As epilepsy is manifested in adult symptoms. Causes of epilepsy

Modern medicine refers to epilepsy pathology Central nervous systemflowing with changes in human consciousness and increased convulsive activity. The severity of these signs varies depending on the vastness and depth of the lesion of the cerebral cortex.

Externally, the disease is manifested by a violation of the motor, sensitive, mental and vegetative activity of the body. Traditionally, the disease determines ourselves loss of consciousness and the emergence of classical savorog But can flow differently. For example, with severe diffusion, but with preserved thinking, or weak convulsive cuts of the mimic muscles and fingers.

A common disease is considered in children's and adolescence, as well as people over 60 years old, but may arise in a young or mature person.

Should distinguish such concepts as episindromand epilepsy. What is the difference between them? The first is a temporary reaction of the body for hypoxia, injury or sclerotic and inflammatory brain lesions. When eliminating these reasons similar to epileptic manifestations, almost immediately disappear.

In medicine there is a certain term for the designation of this pathology - this is a symptomatic epilepsy, code for the ICD 10. True epilepsy has a long chronic current requires comprehensive treatmentwhich continues for years or sometimes all his life.

ICD 10 (International Qualifications of Diseases of the 10th Revision)

Epilepsy, what is this disease? Official medicine is trying to give this question. The ICD-10 refers this pathology to the disorders of the nervous system.

Doctors allocate a lot of its varieties, species and shapes. Localized, idiopathic, symptomatic, adult, children, generalized, benign, juvenile, etc. - All these names serve to designate a diverse course and origin of this multi-faceted pathology.

Causes of occurrence

The mechanism of occurrence of the disease is launched under the influence of a variety of factors.


Common causes from what is epilepsy are:

- injuries of the head (contusion, injury, bruises, shaking);
- inflammation brain shells (meningitis, encephalitis);
- alcoholic and narcotic intoxication;
- toxicoinfection and poisoning chemicals, carbon monoxide drugs.

In addition, the disease may occur against the background of strong negative experiences, hormonal changes, with insomnia, as well as transmitted by inheritance.

Frequent causes of occurrence in adults :

- the harmful effects of psychoactive substances;

- Brain circulation disorders (strokes, atherosclerosis of brain vessels);
- Head injuries (in sports, accidents, everyday life).

More often a disease is diagnosed in menThis is due to the fact that the strong floor is more susceptible to injury, as well as more often than women, use drugs and alcohol.

In children The causes of the disease may be such:

- pathology of intrauterine development;
- prolonged hypoxia of the fetus;
- generic injuries;
- negative impact of poisoning substances, medicines, intoxication and long-lasting fevers;
- Mental injuries, neurosis, overvoltage of the nervous system.

Types of epilepsy

The scientific community allocates more than 40 diverse forms of this disease and typical clinical picture of epilepsy. Each type of illness requires a special approach, diagnosis and treatment.

Some forms:

1. Cryptogenic focal Epilepsy, characterized by the presence of a limited (local) focus of pathological activity in the brain. The seizures with this form of the disease for the first time appear in children of preschoolers or adolescents. Suddenly, patients begin to test hallucinations (auditory, taste, kinesthetic or visual). Together with them, somatic disorders appear: false urination to urination and defecation, tachycardia, increased blood pressure, chills, sweating, nausea, vomiting. Speech disorders are observed, but the consciousness of patients is completely saved. Attacks last a second.

2. Jacksonian . As a rule, the disease is a consequence of cerebral disorders and organic brain lesions. The disease manifests itself with convulsions, in the attack, the muscles of the face, body and limbs are actively reduced. A convulsions are undergoing with this pathology in the reverse order and end on that section of the body from which they began to occur. Often patients lose skin sensitivity and lose consciousness. The duration of seizures can be several minutes, over time, their duration increases.

3. Absanter . For this pathology, short-term disconnection of consciousness in people is characterized, without the appearance of convulsion. Externally, patients have a missing look and often blink, they produce mechanical movements by jaws, hands, legs, lips.
Absissant epilepsy in children can show themselves after significant mental loads or, on the contrary, with strong relaxation, the absence of interesting activities. Children's form of this pathology can accompany low ability to concentrate attention, learning difficulties.

5. Rolandic . The disease occurs with a moderate twitching of muscles on the face and body, saliva, parastzes in the field of language, speech violations. In more severe cases, at the beginning of the attack, patients are "freezing", rhythmic convulsions are held by their body, they are disoriented and confused.

In children

Signs of epilepsy in infants and children early age differ from clinical picture Diseases in adults.

Due to the increased motor activity of kids, convulsions are difficult to distinguish from the hypertonus of newborns or child early age. In addition, not all forms of epilepsy proceed with severe convulsive syndrome.

But, with attentive observation, parents may notice some of the characteristic signs of the disease:

- involuntary emptying bladder or intestines;
- retention of breathing;
- lack of reaction to mother's voice (father);
- drastic eye rigging, heading of the head;
- adoption of unnatural poses ("Thorough");
- Bright manifestation of verbal and physical aggression.

In adults

In the light shapes of epilepsy in young, mature and older people can leak imperceptibly for others. Short-term loss of consciousness and moderate convulsive movements are perceived not as epileptic symptoms in adults, but how nervous exhaustion or reaction to stress. In more severe cases, the disease proceeds with the loss of consciousness and the fall of patients expressed by convulsions.

Unlike children, adults can describe the pre-epileptic state (aura). Before the attack, they usually test:

- anxiety or fears;
- dizziness;
- hallucinations;
- chills and temperature rise.

The first signs of epilepsy in adults men. may be observed against the background of alcohol abuse. This is one of the most common causes of epilepsy in adulthood. W. women symptoms of disease can develop due to violation of hormonal background during pregnancy or in menopacteric period, on the background of a protracted stress or psycho-emotional exhaustion.

First aid for epilepsy

What if there is a man next to you in an epileptic seizure?

1. Do not panic, and call the team ambulance and wait for specialists if the attack has not ended for 5 minutes.
2. Turn over the patient on the side and put a soft thing under his head.
3. To push off all dangerous items that can damage him.
4. After the patient's arrival in consciousness to be with him until the restoration of its orientation in the surrounding world.

