what is the primary treatment of seizure disorders?

What to do if someone is having a seizure?

Many people feel helpless when witnessing someone suffering such a fit, but there are a few things you can do for the person affected ... If you know the person is having an epileptic seizure for the first time, you should generally call emergency care ...

What are some natural remedies for seizures?

Vitamins

• Vitamin B-6. Vitamin B-6 is used to treat a rare form of epilepsy known as pyridoxine-dependent seizures. ...
• Magnesium. Severe magnesium deficiency may increase seizure risk. ...
• Vitamin E. Some people with epilepsy may also have a vitamin E deficiency. ...
• Other vitamins. ...

How to cure seizures naturally?

Top 10 Tips On How To Treat Epilepsy Naturally

1. Epsom Salt And Water Or Orange Juice. Many studies proved that Epsom salt is beneficial in easing seizures in patients with epilepsy. ...
2. Garlic, Milk, And Water. The combination of garlic, milk and water is also an effective way on how to treat epilepsy. ...
3. Winter Melon. ...
4. Yoga. ...
5. Acupuncture. ...
6. Take Essential Vitamins. ...
7. Do Exercise. ...
8. Passionflower. ...

More items...

How do you know if someone has a seizure?

• What were they doing before the seizure?
• Did the person mention any unusual sensations, such as an odd smell or taste?
• Did you notice any mood change, such as excitement, anxiety or anger?
• What brought your attention to the seizure? ...
• Did the seizure happen without warning?
• Was there any loss of consciousness or altered awareness?

More items...

What is the first-line treatment for seizure?

For generalised tonic-clonic seizures, sodium valproate is recommended as first-line treatment. If this is unsuitable, lamotrigine is recommended. Carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine can be considered as alternatives.

What is the treatment for someone having a seizure?

cushion their head if they're on the ground. loosen any tight clothing around their neck, such as a collar or tie, to aid breathing. turn them on to their side after their convulsions stop – read more about the recovery position. stay with them and talk to them calmly until they recover.

Which is the primary drug in treatment of epilepsy?

In 1940, phenytoin (PHT) was found to be an effective drug for the treatment of epilepsy, and since then it has become a major first-line antiepileptic drug (AED) in the treatment of partial and secondarily generalized seizures.

What do nurses do during a seizure?

Maintain in lying position, flat surface; turn head to side during seizure activity; loosen clothing from neck or chest and abdominal areas; suction as needed; supervise supplemental oxygen or bag ventilation as needed postictally. Improve self-esteem.

How do you recover from a seizure?

Rinsing your mouth out with salt water can also help with pain and healing. To make a saltwater solution, mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup of warm water. You can rinse with a saltwater solution every few hours while the wound is healing. Anxiety and sadness after a seizure, remember this is not uncommon.

What is the most effective seizure medication?

Conclusion: In this study of older adults with epilepsy, lamotrigine was the most effective AED as measured by 12-month retention and seizure freedom, with levetiracetam a close second. Oxcarbazepine was consistently less effective than most other AEDs.

What is the latest treatment for epilepsy?

In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a deep brain stimulation (DBS) device, manufactured by Medtronic, that sends electrical pulses through the brain to reduce the frequency of seizures. (It works by stimulating an important relay station deep in the brain called the thalamus.)

What is the first-line drug of choice for focal seizure?

Carbamazepine, phenytoin or valproic acid (sodium valproate) are often rated as first-line drugs, but factors such as adverse-effect profiles, age, possibility of pregnancy, and concomitant diseases and medication also need to be considered.

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 name of the state of a prolonged seizure that lasts for a few seconds?

For a few seconds, the person may have a blank stare or rapid blinking. This type of seizure usually begins in childhood or early adolescence. Status epilepticus – A state of a prolonged seizure (20 minutes or longer) or a series of seizures without fully regaining consciousness.

What is the diagnosis of a seizure?

The diagnosis is based primarily on your symptoms that are described. Usually, the physical exam and neurological examination are normal between spells. An adult who experiences a seizure for the first time will be evaluated with a head scan and blood tests to look for chemical imbalances.

What is partial seizure?

Partial (focal) seizure – The abnormal firing of brain cells begins in one region of the brain and remains in that one region. Many conditions can affect the brain and trigger a seizure, including: Seizures are common. A person may have only one seizure without a recurrence.

What is a generalized tonic clonic seizure?

Generalized tonic-clonic seizure (also called grand mal seizure) – In this type of seizure, the person usually loses consciousness and falls to the ground. All body muscles can contract at once in a sustained contraction, or they can contract in a series of shorter rhythmic contractions, or both.

What are the different types of partial seizures?

