Medication
“Epilepsy surgery is performed on children and adults in whom seizures could not be controlled through medications. The surgery is performed to remove an area of the brain where seizures occur regularly.
Procedures
Can epilepsy be cured? It does depend on what type of seizure and where in the brain it is happening, but in a few cases people can grow out epilepsy altogether. However the first step is usually for someone to be prescribed antiepileptic drugs which will reduce the number of seizures.
Therapy
Can epilepsy be cured permanently? There’s no cure for epilepsy, but early treatment can make a big difference. Uncontrolled or prolonged seizures can lead to brain damage. Epilepsy also raises the risk of sudden unexplained death. The condition can be successfully managed. Seizures can generally be controlled with medication.
Self-care
“ Normally, 60-70% of epilepsy are treatable with the help of medicines. The patient must take medicine for 2-3 years depending upon the type of epilepsy. In some patients, we need to give medicines for lifelong as well and in some cases, when the patient doesn’t respond to medications, we may have to perform surgery,” informed Dr Atma Ram Bansal.
Nutrition
How do you cure epilepsy?
Can I be cured of epilepsy?
Can seizures be cured permanently?
What are treatments for epilepsy?
Will there be a cure for epilepsy?
While there are many medications, medical devices, and surgical options to treat epilepsy, right now there are no known cures for epilepsy. However, incredible advancements in research have helped us understand the mechanisms that cause seizures better than at any other point in history.
What is the latest treatment for epilepsy?
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) to treat partial-onset seizures in adults.
Can a person with epilepsy live a normal life?
Most people with epilepsy live a full life. However, the risk of early death is higher for some. We know that the best possible seizure control and living safely can reduce the risk of epilepsy-related death.
What is the safest epilepsy medication?
"[Lamictal] seems to be the winner," Marson says. The second trial looked at 716 patients newly diagnosed with generalized epilepsy. It compared the older drug valproic acid (in the U.S., Depakote is the most popular member of this drug family) to Lamictal and Topamax.
Can you control epilepsy without medication?
Some people with epilepsy turn to natural treatments and alternative therapies to help relieve their symptoms or complement their treatments. From herbs and vitamins to biofeedback and acupuncture, there are a number to choose from.
What foods should epileptics avoid?
white bread; non-wholegrain cereals; biscuits and cakes; honey; high-sugar drinks and foods; fruit juices; chips; mashed potatoes; parsnips; dates and watermelon. In general, processed or overcooked foods and over-ripe fruits.
Does epilepsy get worse as you age?
The incidence of any type of seizure increases substantially over the age of 60, commonly due to other neurological conditions such as dementia or stroke.
Which famous person has epilepsy?
Vincent van Gogh suffered from seizures doctors believed were cause by temporal lobe epilepsy. Composer George Gershwin was diagnosed with epilepsy. Actress Margaux Hemingway had from epilepsy from the age of seven. Korn front man Jonathan Davis believes his epilepsy was induced by years of drug use.
How to get rid of seizures in epilepsy?
Medication. Most people with epilepsy can become seizure-free by taking one anti-seizure medication, which is also called anti-epileptic medication. Others may be able to decrease the frequency and intensity of their seizures by taking a combination of medications.
What is the procedure for seizures?
When medications fail to provide adequate control over seizures, surgery may be an option. With epilepsy surgery, a surgeon removes the area of your brain that's causing seizures. Doctors usually perform surgery when tests show that: Your seizures originate in a small, well-defined area of your brain.
What tests are done to determine if you have epilepsy?
A neurological exam. Your doctor may test your behavior, motor abilities, mental function and other areas to diagnose your condition and determine the type of epilepsy you may have. Blood tests. Your doctor may take a blood sample to check for signs of infections, genetic conditions or other conditions that may be associated with seizures.
How to diagnose epilepsy?
To diagnose your condition, your doctor will review your symptoms and medical history. Your doctor may order several tests to diagnose epilepsy and determine the cause of seizures. Your evaluation may include: A neurological exam. Your doctor may test your behavior, motor abilities, mental function and other areas to diagnose your condition ...
What is the best way to diagnose seizures?
Computerized tomography (CT) scan. A CT scan uses X-rays to obtain cross-sectional images of your brain. CT scans can reveal abnormalities in your brain that might be causing your seizures, such as tumors, bleeding and cysts. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
What to do if you have a migraine?
Tell your doctor if you have migraines. Doctors may prescribe one of the anti-epileptic medications that can prevent your migraines and treat epilepsy.
What test is used to diagnose epilepsy?
Your doctor may also suggest tests to detect brain abnormalities, such as: Electroencephalogram (EEG). This is the most common test used to diagnose epilepsy. In this test, electrodes are attached to your scalp with a paste-like substance or cap. The electrodes record the electrical activity of your brain.
Epilepsy Treatment: Why Choose Johns Hopkins
The large number of patients we treat gives us unparalleled expertise in assessing and treating the full spectrum of epilepsy and seizure disorders.
Epilepsy Assessment and Diagnosis
There are several different types of epilepsy, characterized by seizures, with symptoms causing changes in awareness, muscle tone, emotions, behavior and sensory experience. Proper treatment starts with a careful assessment of the person’s seizures, which may include:
Epilepsy Treatment: What to Expect
There is more than one way to treat seizures or epilepsy. Based on your diagnosis, your doctor will discuss which therapies are likely to be most effective. These include:
Treating Epilepsy with a Laser Focus
Epileptologist Joon Kang and neurosurgeon William Anderson are using laser interstitial thermal therapy, or LiTT, to treat epilepsy.
