Although many people are aware of the causes and symptoms of epilepsy, there are only a few who know that surgery can offer relief from the neuro disorder. This International Epilepsy Day, we sought to find out answers to how surgery can be an answer to this condition.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Epilepsy is a neurological disorder wherein brain activity becomes abnormal.
- This can include seizures, loss of awareness, strange sensations and unusual behavior.
- What makes epilepsy an extremely detrimental condition is the fact that it can affect anyone, that is, it does not have a specific high-risk group.
New Delhi: Epilepsy is a neurological disorder wherein brain activity becomes abnormal. This can include seizures, loss of awareness, strange sensations and unusual behavior. What makes epilepsy an extremely detrimental condition is the fact that it can affect anyone, that is, it does not have a specific high-risk group. Therefore, people across age groups, gender and health problems can develop epilepsy. However, experts believe that genetics, family history, stroke or trauma can be leading contributors to epilepsy risk.
Although many people are aware of the causes and symptoms of epilepsy, there are only a few who know that surgery can offer relief from the neuro disorder. This International Epilepsy Day, we sought to find out answers to how surgery can be an answer to this condition.
What is epilepsy? Causes and symptoms explained
In an interaction with Times Now Digital, Dr. Atma Ram Bansal, Associate Director – Epilepsy Program, Institute of Neurosciences at Medanta Hospital, spoke about what epilepsy is, its symptoms and the various forms of treatment that its patients can opt for.
“Epilepsy is a brain disease where the brain circuits have abnormal firing. This results in multiple symptoms of seizures, convulsions. It is caused by multiple reasons depending on the age of the person – in a newborn, it can be due to a birth defect or an oxygen problem during delivery. In the slightly elder age group, it can be because of head injury or infection and at times it might be also due to a brain tumor. These are the causes,” said Dr Bansal.
“The common symptom of epilepsy is seizures, which means jerking in the body. Other symptoms include the person becoming episodically unresponsive like a statue, may show some chewing kind of movements, rubbing hands for 2 minutes, confusion, etc. Some patients get sudden jerks in the body to the extent that they drop objects or fall especially during the morning,” he added.
What are the treatment options for epilepsy?
“Normally, 60-70% of epilepsy cases are treatable with the help of medicines. The patient must take medicine for 2-3 years depending upon the type of epilepsy. In some patients, we need to give medicines for a lifetime. And in some cases, when the patient doesn’t respond to medications, we may have to perform surgery. If a patient doesn’t respond to medicines for 1-2 years and has seizures daily, every week, every month, and every alternate month, the doctor may advise the patient to go for surgery depending upon the condition,” said Dr Bansal.
He went on to say that surgery is done in a very special type of epilepsy where doctors need to find the root cause which involves investigations like special video EEG, special MRI, and various other tests. When the reasons for epilepsy are confirmed, that is when the point is removed.
In 75 per cent of cases, patients have a very good response to the medications. And in the rest, surgery is a reliable option.
SOURCE: timesnownews.com, Simran Arora
