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What is Epilepsy?
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Epilepsy = susceptibility to seizures by #56153 19 year
Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by the susceptibility to seizures. A seizure is a change in sensation, awareness, or behavior brought about by a brief electrical disturbance in the brain.
Seizures vary from a momentary disruption of the senses, to short periods of unconsciousness or staring spells, to convulsions. Some people have just one type of seizure. Others have more than one type.
Although they look different, all seizures are caused by the same thing: a sudden change in how the cells of the brain send electrical signals to each other.
If you have epilepsy, you probably already know that it's not a mental disorder. It can be caused by anything that affects the brain, including tumors and strokes. Sometimes epilepsy is inherited. Often, no cause can be found.
Epilepsy is generally not the kind of condition that gets worse with time. Most adults who have it can expect to live a normal life span.
Doctors treat epilepsy primarily with seizure-preventing medicines. Although seizure medications are not a cure, they control seizures in the majority of people with epilepsy.
Surgery, diet (primarily in children), or electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve, a large nerve leading into the brain, may be options.
Terminology
The term "seizure" is widely used to describe an abnormal spasm or convulsion, generated by excessive electrical activity in the brain. Older terms, such as fits, spells, or falling out, may still be used by the general public in some communities.
In the medical community, the Latin word "ictus" may be used to describe a seizure. Related terms are used to define events associated with a seizure. Using this lexicon, "ictus" refers to the seizure itself; "ictal" defines the period in which the seizure occurs; "pre-ictal" and "post-ictal" describe periods before and after the seizure; while inter-ictal refers to the period between seizures. Thus, when an EEG reading, for example, is described as "inter-ictal," it means that it was recorded between seizures.
Seizures are epileptic events and having seizures is the defining characteristic of epilepsy.
Epilepsy is from the Greek word epilambabein, meaning to seize or to attack. Epilepsy has been recognized as a unique disorder for thousands of years, and references to its symptoms occur through the ages, from Babylonian tablets to the Bible.
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All #56153's Answers
Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by the susceptibility to seizures. A seizure is a change in sensation, awareness, or behavior brought about by a brief electrical disturbance in the brain.
Seizures vary from a momentary disruption of the senses, to short periods of unconsciousness or staring spells, to convulsions. Some people have just one type of seizure. Others have more than one type.
Although they look different, all seizures are caused by the same thing: a sudden change in how the cells of the brain send electrical signals to each other.
If you have epilepsy, you probably already know that it's not a mental disorder. It can be caused by anything that affects the brain, including tumors and strokes. Sometimes epilepsy is inherited. Often, no cause can be found.
Epilepsy is generally not the kind of condition that gets worse with time. Most adults who have it can expect to live a normal life span.
Doctors treat epilepsy primarily with seizure-preventing medicines. Although seizure medications are not a cure, they control seizures in the majority of people with epilepsy.
Surgery, diet (primarily in children), or electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve, a large nerve leading into the brain, may be options.
Terminology
The term "seizure" is widely used to describe an abnormal spasm or convulsion, generated by excessive electrical activity in the brain. Older terms, such as fits, spells, or falling out, may still be used by the general public in some communities.
In the medical community, the Latin word "ictus" may be used to describe a seizure. Related terms are used to define events associated with a seizure. Using this lexicon, "ictus" refers to the seizure itself; "ictal" defines the period in which the seizure occurs; "pre-ictal" and "post-ictal" describe periods before and after the seizure; while inter-ictal refers to the period between seizures. Thus, when an EEG reading, for example, is described as "inter-ictal," it means that it was recorded between seizures.
Seizures are epileptic events and having seizures is the defining characteristic of epilepsy.
Epilepsy is from the Greek word epilambabein, meaning to seize or to attack. Epilepsy has been recognized as a unique disorder for thousands of years, and references to its symptoms occur through the ages, from Babylonian tablets to the Bible.
Viewed 11933 times
All #56153's Answers