What is the procedure to remove a part of the brain that causes seizures?
There are two main kinds: Resective surgery. The surgeon will remove the part of your brain that causes the seizures. This surgery is most often done when the part of the brain causing the seizures is very small, has very good boundaries, and doesn’t control things like your speech, movement, sight, or hearing.
What is the medication called that changes the way the brain works?
Epilepsy medications, sometimes called anti-seizure or anticonvulsant medications, change the way your brain cells work and send messages to each other. The kind of medication your doctor suggests depends on a few things: The type of seizures you have. How likely it is you’ll have more seizures. Your age. Your sex.
How to get off medication?
How to Get Off Your Medication. Ketogenic Diet. Nerve Stimulation. Surgery. After you’re diagnosed with epilepsy, you have several ways to get treatment. Medication, a special diet, an implant that works on your nerves or brain, and surgery could all help you feel better.
Can a teenager have seizures?
Some types of seizures only happen in children and younger teenagers. If you’re an older teenager or young adult, your doctor might think it’s safe for you to stop your medication. This diet is high in fats and low in carbohydrates. Your doctor may suggest it, depending on the type of seizures you have.
Do you need a blood test for epilepsy?
While you’re taking it, the doctor will want you to get blood tests to see how your body handles the treatment. How often you need them depends on your type of epilepsy medication, other drugs you take, and any health conditions you might have.
Can you take more than one medication for epilepsy?
Drugs that work for one person might not work for another. You might have to try more than one. Most people who take medication for epilepsy find a good fit on the first or second try. You might have to start with a low dose and slowly add more. It depends which medication you take.
How do I treat epilepsy?
Treatment. Medications are mainstays in controlling epileptic seizures. Surgical procedures are another way epilepsy is treated. Learn about your options. Although the different types of epilepsy vary greatly, medications can control seizures in about 70% of patients.
What are some alternatives to epilepsy?
Alternative Epilepsy Treatment. There have been some studies of alternative treatments for epilepsy, including biofeedback, melatonin, and large doses of vitamins. Vagus Nerve Stimulation.
Can you stop taking epilepsy medication?
Stopping Your Epilepsy Treatment. Some people can stop taking their epilepsy medications after going a long time without a seizure, but it depends on their age and the type of epilepsy.
What is the best treatment for epilepsy?
Most people with epilepsy take anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) to stop their seizures from happening. However, there are other treatment options for people whose seizures are not controlled by anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs).
What nerve is used for epilepsy?
Vagus nerve stimulation therapy is a treatment for epilepsy that involves a stimulator (or 'pulse generator') which is connected, inside the body, to the left vagus nerve in the neck. The stimulator sends regular, mild electrical stimulations through this nerve to help calm down the irregular electrical brain activity that leads to seizures.
What is deep brain stimulation?
Deep brain stimulation therapy is a surgical treatment which aims to reduce seizures not controlled with medication, and where surgery to treat the cause of seizures is not possible. It involves implanting electrodes into specific areas of the brain.
Why do charities like Epilepsy Society rely on donations?
In these challenging times, charities like Epilepsy Society rely on donations to ensure vital services for our beneficiaries can continue. If you can spare a donation or pledge a monthly gift, you will be helping to ensure we continue to support everyone affected by epilepsy. Thank you.
Can epilepsy be cured?
Although generally epilepsy cannot be ‘cured’, for most people, seizures can be 'controlled' (stopped) so that epilepsy has little or no impact on their lives. So treatment is often about managing seizures in the long-term. Most people with epilepsy take anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) to stop their seizures from happening.
What is the best treatment for seizures?
2. Surgery . Surgery is recommended to those patients whose tests show that their seizures originate in a small area of the brain that does not interfere with the vital functions of speech, vision, hearing, language and motor functions. The brain area causing seizures is removed by the doctor during the surgery .
What is the first step in treating epilepsy?
There are some really helpful treatments of epilepsy. On first step, medication is given; if medication doesn’t treat the condition, then surgery or other types of treatments can be proposed.
How does electrical stimulation help with seizures?
If the patient feels the warning signs and symptoms of the seizures, he can activate the extra burst of stimulation to the nerve, which can prevent the occurrence of seizures.
How many AEDs are used for epilepsy?
Mostly patients are treated with one or maximally two AEDs. The treatment duration depends upon the type of epilepsy, age of patient and the control of the seizures, etc.
Can epilepsy be cured after surgery?
And after having anti-epileptic treatments, the seizures stop and need no further treatment in some cases, especially in children. And on the other side, you should know some fits are even not cured after surgery. So you need not to lose hope by the diagnosis of epilepsy, it can be controlled well and will not affect your normal life.
Can epilepsy be controlled?
Epilepsy cannot be totally treated in real sense of term because like hypertension, asthma and diabetes mellitus, it is a disease which can only be controlled. Fortunately, 75% of the seizures with epilepsy can be totally controlled. And after having anti-epileptic treatments, the seizures stop and need no further treatment in some cases, ...
Can seizures be removed with multiple cuts?
There can be such a situation that the brain tissue causing the seizures is placed in an area which can't be removed, then the doctors pursue for a different type of surgery, in which multiple cuts are given in the brain (multiple subpial transaction).
Diagnosis
Treatment
Clinical Trials
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Specialist to consult
Coping and Support
Preparing For Your Appointment
- Doctors generally begin by treating epilepsy with medication. If medications don't treat the condition, doctors may propose surgery or another type of treatment.