Your first aid in the attack of epilepsy may be invaluable, since during it you can reduce the risk of traumatization of patients, and immediately after it to support helpless and very confused people.

Treatment

Earlier it was believed that the epilepsy is a lifetime disease and now many people are wondering: "Is she curable?". Modern medical statistics argue that the use of drugs is eliminated from epilepsy attacks of more than 65% of patients and facilitates the state of 20%.

Help this tablets from epilepsy, the list of which is constantly updated with the latest pharmacological means.

Finilepsin, Pyramidon, Benzodiazepine, Seyazar - This group of antiepileptic drugs that improve the mood of patients normalize brain activity, reduce the pathological excitability of the affected brain areas.

Besides them, in the therapy of the disease is actively usedanticonvulsant preparations ( sodium Valproat, Carbamazepine, Topiramat), these tools reduce excessive neural activity and relax the muscles of the body, thereby reducing the manifestation of convulsive syndrome.

Many patients after the course of treatment are looking for ways to make a diagnosis forever and ever. But even in the absence of clinical signs for a long timeFully healthy patients are recognized after a five-year observation of the first manifest of the disease, while maintaining the resistance, the absence of complications and mental abnormalities, with good EEG indicators.

Treatment with folk remedies

The disease is known since the time of the hypocratic, so there were antiquity folk Methods Her treatment. And, nevertheless, before applying any phytopreparation, consult with a neurologist.

To the well-known means of dealing with epilepsy with the help of infusions, decoctions and oils include:

- stone oil, which has spasmolytic and immunomodulatory property;
- Herbal fees based on peony, ripples, licorice with soothing effect
- the tincture of the marine root that has a relaxing effect;
- Aromatherapy with slices of Mirra, which is placed in the patient's room.

An integrated approach to the question "How to cure epilepsy forever?" And a combination healthy image life, therapy and folk remedies Can help people in getting rid of this problem or facilitate the manifestations of the disease.

Video:

Chronic disease epilepsy refers to the psychoneurological. It flows hidden, but often with a periodic manifestation of attacks, which are called epileptic seizures. It is impossible to prepare for the seizure - it arises suddenly. The reason for the excitation, which covers several parts of the brain immediately.

With epilepsy, the symptoms in adults can be completely different. It all depends on which functions performing "excitable" neuron. For example, if with its help we bend your hand, then at the time of the attack the patient will begin to bend and blends the hand many times against his will. The seizure may be short - a few seconds, and quite long - a few minutes.

The frequency of occurrences is its own for each patient. It is very important to track the frequency of seizures: the more often they occur, the more consequences leave. Damage to neurons and communication between cerebral cells is gradually leading to the appearance of symptoms between epileptic attacks - the behavior of a person is changing, the behavior of the character previously not noticed by anyone, the speed of thinking decreases.

Common signs of epilepsy in adults:

  • motion coordination disorders;
  • problems with speech;
  • increased muscle tone;
  • mental problems.

These and other symptoms can manifest in combinations.

During epilepsy, signs and symptoms in adults depend on the type of seizure. Select partial and generalized seizures. Partial are also called local / focal. The cause of their occurrence is an epileptic focus functioning in one of two cerebral hemispheres. The hearth can be revealed using the electroencephalography procedure. In contrast to local, generalized seizures are characterized by the presence of diffuse electrical activity of two hemispheres of the brain, and this can be seen on the electroencephalogram.

Types of seizures differ from each other by external signs of epilepsy in adult men and women. As a rule, one person suffers from the seizures of one type and with the same symptoms: motor, speech, mental plan. But with the course of the disease, if it is not treated, other signs may appear, but the former will not disappear.

One of the signs of epilepsy in adults, if we are talking about the partial type of seizures, is the loss of consciousness. But this is not always the case. If the patient was in the consciousness during the attack and felt what was happening, they talk about a simple partial attack.

Manifestations may be as follows:

  • motor. The first signs of epilepsy in adults in this case are trembling muscles, which can arise anywhere - on the stomach, hands, face, face. A person involuntarily turns his head aside several times, the same thing happens with his eyes. It can suddenly shout the word and publish the sound if there was a reduction in the gentle muscles. It happens, followed by a muscular trembling in one part of the body a shiver appears in the rest, soon the process of cutting muscle covers the whole body and the person falls unconscious. In medical language, such attacks are referred to as Jackson (engines with march) with secondary generalization;
  • mental. Characterized in thinking, memory, which also occurs suddenly. For example, the patient can sharply become scary, very good. He may seem like an unfamiliar situation in which he at the moment remains, he has already seen before. Talking with the interlocutor, a person who has a mental partial attack, can suddenly forget for a short time and not know who is in front of him, but then remember and return to the conversation, as if nothing was. In the same way, the patient may not lose the orientation in its own room, the apartment. Often there are hallucinations: a lightning is flying in front of the eyes, the hand increases in size, it seems too much and so on. Since the person is in consciousness, then after the end of the attack can tell that he saw, heard and felt;
  • sensory. The first signs of epilepsy in adults in the event of a sensory partial seizure - a feeling of burning and injuries on the skin, the feeling that electric strokes passed through the body, incomprehensible sounds in the ears (crackle, strong noise, ringing), the appearance of taste in the mouth, odor when There is nothing nearby nothing. Accompany these attacks can march with subsequent generalization. Often a person loses consciousness;
  • vesecome-visceral. In this form of epilepsy, signs and symptoms in adults include the appearance of a feeling of empty space inside the abdomen, in its upper part, movement of organs from place to place. It happens, the patient sharply blues, it comes saliva, he has a lot of heart beating, pressure rises, he really wants to drink.

The loss of consciousness indicates a complex partial seizure. But it is not necessary for a person to fall, closing his eyes. He can change dramatically and begin to utter the same word, phrase, or even a whole sentence; inclined to swallow; chew lips, make sucks; To wave a hand, raise it, blending and bending your fingers and so on. It is impossible to derive from this state with words, nor light, no touch - consciousness. When the seizure ends, the patient independently comes to himself, but he does not remember anything from a second.

Some complex partial seizures continue for several hours, sometimes days. Externally, signs of epilepsy in adult men and women in this case, others may not be seen in this case: it seems that a person goes, thinking, on the road, even waiting for a green traffic signal, calmly dins and disguises at home, just looks slightly scattered. Such behavior is similar to the behavior of "Lunatikov".

