Epilepsy is a brain disorder caused by a lack of control in the neuronal electrical activity in different areas of the brain, patients who suffer from this pathology usually present uncontrolled movement of the body and recurrent seizures, which can bring psychological and cognitive consequences, these episodes are called epileptic seizures.
The symptoms that may occur will vary depending on the people who suffer from them, since some may only have slight loss of absence, while others may lose consciousness and shake uncontrollably. In general, epileptic seizures are usually similar to each other, in certain cases the people who suffer them may have the sensation of tingling or smells that do not exist, as well as sudden mood changes, all this before the seizures.
This pathology is caused when permanent changes occur in the brain tissue, causing a lack of control in said organ, because of this the brain sends abnormal signals that cause seizures. Epilepsy can be caused by injuries that cause direct damage to the brain, medical disorders and in some cases the causes are unknown, the main responsible for epileptic seizures are the following.
- Abnormal cerebral blood vessels.
- Diseases that destroy brain tissue.
- Metabolism disorders from birth.
- Tumors in the brain.
- Infections such as meningitis, HIV / AIDS, encephalitis, and brain abscesses.
- Transient ischemic attacks or cerebrovascular accidents.
- Alzheimer's disease.
- Traumatic brain injuries (may occur during or after pregnancy, birth).
To prevent epileptic seizures, there is no known method so far, but there are ways to reduce the chances of them manifesting in people, a balanced diet and good sleep are one of the recommendations that specialists usually order, avoid drinking drinks Alcoholic beverages and the use of psychotropic substances can help lower the chances of attacks. In cases of epilepsy due to trauma to the brain, it is recommended to use safety tools when performing high- risk activities (helmet) when driving, always wear a seat belt.
Orally administered drugs are usually used to treat epilepsy, the dose administered will depend on the type of epileptic episodes the patient presents, if necessary the dose of the drug can be increased, these drugs should be taken to the letter since Failure to do so may cause new attacks to appear. In case the treatment does not cause any changes in the patient, the treating doctor may use surgery as an option, removing the damaged cells from the brain that cause epilepsy.