The different types of partial seizures cause different symptoms: Simple partial seizure – In a simple partial seizure, the seizure-related electrical discharges remain localized so that the person experiences a feeling, sensation, movement or other symptom without losing consciousness. During a simple partial seizure, ...

What is a sudden change in the brain's normal electrical activity?

A seizure is a sudden change in the brain's normal electrical activity. During a seizure, brain cells "fire" uncontrollably at up to four times their normal rate, temporarily affecting the way a person behaves, moves, thinks or feels. There are two major types of seizures:

How to help someone with a tonic clonic seizure?

If you are near a person having a tonic-clonic seizure (grand mal, convulsion), help the person lie down and turn him or her onto one side. Place something soft under the person's head, and loosen tight clothing. Do not restrain the person's arms or legs, and do not put anything into the person's mouth.

What is Zonisamide used for?

Zonisamide is indicated as adjunctive therapy for focal-onset seizures in patients ≥ 16 years; it is also indicated as alternative or adjunctive therapy for tonic or atonic seizures in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

What is the principle of long term treatment?

There are some general principles for using antiseizure drugs (also called antiepileptic or anticonvulsant drugs): A single drug, usually the first or second one tried, controls epileptic seizures in about 60% of patients.

Can gabapentin cause seizures?

Carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, or gabapentin can exacerbate the seizures. Lamotrigine can be used as second-line monotherapy or adjunctive therapy for juvenile myoclonic epilepsy; however, it can aggravate myoclonic seizures in some patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Can antiseizure drugs cause weight gain?

For example, antiseizure drugs that cause weight gain (eg, valproate) may not be the best option for an overweight patient, and topiramate or zonisamide may not be suitable for patients with history of kidney stones.

Is there a broad spectrum antiseizure?

Broad-spectrum antiseizure drugs (which are effective for focal-onset seizures and various types of generalized-onset seizures) include .

Is cannabidiol used for seizures?

A highly purified form of cannabidiol is now available for adjunctive therapy of seizures in Len nox-Gastaut syndrome and Dravet syndrome in patients ≥ 2 years. The mechanism of action is unknown.

Can seizures be controlled by one drug?

No single drug controls all types of seizures, and different patients require different drugs. Some patients require multiple drugs. (See also the practice guideline for the treatment of refractory epilepsy from the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society.)

What is a seizure?

A seizure is an abnormal, unregulated electrical discharge that occurs within the brain’s cortical gray matter and transiently interrupts normal brain function. A seizure typically causes altered awareness, abnormal sensations, focal involuntary movements, or convulsions (widespread violent involuntary contraction of voluntary muscles). Diagnosis may be clinical and involves results of neuroimaging, laboratory testing, and EEG for new-onset seizures or levels of antiseizure drugs (anticonvulsants) for previously diagnosed seizure disorders. Treatment includes elimination of the cause if possible, antiseizure drugs, and surgery (if the drugs are ineffective).

What age do seizures occur?

Common causes of seizures (see table Causes of Seizures) vary by age of onset: Before age 2: Fever, hereditary or congenital neurologic disorders, birth injuries, and inherited or acquired metabolic disorders. Ages 2 to 14: Idiopathic seizure disorders.

What is an epileptic spasm?

Epileptic spasms (formerly, infantile spasms) Generalized-onset nonmotor seizures may be further classified by type of seizure (defined by the earliest prominent feature): Typical absence seizures. Atypical absence seizures (eg, with less abrupt onset or termination or with abnormal changes in tone) Myoclonic seizures.

What is a focal onset seizure?

Seizures are usually classified as unknown-onset seizures when information about onset is lacking. If clinicians acquire more information about the seizures , these seizures may be reclassified as focal-onset or generalized-onset.

What is epilepsy disorder?

Epilepsy (also called epileptic seizure disorder) is a chronic brain disorder characterized by recurrent ( ≥ 2) seizures that are unprovoked (ie, not related to reversible stressors) and that occur > 24 hours apart.

How long does it take for a seizure to subside?

Motor symptoms subside after 1 to 2 minutes, but confusion and disorientation may continue for another 1 or 2 minutes. Postictal amnesia is common. Patients may lash out if restrained during the seizure or while recovering consciousness if the seizure generalizes. However, unprovoked aggressive behavior is unusual.

Can fever cause seizures?

In children, fever can provoke a seizure ( febrile seizures ). Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (pseudoseizures) are symptoms that simulate seizures in patients with psychiatric disorders but that do not involve an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain.

Epileptic seizure disorder (ESD)

Epilepsy or ESD is a chronic neurological condition that causes someone to experience two or more seizures that are unprovoked, meaning they are not related to stressors or temporary disorders. Seizures resulting from ESD also occur more than 24 hours apart.

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizures

Also called pseudoseizures, psychogenic nonepileptic seizures cause similar symptoms to seizures in people, but they are not due to abnormal electrical brain activity.