Any type of partial attack can provoke secondary generalization, when the whole brain is involved in the process: convulsions begin, a person loses consciousness. But before that, he feels something, the famous and understandable only one, the so-called one. It lasts only a few seconds / minutes, but during this time the patient who understands: the attack will begin, may have time to prepare a little: lie down, remove sharp and hard objects, get away from the escalator. Unfortunately, it is impossible to escape from the attack itself.

What are generalized attacks

It does not matter, the tenth or first attack of epilepsy in adults occurred, he invariably accompanied the loss of consciousness - such is the main characteristic of a generalized secess. We will not remember the happening person.

Symptoms varies depending on the type of seaside:

  • . If in this form of the epilepsy symptom in adults is one-only - a sharp loss of consciousness (for a few seconds), then they talk about the simple form of the absax. Consciousness is not accompanied by a fall, a person just freezes on the spot, whatever he dealt - he spoke, she took, ate, and later returns to life. If, in addition, there are other signs, among which are sudden urination, eye ripping, multiple lick licking, gesturing, fast breathing, strengthening the rhythm of the heart, then you can diagnose the complex absax. This seizure is similar to complex partial, and even experienced doctors are often confused. The exact answer will give only electroencephalography;
  • mioclonic. His symptoms: Abbreviations of the muscles of increased strength: A person stands sharply and gets up, waving his hands, becomes knees, leans back his head, shrugs;
  • tonic. From 5 seconds to half minutes, muscle cramps continue. The patient bends his arms, legs, neck, body entirely;
  • tonic-clonic. Most common epileptic seizures, the reasons for which there may be a lack of full sleep, bust with alcohol, severe overexcitation. Even during the first attack of epilepsy in adults there is a sharp loss of consciousness with a fall. Then the convulsions begin. First, tonic (screams, sounds because of the gentle muscle contractions occur, it leads to the boning of the tongue language, strbing the entire body), which last half a minute. Followed by them - clonic (limb convulsions), the duration of which is about 1-2 minutes. The rest of the symptoms: the face blue and blues at the same time, the heart often beats, the pressure grows, foam appears on the lips (if a man bites a tongue, a cheek - foam mixed with blood). After the seizure, everything returns to normal: the muscles weaken, the man breathes loudly and freely, falls asleep. Sleeps from a few seconds to many hours. After waking up, at first does not understand what he has happened, who he is on the calendar day and year. Later memory is restored. What was with him - can not remember, but he feels pain in the head, muscles, weakness;
  • clonic. It happens rarely. Like a tonic-clonic attack. The only difference is missing the first stage;
  • astatic / ATONIC. The patient suddenly decreases muscle tone in one of the parts of the body. If in jaw, then it disperses, and the patient itself freezes motionless for a few seconds / minutes. If in the neck - the head falls sharply on the chest, and the patient is unable to raise it. Sometimes he can fall and himself.

These are the symptoms of epilepsy of its different types and types. The definition of the type / type is extremely important, since the doctor will be able to register the correct treatment, only knowing the accurate diagnosis.

Epilepsy - chronic neurological pathology, which is a predisposition of the human body to the sudden appearance of an attack, accompanied by convulsive reactions. In 5% of people, epilepsy develops in adulthood. The causes of the occurrence in adults are usually acquired, require careful study and treatment.

The basis of the nucleation of neuropathic disorders in epilepsism is pipoxysmal impulses in nerve cells (neurons) of the brain. Diseases are inherent in repeated typical attacks characterized by multimulative manifestations.

The development of the epiprust appears in the presence or interaction of two factors:

  1. The activity of a convulsion focus. The state occurs as a result of damage in a separate section of the brain. Subsequently, a scar is formed on the spot, sometimes a cyst is formed, filled with liquid. Periodically, the edema develops in this part, neurons irritating, which is why the skeleton muscles arise.
  2. The convulsive readiness of the brain. So the possibility of overexcitation in the core of the main body, when the anticonvulsant system is no longer able to restrain it.

In some cases, with an enhanced readiness of a significant amount of neurons, the excitation immediately captures the cerebral bark. Even the absence of an active focus often leads to the disconnection of consciousness. When the idle of excitability is normal, even with a vast focus appear local attacks.

The reasons

The causes of epilepsy in adults have different etiology. In 70%, the root of the problem is not possible, as a result, it is more difficult to treat the disease. But the reason - the concept is not entirely accurate, it is correct to call it by risk factors that provoke the development of pathology.

Classified disease in several criteria. The main division occurs due to its occurrence:

  1. Idiopathic. When neurons are genetically prone to the excitation and production of an electrical pulse. Under certain conditions, this feature is transformed into epilepsy.
  2. Symptomatic, or purchased. Could appear due to suffering from diseases or states that negatively affect the brain.
  3. Cryptogenic. The etiology of the emergence of attacks remains unexplained.

Among them allocate the main factors that have become a fundamental condition in which epilepsy is developing in adults:

  • Neof formation in the brain. Usually the reason is benign glioma and malignant tumors.
  • Brain injuries. Damage echoes may appear even after years, especially if there was a fracture of the skull, hematoma and a long loss of consciousness.
  • Inflammatory diseases of the brain (meningitis, encephalitis).
  • Circulatory disorders. After transferred strokes, epilepsy is diagnosed in 7% of patients.
  • Toxic brain lesions. There is due to the long-term admission of alcohol, drugs or drugs.

In each case, due to complex exchange processes Damage leads to a group of sensitive neurons with a low arousal threshold, which form an epileptic focus. From it, nervous irritation is transmitted to other cells, which becomes the attack of epilepsy. In what form (motor or mental, etc.) a phenomenon will appear depends on the functions of the neuron. Gradually, all new units of the nervous system are drawn into the process, sustainable bonds are formed, which leads to the progress of pathology, new types of manifestations.

Symptoms

Epilepsy is manifested by epileptic seizures. Their specifics of the expression displays the functions of neurons involved in the focus of excitation. In some cases, a convulsive attack lasts a few seconds, sometimes lasts from 2 to 6 minutes, sometimes up to a quarter of an hour and more. In the frequency of appearance per month, attacks can be:

  • rare, not more than 1 time;
  • middle, up to 4 times;
  • with more frequent manifestation - frequent.

