Epilepsy is a disease that affects the central nervous system and alters impulse conduction in the brain, causing excessive electrical activity; this condition causes the sudden onset of violent and involuntary contractions of the muscles, better known as seizures, which can last between 2 to 3 minutes and cause a loss of consciousness.
Symptoms of epilepsy have appeared unannounced and may occur during the day or during the day, affecting people of all ages, from infants to the elderly; however, epilepsy can also occur in another way, called an absence crisis, when the person stops. and remains totally absent, looking into the void, without speaking and without reacting to touch for a few seconds, if not a condition difficult for family members to perceive.
- When an epileptic seizure with tonicoclonic seizures occurs.
- It is also called major epilepsy.
- Major changes throughout the brain that can lead to loss of consciousness.
- As well as the onset of symptoms such as:.
Uncontrolled and involuntary contractions of the body’s muscles;
Muscle stiffness, especially arms, legs and chest;
Salivation, let drool;
Bite your tongue and split your teeth;
Urinary incontinence;
Difficulty breathing;
Reddish skin;
Color changes, which can be very nice or unpleasant;
Speak imperceptible;
Aggressiveness, resistance to help;
Confusion and ina lack of attention;
Drowsiness.
During the epileptic seizure, they share the lost knowledge that the person does not stray from the episode. After the attack, it is normal to experience drowsiness, headache, nausea and vomiting.
When the epileptic seizure lasts more than 5 minutes, medical assistance should be sought, the emergency number called, or the hospital called immediately. To know how to proceed in case of a leaf crisis: what to do in case of an epileptic seizure.
In some situations, epilepsy can affect a single area of the brain, causing milder symptoms corresponding to the affected part of the brain. For example, if intense brain activity occurs in the part of the brain that controls left leg movements, there may be contractions and stiffness.
In this type of epilepsy, the symptoms that appear are limited to the affected area.
Absence crisis, commonly known as mild illness, causes less severe symptoms, such as:
Stay still and silent;
Keep an empty view;
Move your facial muscles wildly;
Doing moves as if you are chewing;
Move your arm or leg constantly, but lightly;
Ant in arms or legs;
Stiffness of small muscles
In addition, in this type of crisis there is usually no loss of consciousness, only an extraordinary sensation of déj vu, which in most cases lasts between 10 and 30 seconds, this type of epilepsy is more common in children and occurs between the years of age. 3 and 13.
Treatment of epilepsy should be guided by a neurologist and is usually done daily with an antiepileptic drug such as oxcarbazepine, carbamazepine or sodium valproate, for example.
When epileptic seizure is not controlled with the administration of a single type of medicine, your doctor may add more to combine treatment. In addition, in some cases, when medications are not effective, surgery may be necessary.
During the treatment of epilepsy, people should avoid situations that cause seizures, such as: spending too much time without sleep, drinking excessive alcohol, or being in environments with many visual stimuli, such as nightclubs.