Written By Elijah Prestley
Introduction
Hello everyone, this week’s Alabama Youth4Neuro feature is on the topic of epilepsy. Epilepsy is a chronic brain disease that predominantly causes seizures in people of all ages. Around 50 million people have epilepsy worldwide, making it one of the most common neurological diseases across the world. While it is estimated that 70% of those with epilepsy could live without seizures if given property treatment, nearly 80% of people with epilepsy live in low-to-middle-income countries, where such adequate treatment is unavailable.
Causes
Epilepsy is not contagious itself, but it can be caused by mechanisms of other contagious diseases, such as herpes, Nipah virus, and rotavirus. However, in most cases of epilepsy, its cause is unknown. For those who do know the cause of their epilepsy, the most common cause is either a preexisting brain tumor or a stroke. Some other causes of epilepsy include brain damage from birth, genetic conditions, severe head injuries(wear your helmet, please), and brain infections such as meningitis.
Symptoms
Finding epilepsy is usually started by minor reported patient symptoms, such as a loss in awareness or other cognitive functions, anxiety, depression, or a seizure itself. Symptoms of epilepsy are primarily seizures, which can lead to severe injuries or death. Many deaths related to epilepsy are usually preventable accidents such as falls, drownings, or burns. Epilepsy can also cause death by causing prolonged seizures that last for an extended amount of time.
Treatments
As previously stated, 70% of those with epilepsy can live seizure-free if taking proper seizure-prevention medicines. These medicines include anticonvulsants such as Lamotrigine, Gabapentin, and Levetiracetam. For those without access to such medication, other treatments involve taking up a keto diet, magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin E supplements, and stress relief methods. Forming a regular sleep pattern and drinking enough fluids has also been proven to help with epilepsy and with life in general.
Elijah Prestley is a 15-year-old from Alabama, and the Alabama Youth4Neuro Public Affairs Manager.
Sources:
World Health Organization. (2023, February 9). Epilepsy. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/epilepsy#:~:text=Epilepsy%20is%20a%20chronic%20noncommunicable,%2D%20and%20middle%2Dincome%20countries
Le, K. (2022, April 28). The 10 most common antiepileptic seizure medications. GoodRx. https://www.goodrx.com/classes/anti-epileptics/best-antiepileptic-seizure-medication
Marks, J. (2023, June 18). Epilepsy natural treatments and how effective they are. Verywell Health. https://www.verywellhealth.com/epilepsy-natural-treatment-6891810
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