Medication
Diet Therapy for Epilepsy, Including Ketogenic Diet High fat, very low-carbohydrate diets, when calibrated and administered by a doctor and followed precisely, can help ease recurrent seizures in some cases. Johns Hopkins offers diet therapy for epilepsy for both pediatric and adult patients, using the ketogenic diet and the modified Atkins diet.
Procedures
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 …
Therapy
If epilepsy — that is, a continuing tendency to have seizures — is diagnosed, the doctor will usually prescribe regular use of seizure-preventing medications. If drugs are not successful, other methods may be tried, including surgery, a special diet, complementary therapy or vagus nerve stimulation (VNS).
Self-care
The surgical treatment of epilepsy has advanced significantly in recent years and is directed at either removal of the cause of the epilepsy (for example a tumour or sclerotic temporal lobe) or prevention of seizure spread by tractotomy, callosotomy or sub-pial resection.
Nutrition
Treatment can help most people with epilepsy have fewer seizures, or stop having seizures completely. Treatments include: medicines called anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) surgery to remove a small part of the brain that's causing the seizures a procedure to put a small electrical device inside the body that can help control seizures
What is the strongest medication for epilepsy?
Epilepsy may be treated with antiepileptic medications (AEDs), diet therapy and surgery. Medications are the initial treatment choice for almost all patients with multiple seizures. Some patients who only have a single seizure and whose tests do not indicate a high likelihood of seizure recurrence may not need medications.
What is the natural cure for epilepsy?
Not every person will reach that goal right now, but research and specialty care help more people achieve it each year. While seizure medicines are the mainstay of epilepsy treatment, there are other approaches to think about too, including. Surgery Neurostimulation devices Dietary therapy Complementary health approaches Clinical trials
What type of drug is used to treat epilepsy?
What to do if someone has epilepsy?
Can epilepsy be cured completely?
There's currently no cure for epilepsy, but it can be managed with medications and other strategies.
What causes epilepsy?
When epilepsy is diagnosed in older adults, it's sometimes from another neurological issue, like a stroke or a brain tumor. Other causes can be related to genetic abnormalities, prior brain infection, prenatal injuries or developmental disorders. But in about half of people with epilepsy, there's no apparent cause.Oct 7, 2021
What is epilepsy how is it treated?
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.Oct 7, 2021
How is epilepsy treated permanently?
Today, most epilepsy is treated with medication. Drugs do not cure epilepsy, but they can often control seizures very well. About 80% of people with epilepsy today have their seizures controlled by medication at least some of the time.Feb 2, 2022
What foods to avoid with epilepsy?
If you have a sudden spike or crash in blood sugar, this could cause seizures. This is why it is generally best to avoid high sugar, processed foods such as cookies, cakes, candy and white bread. Ideally you should aim to follow a balanced diet which will release energy into your bloodstream at a slower, steadier rate.Feb 3, 2022
Can I live a normal life with epilepsy?
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 are the warning signs of epilepsy?
Epilepsy: Seizure Triggers, Warning Signs, and SymptomsTemporary confusion—often described as a “fuzzy” feeling.A staring spell.Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs.Loss of consciousness or awareness.Psychic symptoms—out-of-body feelings or not feeling “in the moment”Memory lapses.Nov 21, 2017
Does epilepsy affect memory?
Any type of epileptic seizure could potentially affect your memory, either during or after a seizure. If you have lots of seizures, memory problems might happen more often. Some people have generalised seizures that affect all of the brain.Feb 23, 2020
How is epilepsy diagnosed?
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is used to check for unusual electrical activity in the brain that can happen in people with epilepsy. During the test, small sensors are attached to your scalp to pick up the electrical signals produced when brain cells send messages to each other.
What is best medicine for epilepsy?
March 22, 2007 - Lamictal is the best first-choice drug for partial epilepsy, while valproic acid is the best first choice for generalized epilepsy, two major clinical trials show.Mar 22, 2007
How long does it take to recover from epilepsy?
Most people are back to school or work in 4 to 6 weeks. Changes in thinking, social activities and emotions may take longer, depending on what types of problems were present before surgery. Anti-seizure medications will typically remain the same for several months after surgery.
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.
How to stop seizures?
Brain surgery. Brain surgery to remove the seizure focus is the most effective method to completely stop seizures. First, we must find the seizure focus and make sure it can be safely removed. This always involves a stay in the epilepsy monitoring unit to record seizures with simultaneous video and EEG.
