Uncontrollable electrical activity in the brain is called a seizure. Other areas of your body and brain are affected by such symptoms. Anyone can have seizures, but some may have them more due to illnesses or other factors. Seizures can always be treated, especially if you know the specific cause already.
How Do You Know You’re Having a Seizure?
Generally, doctors state that if you have more than two seizures not brought by a medical condition, you might have epilepsy. Causes could be alcohol consumption, flashing lights, or even something as simple as skipping a meal.
Your doctor would check your initial medical history and then examine you accordingly. Before reaching any final diagnosis, even more tests would be required. A blood test and an EEG performed with a Zeto EEG headset would be most efficient.
The Most Common Symptoms of a Seizure
- Extreme or no muscle movement
- Lack of bladder or bowel control
- Difficulty in breathing
- Pale skin
- A confused gaze
- Unconsciousness
- Difficulty in communication or understanding
Causes of Seizures
A lot of factors may trigger your seizures. If you get regular seizures, it is important to take care of a few things to help prevent them.
Seizure Triggers
- Stress
- Less or excessive sleep
- Drug usage
- Alcohol consumption or withdrawal
- Fever
- Flashing lights
- Vitamin and mineral shortages due to skipping meals
- Tiredness
- Skipped medicine
Treatment
Medication, controlling diet, and extensive surgery are all options for treating seizures. Even new technology has been developed for this purpose. Basic medication may be the first option for treatment. Doctors may assign others alongside drugs if seizures happen regularly.
Medication
Medication doesn’t cure epilepsy but stops seizures from occurring. In most patients, they are quite successful and completely control seizures. They stop them before they even happen.
Choosing the best antiepileptic medication for a certain patient has grown challenging due to the wide variety of antiepileptic medications on the market. You should choose a medication depending on the following:
- Type of seizure
- Underlying medical conditions
- Other medications you may be taking
- Age and gender
- Medication costs
Diet Therapy
Some patients with types of epilepsy might benefit from diet therapy. Keto and Atkins are two viable options.
The ketogenic diet is a particular low-carb, high-fat diet introduced over a few days in the hospital. Atkins is less restrictive and can also be used.
In about half of the patients determined to be suitable candidates, both diets proved suitable.
Prevention
Take your prescribed drugs as directed and maintain a healthy lifestyle to prevent seizures and control your epilepsy.
Before making any decision on your own, think about the following actions to go through with a medical expert.
Medicate as Directed
Antiepileptic drugs aim to lessen the likelihood of seizures. Even if your disease appears to improve, you should never stop taking these medications without your doctor’s clearance.
If you stop taking your medicine, withdrawal seizures may happen. When you take too much medication at once, it might have hazardous effects that can include seizures.
Consider Stress Management
Seizures in people with epilepsy can be caused by stress. If you control your stress, you may be able to lower your risk of seizure. Control your stress by getting enough rest, exercise, and relaxation.
Maintain a Regular Eating Schedule
Especially among people with diabetes, skipping a meal might result in a seizure. If you have diabetes, you should take extra care of maintaining a proper schedule.
Avoid Flashing Lights
If you are photosensitive, such light exposure could immediately cause a seizure.
Though medication can help seizures, avoiding flashing lights is still important. In certain people, playing video games with quickly flashing visuals might cause seizures.
Conclusion
No matter how much epilepsy affects your life, it is important to remain positive. Staying knowledgeable about the condition is crucial. To control seizures and allow yourself to live a full life, collaborate with a healthcare team and listen to your doctor’s orders.