Also seizures are differentiated into two large groupsEach of which varies with features. It depends on the origin of the disease, the localization of the affected focus, the EEG characteristics and the CNS state at the time of the occurrence of the attack. As a rule, in progression of the ailment, signs are complemented by new symptoms:

Partial

Such attacks are also called local. This is a common manifestation of the disease. Such seizures are developing in damage to nerve cells in one brain area and happen:

  • Motor. They are expressed in twitching muscles in separate parts of the body, manifest themselves in the turns of the head or eye. In the larynx spasm, a person makes sounds or shouting words. The condition appears suddenly and does not depend on the will. It is possible that having occurred in one part of the muscles, they capture half, then the whole body.
  • Sensory. Sometimes the symptoms are bothering tingling or burning. A patient before his eyes flashes sparks and outbreaks, noises are heard in the ears, taste or olfactory hallucinations arise. Sensitive phenomena may be accompanied by a march and gradually paint into generalized form.
  • Vesecome-visceral. The view is characterized by emerging sensations inside the body, in the abdomen and internal organs. It does not exclude tachycardia, increase in pressure, thirst or salivation, redness of the face.
  • Mental. Thinking and memory is addressed. They are accompanied by changes in mood (euphoria or longing). A person can be lost at home, the effect is possible, hallucinations arise, extraneous smells.

Local epiprigances are divided:

  • On simple. At the time of attacks, the loss of consciousness does not occur, so the patient tells about his feelings.
  • On complex. With such seizures there is a loss of consciousness, and the person does not always fall, just this period is erased from memory. The patient cannot explain what it was. A person freezes, not responding to the call, makes various movements or says something. Some types of seizures last clock or days, while people make adequate actions, but they do not react to others.

Partial seizures are able to progress into generalized species with convulsions (secondary generalization). Previous features become aura. Since a person does not lose consciousness at simple manifestations, he remembers his feelings and has time to take action to protect himself from damage.

In view of the diversity of symptoms, reveal the first signs of epilepsy in adults is difficult. Sometimes minor finger twitching or periodic muscle spasms Do not cause anxiety, the patient does not consider it necessary to mention them a doctor, although it becomes the first sign of a developing neurotic disorder.

Generalized

Primary generalization is a consequence of diffuse brain activity - accompanied by a loss of consciousness. At the end of the patient, it cannot remember that it happened at this moment. This species The state is also divided into types, which is associated with a variety of symptoms:

  • Abanasi. At the time of a simple seizure there is a loss of consciousness from 2 to 15 seconds. For example, talking, a person, as if turning off, then continues to communicate, as if nothing happened. With complex abanasas, the state is complemented by other signs: uncontrolled movement of the eyes, eyelids, hands, falling, heartbeat. Differentiate manifestations from partial pathology is not easy. Sometimes it makes it possible to make an electroencephalogram, it shows the involvement of the entire bark of the brain in paroxysm.
  • Mioclonic. The type is represented by extensive muscle contractions: shuddering, jogging, twitching, hands.
  • Tonic-clonic. In epilepsy, the seizures are most often found, so the idea of \u200b\u200bthe disease in humans was based on the manifestations of this species. The patient, losing consciousness, falls, sometimes hung hard, makes a cry because of the convulsive spasm of the muscles of the larynx. The tonic phase begins lasting from a quarter of an hour to 30 minutes. When compressing chewing muscles, a person can bite soft fabrics The oral cavity, the body is strifted by the arc. Next, the clonic stage arises (1 - 2 minutes), when the extension muscles of the limbs are reduced alternately. The face of the bugs, acquires a blue shade, a foam is distinguished from the mouth. At the end of the cramps gradually subsided, the muscles relax, the man falls asleep. Sleep duration lasts seconds, sometimes hours. The patient is not immediately restored. Initially, he can't navigate in space, he complains of headaches, memory loss. Then the functions are returned, but he does not remember the attack.
  • Tonic. Remind the muscle spasm, the body remains in tension.
  • Clonic. Twitching limbs and torso.
  • ATONIC. Characterized by relaxation of all muscles or a separate body portion.

The amount of epiprges is important, since every time it is damaged brain nerve cells, metabolic processes are oppressed, which leads to functional brain violations. This fact It becomes caused by changing human behavior, its character, cognitive abilities. Most often, manifestations are associated with the defeat of the temple department of the brain.

Epileptic status in what danger

When the seizure is long (more than half an hour) or several attacks are repeated alternately, without giving a person to consciousness, the condition is called "epileptic status". It occurs with all types of manifestations, is particularly pronounced in tonic-clinical types, threatens the life of the patient, requires immediate resuscitation measures.

If you do not assist in time, at half past cases, the situation ends with a fatal outcome. Why it is dangerous:

  • There is inhalation of saliva with blood, a person can choke.
  • Prolonged breathing delay causes hypoxia, reinforcing swelling in the brain.
  • The change in the acid-alkaline balance leads to a violation in hemodynamics.
  • Muscular activity increases the load on the heart, worsening the brain.
  • With a protubened epistatus, the depth of the coma increases.

After the cessation of convulsion, the stage of epileptic prostration occurs, in this state a person can die.

Diagnostics

When diagnosing epilepsy, the causes of its occurrence in adults are of paramount importance. It is necessary to establish them for the choice of productive therapeutic tactics. Finding the source of the problem and eliminating it, sometimes it is possible to save the patient from painful symptoms. The list of diagnostic measures includes:

  • Collection of anamnesis, where any trifle state of the patient is important. Significantly when the first symptoms appeared as they pass. Well, if the attack is registered on the video, if not, you will have to polish eyewitnesses about its manifestations.
  • Neurological examination.
  • Electroencephalography (EEG) - the effective method of research that determines the electrical activity in the brain.
  • Structural disorders in the hemispheres of the brain help to identify MRI and KTM.
  • Laboratory research.

All types of surveys make it possible to diagnose epilepsy, its origin and view.

Treatment

Treatment of epilepsy in adults - the process is long. In each case, individual therapy is selected, taking into account age, gender, etiology of the occurrence, features of the flow and activity of manifestations.