What is an epileptic seizure?
An epileptic seizure is an excessive, uncontrolled burst of electrical activity from nerve cells in the brain – essentially an electrical storm. There are many types of seizures that cause symptoms ranging from lightning-fast muscle jerks lasting less than a second ...
What is epilepsy MRI?
Epilepsy is a neurologic disorder that causes unexpected and recurrent epileptic seizures. The diagnosis involves conducting a careful neurological history, a 30-minute brain wave study (electroencephalogram or EEG), and imaging of the brain (magnetic resonance imaging or MRI).
How long does a seizure last?
There are many types of seizures that cause symptoms ranging from lightning-fast muscle jerks lasting less than a second to full body convulsions lasting two or three minutes. Epilepsy, if not well-controlled, can greatly worsen a person’s quality of life and can cause severe injury or death.
Where is the most common location for epilepsy surgery?
This is called intracranial EEG. The most common location in the brain for epilepsy surgery is the temporal lobe. About 60 percent to 80 percent of patients become seizure-free with this type of surgery. A new technique is laser surgery, which involves destroying the seizure focus with heat rather than removing it.
Is Epidiolex safe for Dravet Syndrome?
As of May 2018, there have been two major, scientifically rigorous clinical studies that have shown that Epidiolex, a form of CBD oil pending FDA approval, is relatively safe and effective in Dravet Syndrome and the Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.
Does marijuana help with seizures?
At this time, we know of no other natural herb that helps with seizures. In fact, some herbs, such as the Chinese herb ma huang, can trigger or worsen seizures.
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 to treat seizures?
If epilepsy — that is, a continuing tendency to have seizures — is diagnosed, the doctor will usually prescribe regular use of seizure-preventing medications. If drugs are not successful, other methods may be tried, including surgery, a special diet, complementary therapy or vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). The goal of all epilepsy treatment is to prevent further seizures, avoid side effects, and make it possible for people to lead active lives.
Can penicillin cure epilepsy?
Medications do not cure epilepsy in the same sense that penicillin can cure an infection. For many people with epilepsy, however, the medication will prevent seizures as long as they are taken regularly; but, successful drug therapy requires the active cooperation of the patient.
What is the treatment for epilepsy?
The successful treatment of epilepsy in the setting of tuberous sclerosis (TS) is often heavily reliant on invasive EEG monitoring and structural neuroimaging. By clearly identifying the presence of cortical tubers, structural neuroimaging can both define the extent of disease within the central nervous system and help guide intracranial electrode placement in those patients bound for surgery.
What is the most commonly performed operation to treat epilepsy?
Surgical treatment should be considered in any patient whose epilepsy cannot be controlled by doses of medication that are free from unacceptable side effects. An excision from one temporal lobe is the most commonly performed operation to treat epilepsy.
How long does it take for a seizure to go away?
This means 18 months for someone with seizures 6 months apart before treatment .
What are some alternatives to diazepam?
Alternatives to diazepam are baclofen and dimethothiazine ( Griffiths and Bowie, 1973 ). The treatment of athetoid movements is even more unpredictable. Any effect of diazepam on the involuntary movements may result from a reduction of tension and anxiety.
What are some alternatives to diazepam for cerebral palsy?
Alternatives to diazepam are baclofen and dimethothiazine ( Griffiths and Bowie, 1973 ). The treatment of athetoid movements is even more unpredictable. Any effect of diazepam on the involuntary movements may result from a reduction of tension and anxiety. This may also apply to tetrabenazine, although very occasionally it seems to have a more specific effect. If the athetosis is unilateral the possibility of a stereotactic operation on the basal ganglia can sometimes be considered, but rarely in generalized athetosis. Stereotaxic ablation of the cerebellar dentate nucleus (dentatotamy), bilateral if necessary, can reduce involuntary movements as well as spasticity ( Gornall, Hitchcock and Kirkland, 1975 ).
Can cerebellar stimulation help with epilepsy?
Cerebellar stimulation for the treatment of intractable epilepsy has been tried in recent years. Apart from doubt about what is actually being stimulated there is no convincing evidence that a really useful reduction in seizures is obtained.
Is epilepsy a comorbidity?
