User:Mahakhanswal

Overview of Epilepsy

Introduction

Epilepsy is a chronic, non-contagious disease with Central Nervous System disorder. It is caused by excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells.

Epilepsy causes seizure attacks whose symptoms can vary from a simple blank gaze for a few seconds to an involuntary moment of muscles that could involve either a part of the body (partial) or a full body (whole) which can last from 30 seconds to 2 minutes.

Anyone can acquire epilepsy, both male and female, young and aged can develop epilepsy, although sometimes children can outgrow epilepsy.

The frequency of these attacks can vary from less than once a year or several times a month. But just one seizure attack doesn't confirm that a person is suffering from epilepsy.  Epilepsy is diagnosed when there are at least two unprovoked seizure attacks which should be 24 hours apart.

People also tend to fall unconscious during a seizure attack, seizures can occur unexpectedly, hence there is always a high risk to the person of getting injured while fainting. And to avoid any kind of injury during the fall and due to the involuntary muscle action people with seizures tend to get a service dog. The seizure alert dogs are specifically trained to assist and provide help to the patient in a variety of ways such as "placing their body in between the patient and the floor to break the fall, hence providing a soft surface for their head, they stay beside the patient to support, provide comfort while showing affection towards the patient.

It is essential to know that there is no known cure for epilepsy presently, although it can be regulated through anti-epileptic drugs or surgery to reduce its frequency for most people, while others would have to take a lifelong treatment for seizures.