Medicia treatment

The main drug preparators appointed with epilepsy include:

  • Anticonvulsants, or anticonvulsants. Their action is aimed at reducing the duration and frequency of attacks. Take them for a long time: years, sometimes all your life. In some cases, the medicine eliminates the symptoms of the disease completely. The choice of a priority preparation is due to the type of seizure, the type of epilepsy in adults, its causes, the presence of somatic pathologies, the age of the patient. Apply: "Valproat", "Phenytoin", "Carbamazepine", "Lebethiracetam".
  • Anesthetics. To reduce the painful syndrome after the attack.
  • Calcium reception. Helps reduce convulsive manifestations.
  • Neurotropic agents. Activate or depress the transfer of nerve impulses in the VSNS departments.
  • Nootropic drugs. Affect the mental functions of the brain.

Patients are under the supervision of the attending physician. Each quarter is inspection of the patient's state, monitoring the effectiveness of therapy and research side effects drugs. In the absence of attacks for 2 years, the gradual cancellation of anticonvulsant treatment is not excluded.

Surgery

Operational intervention is carried out with frequent attacks when treatment does not bring success.

  • The operation implies resection of the brain tissue section, where the focus of the excitation or preventing the nerve bonds between the hemispheres of the Commoremia method is located. It is conducted if the condition improves is guaranteed and the affected area is accurately installed.
  • Electrostimulation - new methodThe recommended when the operation is impossible, and the medications are ineffective. It is a decrease in activity in the brain with a moderate electrical impulse. To do this, the neurosultimulator is sewn under the skin of the patient.

The operation does not always give a positive result, so preference is given to a new technique.

Epilepsy is complex, it is difficult to be serious, especially difficulties occur when it is manifested in adulthood. But, if, in time to diagnose pathology and correctly establish the cause, keep health quite real. Medicine is able to cope with the ailment, not only to keep its development, but also to completely stop the attacks.


- This is a common psychoneurological disease having a chronic latent nature of the flow. Despite this, for the disease, the appearance of sudden epileptic seizures is typically. They are due to the emergence of numerous foci of spontaneous excitation (nervous discharges) in certain parts of the brain.

Clinically such attacks are characterized by a temporary disorder of sensitive, motor, mental and vegetative functions.

The frequency of detection of this disease is an average of 8-11% (classical expanding attack) among the general population of the population of any country, regardless of the climatic location and economic Development. In fact, every 12th person sometimes experiences certain microprotes of epilepsy.

The overwhelming number of people believe that the epilepsy disease is incurable, and is a kind of "Divine Carray". But modern medicine Fully refutes such an opinion. Anti-epileptic tools help to suppress illness in 63% of patients, and in 18% to reduce its clinical manifestations.

The main treatment is a long, regular and permanent medicinal therapy In compliance with a healthy lifestyle.

The reasons for the development of epilepsy are different, WHO has grouped them into the following groups:

    Idiopathic - these are cases when the disease is inherited, often after tens of generations. Organically brain is not damaged, but there is a specific reaction of neurons. Such a form is inconvenient, and attacks arise without an explanatory reason;

    Symptomatic - there is always a reason for the development of foci of pathological impulse. These may be the consequences of injury, intoxication, tumors or cysts, malformations, etc. This is the most "unpredictable" form of epilepsy, since the attack may be provoked by the slightest irritant, for example, fright, fatigue or heat;

    Cryptogenic - it is not possible to accurately establish the true cause of the emergence of uncharacteristic (late) impulse foci.

When does epilepsy arise?

The seizures in many cases are observed in the newly born children at high body temperature. But this does not mean that in the future the person will have epilepsy. Such a disease can develop from any person at any age. But still, children and adolescents are faced more often.

75% of the sick epilepsy are people up to 20 years. As for people who are in twenty, there are usually to blame for various kinds of injury or strokes. Risk group - faces older than sixty years.

Symptoms of epilepsy

The manifestations of epilepsy attacks may differ from different patients. First of all, the symptoms depend on those brain areas, where the pathological discharge occurs and spreads. In this case, the signs will be directly related to the functions of affected brain departments. Muscular disorders can occur, speech disorders, increasing or decay of muscle tone, dysfunction mental processes, moreover, both isolated and in various combinations.

The severity and set of signs will also depend on the specific type of epilepsy.

Jackson attacks

Thus, with Jackson attacks, pathological irritation covers a certain zone of the brain, without extending to neighboring, therefore the manifestations concern strictly certain muscle groups. Usually psychomotor disorders are short, a person is conscious, but it is distinguished by confusion and loss of contact with others. The patient is not aware of the violation of functions and rejects help. After a few minutes, the condition is completely normalized.

Seasoning twitching or numbness begins with hand, foot or legs, but they can spread to the entire half of the body or go to a large convulsive fit. In the latter case, they talk about a secondary generalized attack.

A large convulsive fit consists of sequentially replacing each other phases:

    Prerefficers - a few hours before the start of the attack of the patient covers an alarming state characterized by increasing the nervous excitement. The focus of pathological activity in the brain is gradually growing, covering all new departments;

    Tonic convulsions - All muscles are sharply strained, the head throws out, the patient drops, hitting the floor, the body of it is arched by the arc and is held in this position. Due to the stop of the breath, the face blue. Phase is briefly, about 30 seconds, rarely - to minute;

    Clonic convulsions - All body muscles quickly rhythmically reduce. Increased salivation, having a type of foam from the mouth. Duration - up to 5 minutes, after which breathing is gradually restored, the sinusiness comes from the face;

    A stupor - strong braking begins in the focus of pathological electrical activity, all patient's muscles relax, possibly involuntary separation of urine, feces. The patient loses consciousness, there are no reflexes. Phase lasts up to 30 minutes;

    Sleep.

After waking up the patient, 2-3 days can torment, weakness, motor disorders.

Small attacks

Small attacks leak less brightly. Series twisted mimic muscles, a sharp drop in the muscular tone (as a result of which a person falls) or, on the contrary, the voltage of all muscles when the patient is frozen in a certain position. Consciousness persists. Perhaps temporary "absence" - Absanx. Sick for a few seconds freezes, can roll his eyes. After the attack, he does not remember what happened. Small attacks often begin in preschool age.

