Hi, I'm Dr. Lily Wong-Kisiel,
a pediatric neurologist at Mayo Clinic.
In this video, we'll cover
the basics of epilepsy.
What is it? Who gets it? The symptoms
diagnosis and treatment.
Whether you're looking for answers
for yourself or someone you love,
we're here to give you
the best information available.
First of all, epilepsy is common.
Around 3 million people in
the U.S. have epilepsy,
making it the fourth most common neurological
disease after migraine,
stroke and Alzheimer's.
Epilepsy happens as a result of
abnormal electrical brain activity,
also known as a seizure,
kind of like an electrical
storm inside your head.
And because your brain controls so much,
a lot of different things can go wrong.
You may have periods of unusual behaviors,
feelings and sometimes loss of awareness.
There are many types of seizures,
including two main categories:
focal, meaning they start in
a particular part of
your brain, or generalized,
meaning the seizures initially
involve all areas of the brain.
There are some myths about epilepsy
we can dismiss. If you are
with someone experiencing a seizure,
don't put anything in their mouth.
They can't actually swallow their tongue.
Don't restrain them.
And don't worry, epilepsy isn't contagious,
so you can't catch it.
Although children or older adults
are more susceptible,
anyone can develop 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.
Because they happen in the brain,
seizures can affect
any process your brain handles.
Therefore, symptoms can vary.
Many individuals with epilepsy tend to
have the same type of seizure each time.
However, some will have more than one type.
So, how do you recognize a seizure?
Keep an eye out for
temporary confusion, a staring spell,
uncontrollable jerking,
loss of consciousness,
fear, anxiety or deja vu.
Let's talk about the two types of seizures again:
focal and generalized.
Focal seizures happen one of two ways: without
loss of awareness or with impaired awareness.
In those where you remain conscious,
you may experience altered
emotions or change in
sensation like smell, sound or taste.
You may also have dizziness,
tingling or see flashing lights.
You could also experience
involuntary jerking of body parts like
your arm or your leg. When you
lose or have altered awareness,
you can pass out or stare into
space and not really respond
normally. Hand rubbing, chewing,
swallowing or walking in circles
can happen in this kind of seizure.
Because these symptoms overlap with
migraine or other neurological disorders,
heart problems or psychiatric conditions,
tests are needed for a diagnosis.
Generalized onset seizures,
the ones that happen across
all areas of the brain, show
up in a variety of ways.
Absence seizures are marked by
staring absently into space.
Blinking and lip smacking can also happen.
Tonic seizures involve a stiffening
of the back, arm and legs.
The opposite of tonic seizures
are atonic seizures,
which result in a loss of muscle control.
Instead of going stiff,
everything goes slack.
Clonic seizures usually affect the neck,
face and arms with
repeated jerking movements.
Similar to clonic seizure,
myoclonic seizures
involve sudden brief jerks
or twitches of the arms.
Lastly, there are tonic-clonic seizures.
Like the name suggests, these involve
parts of both tonic and clonic signs.
Body stiffening and shaking,
loss of bladder control or
biting your tongue can also happen.
Knowing the kind of seizure you
have is key to treatment.
Even after having a single seizure,
sometimes the diagnosis of
epilepsy can't be made.
Regardless, if you do
have something that seems like
a first-time seizure, see a physician.
Your doctor may assess your
motor abilities, mental function
and other areas to diagnose your condition
and determine if you have epilepsy.
They may also order
additional diagnostic tests.
They could include neurological exam,
blood tests,
EEG, CT scan, brain imaging
and sometimes neuropsychological tests.
Because your brain is such a
complicated piece of machinery.
neurologists, epileptologists,
neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists,
mental health specialists,
and other professionals all
work together to provide
exactly the care you need.
The best care starts
with an accurate diagnosis.
The medications we have for
epilepsy are incredibly effective.
More than half of the cases
are seizure-free after
their first medication.
But when medication does not work
at stopping seizures completely,
there are other emerging
ways of treating epilepsy,
including surgery and brain stimulation.
And a comprehensive level 4
epilepsy center can help find
you the best way to manage
your care. For patients undergoing treatment,
it's important to keep
a detailed seizure journal.
Each time you have a seizure,
write down the time, the type
and how long it lasted,
making note of anything out of the ordinary,
like missed medication, sleep deprivation,
increased stress, menstruation,
or anything else that could trigger it.
Though we don't always know why
people suffer from epilepsy,
ongoing research continues to build
our knowledge and improve treatment options.
And better treatment means happier patients.
If you'd like to learn even
more about epilepsy,
watch our other related videos
or visit Mayo Clinic.org.
We wish you well.