What Causes Epilepsy And Seizures?
There are multiple types of injuries to the brain that can cause epilepsy and seizures. If you have some of the injuries listed below, it doesn’t mean that you are going to develop epilepsy. However, it can increase your chances of developing this condition:- a stroke
- trauma to the head and brain
- certain medications
- fever
- alcohol withdrawal
- a tumor in the brain
- an infection
- certain metabolic conditions (like low blood sugar, low sodium, or low calcium levels)
- neurodegenerative diseases (like Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease)
- inherited condition
How Can You Treat Epilepsy?
The goal of epilepsy treatment is to treat, and prevent, seizures.In some cases, seizures can occur because of the presence of a substance, infection, or other condition. These can be stopped by treating the fever, the poisoning, low blood sugar or the infection, if this is discovered to be the cause of the seizures.
The seizures caused as a result of epilepsy can usually be treated with a variety of medications. Sometimes, only one drug may work to control seizures. If one drug does not work, an additional drug may be added to help control seizure activity.
In rare cases, when seizures cannot be controlled despite trying multiple medications, surgery may be an option. Surgery can include removing the portion of the brain that is identified as causing the abnormal electrical firing associated with seizures. Vagal nerve stimulation, which involves an implanted device that can stop seizures, is also an option. Although the mechanism in which this works is not well understood, it can also help indidiviuals with recurrent seizures.
Source:
Braunwald E, Fauci ES, et al. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. 16th ed. 2005.