Epileptic status

Epileptic status is a series of seizures following each other. In the interruptions between them, the patient does not come into consciousness, has a reduced muscle tone and the absence of reflexes. Its pupils can be extended, narrowed or to be of different sizes, pulse either rapidly, or hardly provers. This condition requires immediate medical careSince it is characterized by increasing brain hypoxia and its edema. The absence of timely medical intervention leads to irreversible consequences and lethal outcome.

Everything epileptic attacks They have a sudden beginning and end spontaneously.


No one total reasons Epilepsy, which could explain its appearance. Epilepsy is not healthy disease In the literal sense, but still in certain families, where someone from relatives suffered from this disease, the likelihood of the disease is higher. About 40% of patients with epilepsy have close relatives with this disease.

There are several varieties of epileptic seizures. The severity is different. The attack in which only one part of the brain is to blame, is called partial, or focal. If the whole brain suffers, then such a fit is called generalized. There are mixed seizures: begin with one part of the brain, later cover the entire body.

Unfortunately, in seventy percent cases, the cause of the disease remains unexplained.

Undoubtedly, the presence of brain tumors in the ancestors leads to a high probability of transferring the entire complex of the disease to descendants - this is with an idiopathic version. Especially if there is genetic predisposition CNS cells to hyperreactivity, epilepsy has the maximum possibility of manifestation of descendants.

At the same time, there is a dual option - symptomatic. The decisive factor here is the intensity of the genetic transmission of the organic structure of the neurons of the brain (the property of excitability) and their sustainability to physical impacts. For example, if a person with normal genetics can "stand up" any blow on the head, then another, with a predisposition, will react to it a generalized seizure of epilepsy.

As for the cryptogenic form, it has been little studied, and the reasons for its development are not clear enough.

Is it possible to drink with epilepsy?

Unambiguous answer - no! With epilepsy in any case drink alcoholic beverages You can not, otherwise, with a 77% guarantee, you can provoke a generalized convulsive fit, which can be the last in life!

Epilepsy is a very serious neurological disease! In compliance with all the recommendations and the "right" lifestyle, people can live quietly. But in disruption of the drug or disregard forces (alcohol, drugs), it is possible to provoke a state that will directly threaten health!

What are the surveys?

In order to diagnose the disease, the doctor explores the history of the patient himself, as well as his relatives. Put the accurate diagnosis is very difficult. The doctor before that makes a lot of work: checks the symptoms, the frequency of seizures, the attack is described in detail - it helps to determine its development, because the person who has suffered a fit does not remember anything. Later make electroencephalography. The procedure does not cause pain sensations - This is the record of your brain. Methods such as computer, positron-emission and magnetic resonance tomography can also be used.

What is the forecast?

If the epilepsy is treated correctly, then in eighty percent of cases, people with such a disease live without any seizures and without restrictions in activity.

Many have all their lives to take anti-epileptic drugs in order to prevent seizures. In rare cases, the doctor can cancel the reception of drugs, if a person has not been experiencing attacks for several years. Epilepsy is dangerous in that such states, as a suffocation (which may occur if a person fell face on a pillow, etc.) or the fall entail injuries or death. In addition, epileptic seizures may occur in a row for a short time, which may entail the respiratory stop.

As for generalized tonic-clonic attacks, they can end with death. People who experience these attacks need constant supervision, at least from relatives.

What consequences?

Epilepsy patients are often faced with the fact that their attacks scare other people. Children may suffer from the fact that they will avoid classmates. Also, young children with such a disease can not be involved in sports games and competitions. Despite the correct selection of anti-epileptic therapy, the appearance of hyperactive behavior and difficulties in learning.

A person may have to be limited in any kind of activities - for example, a driving of a car. People who are seriously sick epilepsy should follow their mental statewhich is inseparable from the disease.

How to treat epilepsy?

Despite the seriousness and danger of the disease, subject to timely diagnosis and proper treatment Epilepsy in half cases of healing. And to achieve a resistant remission succeeded in about 80% of patients. If the diagnosis is made for the first time, and immediately conducted a course medical therapy, two thirds of patients with epilepsy seizures during life or more are not repeated at all, or fade at least for several years.

Treatment of epilepsy, depending on the type of disease, shape, symptoms and age of the patient is carried out surgical or conservative method. More often resort to the latter, since the reception of anti-epileptic drugs gives persistent positive effect Almost 90% of patients.

Medicase treatment of epilepsy includes several main stages:

    Differential diagnosis - allows you to determine the form of the disease and type of attacks to correctly select the drug;

    Establishing reasons - With the symptomatic (most common) form of epilepsy, a thorough examination of the brain is necessary for the presence of structural defects: aneurysm, benign or malignant neoplasms;

    Prevention of attacks - It is advisable to completely eliminate risk factors: overwork, lack of sleep, stress, supercooling, alcohol reception;

    Epileptic status relief or single seizures - produced by providing emergency care and the appointment of one anticonvulsant drug or medication complex.

It is very important to inform the nearest environment about the diagnosis and correct behavior during the seizure, so that people know how to protect the patient with epilepsy from injuries during falling and convulsions, to prevent blocked and touch the tongue and stopping the breath.

Medical treatment of epilepsy

Regular reception of prescribed medicines allows you to count on a quiet life without attacks. The situation is unacceptable when the patient begins to drink medication only when the epileptic aura appears. If the pills were taken on time, the harbingers of the coming attack, most likely, and would not have arisen.

During conservative treatment Epilepsy patient should follow the following rules:

    Strictly observe the graph of reception of drugs and not change the dosage;

    In no case do not appoint yourself other medicines on the advice of friends or pharmaceutical pharmacist;

    If there is a need to go to an analogue of the prescribed drug due to the lack of it in the pharmacy network or too high prices, notify the attending physician and get advice on the choice of a suitable replacement;

    Do not stop the treatment upon reaching a rack positive dynamics without the permission of its neuropathologist;

    Timely notify the Doctors of all unusual symptoms, positive or negative shifts in a state, mood and general well-being.

More than half of the patients after primary diagnosis and the appointment of one anti-epileptic drug live without attacks long years, constantly holding the selected monotherapy. The main task of the neuropathologist is to choose the optimal dosage. Start medicia treatment Epilepsy with small doses, while the patient is carefully observed. If the attacks cannot be stopped immediately, the dosage is gradually increased until resistant remission comes.

