Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that is usually characterized by the tendency to experience two or more seizures. It is caused by having multiple electrical discharges or activities in your brain.
Anyone can be affected by it. There are already about 50 million people worldwide with epilepsy, so it earns the title of being one of the most common, recognizable, and historically pervasive disorders in history.
Considering the number of cases worldwide, you may know of someone diagnosed with epilepsy. A significant problem for epileptic patients is that they have to undergo a lot of judgment and stigma due to their condition, so you need to know that their condition is way beyond their control.
This said, you should be aware of the symptoms that can give off signs that your loved ones, or even yourself, may be at risk of epilepsy.
Symptoms
Being a neurological disorder, epilepsy will affect motor functions and consciousness. The most common symptoms are:
- Temporary confusion
- A straight glare
- Stiff muscles
- Jerking movement of the limbs
- Loss of consciousness or awareness
- Fear and anxiety
- Complications with your five senses
- Loss of bowel control
To keep an eye on epileptic patients, you have to keep tabs on the triggers of their episodes. There are many triggers to epilepsy, but the most common ones are as follows:
1. Missed Medication
First things first, the main reason why seizure attacks may recur is if that patient forgets to take their medication on time or with the proper dosage.
Medication that is prescribed to epilepsy patients is mainly to control the seizures, so it is no revelation that if they miss their schedule of intake, then the chances of a seizure drastically increase.
Simple enough, take your medicines or remind people you know to take their medicine. After all, the first thing that patients should do is to take a pill if they forgot to take one earlier.
2. Sleep deprivation
Sleep and epilepsy have an odd relationship. Sleep itself can be a problem for the patient, as seizures might happen when sleeping. Though your night will be disturbed, you can fix it with supervision and immediate medication.
However, when the patient is sleep deprived, they are making themselves vulnerable to brain activity that will make seizures more common. It will also lead to worse, aggravated attacks.
It is recommended by health professionals that patients with epilepsy get a good 7-9 hours of sleep to avoid major complications.
3. Stress
Different people feel stress differently and will handle it in different ways. However, too much of it will undoubtedly lead to fear or anxiety, two emotions that may cause people to hyperventilate.
If you are an epilepsy patient, hyperventilating can start a seizure. Try to moderate your emotions and avoid stress-inducing situations as much as you can. It is recommended that you seek professional help if you are undergoing mental health problems.
4. Alcohol Consumption
Being careless with your alcohol consumption can be a big problem if you have epilepsy.
Though not regularly a concern, especially if you drink in moderate amounts, it becomes a major reason for worry when the patient takes up to three drinks in quick succession
Given that alcoholism already makes you feel dizzy and disoriented on it is own, it becomes dangerous for seizures when the alcohol begins to leave the body.
If you plan to go drinking, you can, but be mindful of the amount you drink. Normally, the standard amount is
- 5 oz of wine
- 12 oz of beer
- 1.5 oz of distilled spirits
Anything more than you may already be overstepping your boundaries.
5. Family History
As with most other disorders, family history is a big factor in epilepsy risk. Epilepsy clinical trials at Power found that up to 40% of cases have been related to the genetic framework from the patient’s family tree, with around 500 genes behind the disorder.
This is uncertain, as experts are still debating how it is passed down. Some even say that it is due to a mutation in the brain, but if you somehow found that you have a family member that had epilepsy, then you have a reason for concern.
6. Complications at birth
This one is less of a trigger and more of a cause, but it is still important to note.
Complications experienced at birth can have drastic effects on that infant’s brain, and it will increase the chance of acquiring epilepsy later on in life. Such complications include:
- Smoking from parents
- Poor nutrition
- An infection in the mother
- Lack of oxygen
Takeaway
Around 70% of patients can be cured of their epilepsy if they are diagnosed in time, and proper treatment is facilitated. If you want to help epilepsy patients everywhere, the first step is to be aware of what might trigger their attacks or if they have the disorder, to begin with. Patients already have it hard enough as it already is, but if a collective effort is made to protect and acknowledge them, they can be free of the disorder.