Guide To Serious Nervous System Disorders

Epilepsy

Epilepsy causes abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Patients may have seizures and experience periods of abnormal behavior or sensations. Depending on the type of seizure a patient experiences, they could lose consciousness and display fast, jerking, and repetitive motions of the arms and legs. Some seizures involve an individual simply staring blankly into space for a few minutes.

To diagnose epilepsy, doctors perform a complete neurological exam. They will also do an electroencephalogram to investigate the patient's brain wave activity. Patients often have a brain scan to check for masses or structural abnormalities that may cause seizures. Prescription medications are necessary to treat epilepsy, and patients may have to take several different types to control their seizures. Levetiracetam, topiramate, and valproic acid are some of the medications doctors often consider prescribing. Patients with severe epilepsy that is not well-controlled with medication may need to have surgical intervention.

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