Patients with partial epileptic seizures are prescribed the following groups of drugs:

    Carboxamides - carbamazepine (40 rubles per pack 50 tab.), Finlepsin (260 rubles per pack 50 tab.), Actinerval, Timonyl, Zeptol, Carbasant, Targetol (300-400 rubles per pack 50 tab.);

    Valproaty - Depakin Chrono (580 rubles for packaging 30 Table.), Encorate Chrono (130 rubles per package 30 Table.), Convalex (in drops - 180 rubles, in syrup - 130 rubles), convoilelex retard (300-600 rubles per pack 30-60 Table.), Valparin Retard (380-600-900 rubles per package 30-50-100 Table.);

    Phenytian - diphenin (40-50 rubles per package 20 Table.);

    Phenobarbital - domestic production - 10-20 rubles per package 20 Table., Foreign analogue luminal - 5000-6500 rubles.

To the preparations of the first stage in the treatment of epilepsy are valves and carboxamides, they give good therapeutic effect And cause a minimum side Effects. For a day, a patient is prescribed 600-1200 mg of carbamazepine or 1000-2500 mg of depair, depending on the severity of the disease. The dosage is separated by 2-3 receptions during the day.

The phenobarbital and the drugs of the phenytinoine series are considered outdated today, they give a lot of hazardous side effects, inhibit the nervous system and can be addictive, so modern neuropathologists refuse them.

The most convenient for use are the prolonged shapes of the valproids (Depair Chrono, Encorate Chrono) and Carboxamides (Finlepsin Retard, Targetol PC). These medicines are enough to take 1-2 times a day.

Depending on the type of attacks, epilepsy treatment is carried out using the following drugs:

    Generalized seizures - a complex of hollows with carbamazepine;

    Idiopathic form - Valproids;

    Absans - Etosuximide;

    Myoclonic seizures - Only hollows, phenytoin and carbamazepine do not give effect.

The latest innovations among anti-epileptic drugs are Tiagabin and Lookinux preparations - well established themselves in practice, so if the doctor recommends and finance allow you to better stop your choice on them.

The termination of drug therapy can be wondering after at least five years of rescue. Treatment of epilepsy is completed, gradually reducing the dosage of the drug to full failure for six months.

Removing epileptic status

If the patient is in a state of epileptic status (the attack lasts many hours or even the day), it is intravenously introduced any of the preparations of the Sibazon group (diazepam, sider) in a dosage of 10 mg per 20 ml of glucose solution. After 10-15 minutes, you can repeat the injection if the epileptic status is saved.

Sometimes sybazone and its analogs are ineffective, and then resort to phenytino, Gaxenal or Tiopental sodium. An intravenously introduced 1-5% solution with a content of 1 g of the drug, making three-minute pauses after every 5-10 ml to prevent the fatal deterioration of hemodynamics and / or stop breathing.

If no injections help to derive the patient from the state of epileptic status, you have to use an inhalation solution of oxygen with nitrogen (1: 2), but this technique is not applicable in the case of difficult breathing, collapse or coma.

Surgical treatment of epilepsy

When symptomatic epilepsycaused by aneurysm, abscess or brain tumor, doctors have to resort to surgical interference to eliminate the cause of the seizures. These are very complex operations that are usually carried out under local anesthesia so that the patient can be in consciousness, and at its state it was possible to control the integrity of the brain sites responsible for the most important functions: motor, speech, visual.

So-called temporal form epilepsy is also good surgical treatment. During operation, the surgeon either produces complete resection of the temporal lobe of the brain, or removes only the almond body and / or hippocampus. The percentage of success of such interventions is very high - up to 90%.

In rare cases, namely, children with congenital hemiplegia (underdevelopment of one of the hemispheres of the brain) are carried out by hemisferectomy operation, that is, completely removed the patient with a hemisphere to prevent global pathologies of the nervous system, including epilepsy. Forecast for the future in such kids is good because the potential human brain huge, and one hemisphere is quite enough for full-fledged life and clear thinking.

In the primary diagnosed idiopathic form of epilepsy, the operation of the Callezotomy (cutting of the corn body, which provides a link between two hemispheres of the brain) is very effective. Such an intervention warns the re-appearance of epileptic seizures about 80% of patients.

First aid

How to help a sick person if he has an attack? So, if a person suddenly fell and began to adapt to his hands and legs, throwing his head back, look and make sure the pupils are expanded. This is an attack of epilepsy.

The first thing to move away from the person all the items, which during the seizure he can drop over. Then turn it on the side and put something soft under the head to prevent injuries. If a person has arose, turn his head on the side, in this case it will help prevent the penetration of vomit in the respiratory tract.


The first thing to move away from the person all the items, which during the seizure he can drop over. Then turn it on the side and put something soft under the head to prevent injuries. If a person has arose, turn his head on his side, in this case it will help prevent the penetration of vomiting into the respiratory tract.

During the epileptic seizure, do not try to drink the patient and do not strive forcibly to hold it. Your strength still does not have enough. Ask others to call a doctor.


Education: In 2005, an internship was held in the first Moscow State Medical University named after I. M. Sechenov and received a diploma in the specialty "Neurology". In 2009, graduate school was completed in the specialty "Nervous Diseases".



Epilepsy is a psychoneurological disease that is manifested by the emergence of sudden convulsive attacks. The disease occurs in chronic form.

The mechanism for the development of attacks is associated with the emergence of multiple foci of spontaneous arousal in different parts of the brain, and accompanied by disorder of sensitive, motor, mental and vegetative activities.

The frequency of the disease is 1% of the total population. Very often, the seizures arise in children due to high convulsive readiness children's body, light emasculation of the brain and the generalized CNS reaction to stimuli.

There is a lot different species Both forms, we will go through the main types of disease and their symptoms in newborns, in children and adults.

Disease of newborns

Epilepsy in newborns is also called intermittent. The seizures are common, convulsions are moving from one limb to another and on one side of the body to another. Such symptoms like foam from the mouth, the snacking of the language and the post-prior falling is not observed.

Manifestations can develop on the background high temperatures Body. After the consciousness returns, weakness can be celebrated in one half of the body, and it can sometimes continue for several days.

To the symptoms that are precursors of the attack include:

  • irritability;
  • lack of appetite;
  • headache.

Features of epileptic seizures in children

Over time, myoclonies occur - involuntary muscle contractions. Mental changes occur very often.

