is ineffective and is prohibited for use in patients in a coma, with collapse and respiratory disorders.
Radical treatment method
Surgery is indicated for focal epilepsy of symptomatic origin caused by a tumor, aneurysm, abscess or other structural changes in the brain.
The procedure is often performed under local anesthesia in order to control the patient’s condition and avoid damage to functionally important areas of the brain (speech, motor areas).
Temporal lobe epilepsy is often corrected through surgery. Resection of the temporal lobe can be performed, or a more gentle method is selective removal of the hippocampus and amygdala. In 70-90% of cases, epilepsy seizures disappear after surgery.
In some cases, with underdevelopment of one of the brain hemispheres in children and hemiplegia, removal of the entire affected hemisphere (hemispherectomy) may be indicated.
In the case of a diagnosis of primary idiopathic epilepsy, transection of the corpus callosum (callesotomy) may be used to break the interhemispheric connections and prevent the generalization of the seizure.
Preventing Seizures
Regardless of the type of epilepsy, baths work well. The roots of calamus, willow, aspen and pine buds are poured with boiling water and infused. The bath takes 15-20 minutes, the water temperature cannot be higher than 40°C. Baths with infusion of forest hay are considered effective.
Herbs have a gentle but powerful effect if you fill the patient’s pillow with them. To do this, you can take dried mint, hop cones, creeping thyme, sweet clover, marigold flowers, lovage and pyrethrum. You should sleep on this pillow all the time.
Ointment helps prevent attacks. Grind 100 g of lovage root and pour in 0.5 liters of pork fat. In a liquid state, the fat and lovage must be mixed thoroughly so that the root is distributed evenly. The patient should be rubbed with this ointment once a week.
You should eat more onions and spinach, or drink freshly squeezed juices. Physical activity is very important. Even physical labor helps to cope with the disease.
The attack may occur unexpectedly. Therefore, it is necessary to clearly know how to provide first aid during an epileptic attack. Read the material, perhaps everything you previously knew will be incorrect.
If a person falls in front of your eyes and hits his head, then he will need first aid for a brain injury, you can get acquainted with it in this article.