Although a major goal in the treatment of epilepsy is stopping the seizures, it is not the only treatment goal. Patients with epilepsy are at risk for a number of comorbidities. Comorbidity refers to the co-occurrence of two supposedly separate conditions that occur together more than by chance (also see Chapter 82 ). Depression occurs more frequently in patients with epilepsy than in the normal population, and thus epilepsy and depression are comorbidities. Comorbidities are not necessarily causal. For example, because epilepsy and depression are comorbidities does not mean that epilepsy caused the depression or depression caused the epilepsy. Rather, it is possible that both conditions have a common biological substrate or that another independent variable triggers one of the comorbidities. For example, epilepsy often leads to drug therapy, which could cause depression independently of the epilepsy.
How to stop seizures in epilepsy?
Treatment can help most people with epilepsy have fewer seizures, or stop having seizures completely. Treatments include: medicines called anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) surgery to remove a small part of the brain that's causing the seizures. a procedure to put a small electrical device inside the body that can help control seizures.
How does epilepsy surgery work?
The surgeon makes a small cut in your scalp and creates an opening in your skull so they can remove the affected part of the brain. The openings in your skull and scalp are closed at the end of the operation.
How long does it take for seizures to go away after surgery?
Your seizures may not stop straight away, so you might need to keep taking AEDs for 1 to 2 years. There's a risk of complications from surgery, such as problems with your memory, mood or vision.
What is the test for epilepsy?
This will usually involve having several tests, such as: brain scans. an electroencephalogram (EEG) – a test of your brain's electrical activity.
What is EEG in medical terms?
brain scans. an electroencephalogram (EEG) – a test of your brain's electrical activity. tests of your memory, learning abilities and mental health. The results of these tests will help you and your specialist decide if surgery is an option for you, and what the result of surgery might be.
Can you use keto for seizures?
A ketogenic diet is sometimes recommended for children with seizures that are not controlled by AEDs. This is because it's been shown to reduce the number of seizures in some children. It should only be used under the supervision of an epilepsy specialist with the help of a dietitian.
Can aromatherapy cause seizures?
There are reports that some strong-smelling aromatherapy treatments, such as hyssop, rosemary and sweet fennel, may trigger seizures in some people. For some people with epilepsy, stress can trigger seizures. Stress-relieving and relaxation therapies such as exercise, yoga and meditation may help.
What is the diagnosis of epilepsy?
A doctor makes his or her epilepsy diagnosis based on symptoms, physical signs and the results of such tests as an electroencephalogram (EEG), computed tomography (CT or CAT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). It is essential that the type of epilepsy and the type of seizures both are diagnosed properly.
What is epilepsy disorder?
Check out the new videos at the bottom of the page. Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain characterized by repeated seizures. A seizure is usually defined as a sudden alteration of behavior due to a temporary change in the electrical functioning of the brain.
What are the two types of seizures?
Typically, seizures belong in one of two basic categories: primary generalized seizures and partial seizures. The difference between these types is in how they begin.
What percentage of epilepsy patients have intractable seizures?
According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 20 percent of epilepsy patients have intractable seizures — seizures that do not respond to treatment. The reasons why epilepsy begins are different for people of different ages.
How does epilepsy affect the brain?
In epilepsy the brain's electrical rhythms have a tendency to become imbalanced, resulting in recurrent seizures.
How many people have epilepsy?
According to the Epilepsy Foundation, epilepsy affects three million people in the U.S. and 50 million worldwide. Epileptic seizures may be tied to a brain injury or genetics, but for 70 percent of epilepsy patients, the cause is unknown.
What causes epilepsy in children?
Children may be born with a defect in the structure of their brain or they may suffer a head injury or infection that causes their epilepsy. Severe head injury is the most common known cause in young adults. For middle-age individuals, strokes, tumors and injuries are more frequent catalysts.
What are the best ways to treat epilepsy?
Not every person will reach that goal right now, but research and specialty care help more people achieve it each year. While seizure medicines are the mainstay of epilepsy treatment, there are other approaches to think about too, including. Surgery. Neurostimulation devices. Dietary therapy.
What is an epileptologist?
Epilepsy centers provide a team approach to caring for people with seizures and epilepsy. Testing is available to diagnose whether a person has seizures and the type of epilepsy they may have. Epilepsy experts (called epileptologists) can help explore all treatment options, .
How long does it take for seizures to go away?
If your seizures are difficult to control, meaning you continue to have seizures after one year or after two anti-seizure medications have been tried, we recommend seeking more specialized care. Epilepsy centers provide a team approach to caring for people with seizures and epilepsy.
Diagnosis
Clinical Trials
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
Coping and Support
Specialist to consult
Preparing For Your Appointment