The frequency of attacks can be completely different. They can happen both every day and several times a month or even less often. Along with seizures, consciousness disorders may arise. However, it is this form of the disease that is the easiest to be therapy.

This form of epilepsy develops due to brain damage. Symptoms are manifested in. This type of epilepsy occurs about 10% of victims, which suffered such an injury.

The likelihood of pathology increases to 40% with penetrating brain injury. Characteristic signs Diseases may occur not only in the near future after the defeat, but also after several years from the moment of injury. They will depend on the portion of pathological activity.

Alcoholic injection in the brain

- One of the heavy consequences of alcoholism. Characterized by sudden convulsive seizures. The cause of pathology lies in long alcohol intoxication, especially against the background of the reception of poor-quality drinks. Additional factors are, transferred head injuries, atherosclerosis.

It may occur in the first few days from the moment of the cessation of alcohol consumption. At the beginning of the attack there is a loss of consciousness, then the face is very pale, vomiting arises and the foaming of mouth. The seizure ends as consciousness returns to man. After the seizure comes long deep sleep. Symptoms:

  • convulsions;
  • burning pain;
  • sensation of skin tightening;
  • hallucinations.

Dismissed epilepsy

This form is a frequent option for the development of the disease. Symptoms are expressed in personal changes. It can continue from a few minutes to several days. Disappears as suddenly, as it starts.

In this case, under the attack means the narrowing of consciousness, while the perception of patients with surrounding reality focuses only on emotionally significant phenomena for it.

The main feature of this form of epilepsy - hallucinations, having an awesome subtext, as well as the manifestation of emotions to the extreme degree of their expression. This type of disease accompanies mental disorders. After the attacks, a person does not remember what happened to him, only the residual memories of events may occur.

Classification of epilepsy for brain lesions zones

There are the following types of disease in this classification.

Frontal form of epilepsy

Lobal epilepsy is characterized by the location of pathological foci in the frontal shares of the brain. May manifest at any age.

The attacks happen very often, do not have regular intervals, and their duration does not exceed the minute. Start and ends suddenly. Symptoms:

  • feeling heat;
  • disorderly speech;
  • meaningless movements.

A special option for this form is. It is considered the most favorable disease option. In this case, the convulsive activity of the neurons of the pathological focus increases at night. T. K. The excitation is not transmitted to neighboring sites, the attacks are more gently. Night epilepsy accompanying such states as:

  • somnambulism - committing any active activity at the time of sleep;
  • - uncontrollable shuddering of the limbs at the time of awakening or waste to sleep;
  • enuresis - involuntary urination.

Lesion in the temporal share

Develops due to the influence of a set of factors, it may be generic injury, damage to the temporal share during receipt or inflammatory processes brain. Characterized by the following short symptoms:

  • nausea;
  • stomach ache;
  • spasms in the intestine;
  • student heartbeat and pain in the heart;
  • labored breathing;
  • abundant sweating.

There are also changes in consciousness, such as loss of motivation and performing meaningless actions. In the future, pathology can lead to social deadaption and expressed vegetative disorders. The disease has chronic character and progresses over time.

Towing epilepsy

It occurs in small children aged 2 to 4 years old, has a benign character and a favorable forecast. Causes can be different, tumors, congenital villocks brain. Symptoms:

  • visual disorders - appear lightning ,;
  • hallucinations;
  • rotation of eyeballs.

Cryptogenic nature of the disease

About such a form of the disease is said in the case when it is impossible to identify the main reason for the occurrence of convulsive seizures.

Symptoms will be directly dependent on the location of the pathological focus in the brain.

Often, this diagnosis is intermediate, and due to the further survey, it is possible to determine the specific form of epilepsy and appoint the therapy.

Varieties of seizures

Epileptic seizures are classified by groups depending on the source of the epileptic pulse. There are two main types of seizures and their subspecies.

Attacks at which the discharge begins in localized brain cortex zones and has one or more foci of activity, they have the name (focal). Attacks characterized by simultaneous discharges in the crust of both hemispheres are called generalized.

The main types of epileptic seizures:

  1. For partial Attimes the main focus of epileptic activity is most often localized in temporal and frontal fractions. These attacks may be simple with the preservation of consciousness when the discharge does not apply to other areas. Simple attacks can go into complex. Complicated may be symptomatically similar to simple, but in this case there is always a disconnection of consciousness and characteristic automated movements. Also isolated partial attacks with secondary generalization. They can be simple or complicated, but at the same time the discharge applies to both hemispheres and is converted to a generalized or tonic-clonic attack.
  2. Generalized The seizures are characterized by the appearance of a pulse, which affects the entire bark of the brain from the beginning of the attack. Such attacks begin without preceding aura, the loss of consciousness occurs immediately.

The generalized attacks include tonic-clonic, myoclonic seizures and absans:

Semiology of epileptic attacks:

Briefly about the main thing

He has two directions - and surgical. Medicaased consists in the appointment of a complex of anticonvulsant drugs acting on a specific zone of the brain (depending on the localization of the pathological focus).

The main task of such therapy is to relieve or a significant decrease in the number of attacks. Medicines are prescribed individually, depending on the type of epilepsy, the age of the patient and other physiological features.

As a rule, such drugs have a number of side effects, so it is necessary to strictly observe all the instructions of a specialist and in no case change the dose of reception.

If the disease progresses, and treatment with drugs remains unsuccessful, carried out surgical intervention. Such an operation is the removal of pathologically active areas of the cortex of the brain.

In the event that epileptic impulses arise in those areas that cannot be removed, cuts in the brain are performed. Such a procedure prevents their transition to other sections.

In most cases, patients who suffered an operation, the convulsions are no longer repeated, but for a long time they still need to take drugs in small doses to reduce the risk of returning attacks.

In general, the therapy of this disease is focused on the creation of conditions that will provide rehabilitation and normalization of the patient's condition on a psycho-emotional and physical level.

With properly selected and adequate treatment, you can achieve very favorable results, which will help to lead a full-fledged lifestyle. However, such people should adhere to right regime, not allow inappropriate, overeating, staying at high altitude, the effects of stress and other adverse factors.

It is very important to abandon the reception of coffee, alcohol, narcotic drugs And smoking.

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