Nonepileptic seizures

These are seizures that a certain stressing factor or temporary condition provokes. Some causes of nonepileptic seizures include:

Generalized-onset seizures

Generalized-onset seizures originate in networks of brain nerve cells in both hemispheres, or sides, of the brain. Most people experience altered awareness, often to the point of losing consciousness. Generalized-onset seizures are then classified based on the symptoms they cause and whether they affect movement.

Focalized-onset, or focal, seizures

Focal seizures originate in one side of the brain and may affect a small part or larger parts of the body. As with generalized-onset seizures, focal seizures tend to affect muscle movement and tone but usually only on one side of the body. Focal seizures can spread to involve both sides of the brain, called progression to tonic-clonic seizure.

Unknown-onset seizures

Doctors classify seizures as unknown-onset seizures if they do not know how the seizure occurred or developed. As more information becomes available, a doctor may diagnose the person with focal or generalized seizures.

What are the words used to describe seizures?

These words are used to describe generalized seizures: Tonic: Muscles in the body become stiff. Atonic: Muscles in the body relax. Myoclonic: Short jerking in parts of the body. Clonic: Periods of shaking or jerking parts on the body.

What are the two types of seizures?

Seizures are classified into two groups. Generalized seizures affect both sides of the brain. Absence seizures, sometimes called petit mal seizures, can cause rapid blinking or a few seconds of staring into space. Tonic-clonic seizures, also called grand mal seizures, can make a person. Cry out.

What is a tonic clonic seizure?

Tonic-clonic seizures, also called grand mal seizures, can make a person. Cry out. Lose consciousness. Fall to the ground. Have muscle jerks or spasms. The person may feel tired after a tonic-clonic seizure. Focal seizures are located in just one area of the brain. These seizures are also called partial seizures.

What is a focal seizure?

Focal seizures are located in just one area of the brain. These seizures are also called partial seizures. Simple focal seizures affect a small part of the brain. These seizures can cause twitching or a change in sensation, such as a strange taste or smell. Complex focal seizures can make a person with epilepsy confused or dazed.

How to tell if someone has a seizure?

A person having a seizure may seem confused or look like they are staring at something that isn’t there. Other seizures can cause a person to fall, shake, and become unaware of what’s going on around them.

How many seizures can a person have with epilepsy?

People are diagnosed with epilepsy when they have had two or more seizures. There are many types of seizures. A person with epilepsy can have more than one type of seizure.

Can epilepsy cause focal seizures?

Complex focal seizures can make a person with epilepsy confused or dazed. The person will be unable to respond to questions or direction for up to a few minutes. Secondary generalized seizures begin in one part of the brain, but then spread to both sides of the brain.

When do generalized epilepsies start?

Symptomatic generalized epilepsies and syndromes usually start in infancy or early childhood.

When do epilepsies start?

Symptomatic generalized epilepsies and syndromes usually start in infancy or early childhood. In most children several seizure types occur. EEG discharges are less rhythmical and less synchronous than in idiopathic generalized epilepsies.

What are IGEs in epilepsy?

The IGEs are a group of common epilepsy syndromes, consisting of varied phenotypes, including age-dependent manifestations of absence, myoclonic, atonic, and GTC seizures. They afflict children and adolescents of normal intelligence, although subtle neuropsychological and personality differences are seen.

Is epilepsy a good prognosis?

Prognosis is in general favorable, with some idiopathic generalized epilepsies having an excellent chance of complete seizure control and remission, and, importantly, significantly lower mortality rates compared with symptomatic epilepsies (Sillanpaa and Shinnar, 2010 ).

Is zonisamide good for seizures?

Topiramate and zonisamide may also be helpful. The prognosis for complete control of seizures with therapy is very good: 65-79% of patients have experienced remission with therapy. Avoidance of precipitating factors that disrupt sleep patterns is important. The relapse rate if AEDs are stopped is high (83%).

Can seizures occur during sleep?

Usually the seizures occur in a sporadic and unpredictable fashion. Occasionally they may happen only during sleep. Extreme fatigue and sleep deprivation may lower the threshold and precipitate seizures.

Can a patient fall asleep after a seizure?

After the seizure the patient may be confused for a variable length of time and after being conscious for a short while may fall asleep. Very often patients are seen after a seizure has occurred, and the examining physician may be faced with the problem of determining the true nature of the episode.

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What Is A Seizure?

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Expected Duration

Prevention

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When to Call A Professional

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Further Information

• The primary goal of epilepsy therapy is to prevent seizures as much as possible and minimize side effects. When seizures are related to an identifiable illness or condition – such as overuse of alcohol or a severe chemical imbalance in the blood – the seizures usually go away when the problem is corrected. When no medical cause for seizures can be ...

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