Known as illness of seizures amongst the public, epilepsy affects 1% of the world population. The disease does not make any distinction on race or gender. The epilepsy seizures can surface at any age, but it is often seen in the youngest and the most elderly.

Every cell in the brain functions by transmitting electrical circuits to one another. Epilepsy emerges when a group of nerve cells releases extreme electrical discharge at the same time.

Epilepsy is an illness of recurrent seizures. Not every person experiencing a seizure is epileptic. The diagnosis for epilepsy in a patient with a history of recurrent seizures can only be made by a specialist in neurology through a detailed check up.

No specific reason for epilepsy is detected in 65% of patients. These types of epilepsy are called “idiopathic”. Those cases with symptoms known are qualified as symptomatic epilepsy. Among the most common causes of epilepsy can be cited the head traumas, brain tumors and vascular diseases, infections, infections within a mother’s womb and birth traumas, high fever, poisoning and cardiovascular diseases leading to a decrease in the flow of blood.

Beside these factors that cause a seizure, there are those others that do not directly cause a seizure but trigger and ease the onset of a seizure by increasing the possibility by administration of wrong medicine, insomnia, taking narcotic drugs, heavy alcohol and caffeine intake, using other medicines together with the ones that prevent a seizure (drug interaction), menstrual cycles, low level of blood sugar, deficiency in vitamin B6 and the disruption of blood electrolyte equilibrium.

Seizures Can Be Divided Into Two Main Groups: These are partial and generalized seizures. Partial type seizures start with a discharge of electric in certain parts of the brain, whereas in generalized types, discharge occurs in all parts of the brain. Due to this reason, seizures may come out very differently. In some seizures the onset can be an unusual sense of smell, whereas in others the patient may fall down or have foam in the mouth. Sometimes there occurs a blank seizure where the patient focuses his eyes at a spot and becomes numb. Although it does not always occur, epileptic seizures may also cause a loss of consciousness.

Medicines that prevent seizures are called antiepileptic or anticonvulsant pills. It is impossible to offer to patients a life entirely free of seizures. However, epileptic seizures can be kept under control for most of the time with the help of medication. The type of medication used can vary from patient to patient depending upon the type of seizure. Medicine used should not hinder daily activities of the individual while keeping the epilepsy under control. Although some patients require only one pill a day for keeping the seizure under check, others need to take several pills altogether. For patients whose seizures cannot be treated with medication, surgical treatment may be used.