Epilepsy causes and treatment. Epilepsy: symptoms in adults
Epilepsy is a fairly common disease. nervous systemWearing chronic character and characterized by the attacks of the chaotic electrical activity of some parts and brain as a whole.
In most cases, epilepsy is congenital, Thus, attacks appear in children (age from 5 to 10 years) and adolescents (in the age category 12-18 years). In this situation, damage to the brain substance are not determined, changes affect only the electrical activity of nerve cells, and also there is a decrease in the brain excitability threshold. Epilepsy of this type is called idiopathic, or primary. It is distinguished by a benign course, it is safely treated, as a result, with age, the patient can completely eliminate the reception of drugs.
There is also symptomatic, or secondary, Type of epilepsy. Its development is associated with the damage to the structure of the brain or failure in its exchange processes, which are a consequence of a number of pathological effects (cranial and brain injuries, underdevelopment of brain structures, strokes, infections, tumors, drug treatment and alcohol, and so on.). Such a form of epilepsy can develop in people of any age, it requires more complex treatment. However, in some cases, when it turns out a major disease, perhaps full cure.
Types of epileptic attacks
The manifestation of epilepsy can be associated with very different species attacks. The classification of such types is as follows:due to the appearance of attacks: primary and secondary epilepsy;
according to the event development scenario during the attack (attack, accompanied or not accompanied by loss of consciousness);
at the location of the initial focus excessive electrical activity (depth brain departments, left or right hemispheres).
Generalized attacks accompanied by a complete loss of consciousness and the inability to control the actions accomplished. This is due to excessive activation of deep departments and the subsequent involvement of the brain as a whole. This condition is not necessarily accompanied by a fall, Since the muscle tone is not violated in all cases.
For tonic-clonic attack First, the tonic tension of the muscles of all groups occurs, after which it follows, After that, the patient marked the rhythmic flexion-extensible movements in the jaw, head, the limbs (so-called clonic convulsions).
Absans manifest usually in childhood and accompanied by the suspension of the activity of the child - His view loses awareness, it seems to freeze in one place, in some cases it can be accompanied by twisting the facial and eye muscles.
Partial epileptic attacks W. 80 % adult people and in 60 % Cases in children. They appear when, in some particular section of the cortex of the brain, the focus of excessive electrical excitability is formed. Depending on the place where there is a similar focus, the manifestations of the partial attack are also distinguished: sensitive, motor, mental and vegetative.
If the attack is simple, the patient is in consciousness, but can not control the specific part of its own body or notes unfamiliar sensations for itself. In the case of a complex attack, consciousness is broken (partially lost), that is the patient is not aware of what is happening around where he is, At the same time, he does not come to contact. A complex attack, as well as simple, is accompanied by an uncontrolled motor activity of a certain part of the body, in some cases it may acquire the nature of the targeted movement - the patient walks, talks, smiles, "dives," sings, "hits the ball" or continues the action started to Attack of attack (chewing, walking, conversation). The result of both types of attack, and simple, and complex, may be generalization.
All species of attacks are characterized by frequency - their duration is from a few seconds to three minutes. After most of the attacks, with the exception of absans, drowsiness and confusion occurs. When the attack is accompanied by a violation or loss of consciousness, the patient does not remember what happened. One patient may have different types of attacks, and the frequency of their occurrence can also change.
Intergreacy manifestations of epilepsy
Everyone knows that epilepsy is manifested in the form of epileptic attacks. However, studies show that the overestimated electric activity and the readiness of the brain to cramps do not leave patients even in the intervals between the attacks, when no signs of the disease, at first glance, are not observed.The danger of epilepsy is that epileptic encephalopathy may develop, That is, this condition in which the mood is reduced, anxiety appears, the level of memory, attention and cognitive functions falls. This problem is particularly acute in children, because it may cause backlog in development and prevent the formation of reading skills, speech, account, letters, and so on. In addition, incorrect electrical activity in the intervals between the attacks can cause such severe diseases as migraine, autism, hyperactivity syndrome and attention deficit syndrome.
Causes of epilepsy
We have already said that there are two varieties of epilepsy: symptomatic and idiopathic. Most often, symptomatic epilepsy is partial, and idiopathic - generalized. It is connected with different reasons that are causing them. In the nervous system, the signals between the nerve cells are transmitted using an electrical pulse generated on the surface of all cells. Sometimes, extra, excess impulses appear, however, if the brain is normally functioning, these pulses are neutralized with anti-epileptic structures. If there is a genetic defect of these structures, an idiopathic generalized epilepsy appears. In such situation the brain does not control the excessive electrical excitability of cells, As a result, it is manifested as a convulsive readiness capable of "enslaving" the bark of all hemispheres and lead to a row.Partial epilepsy It is characterized by the formation in some one brain hemisphere of the hearth with epileptic nerve cells. These cells form an excess electrical charge. Responding to it, healthy anti-epileptic structures form about such a focus "Protective shaft". The convulsive activity is constrained to a certain point, but the climax occurs when epileptic discharges are pulled out beyond the shaft boundaries and take the form of an attack. Most likely, re-attack will come after a while, Since the "road" is now open.
A similar focus with epileptic cells is formed in most cases against a background of some kind of disease or a painful state. We list the main ones:
brain tumors;
insufficient development of cerebral structures - appears not as a result of genetic rearrangements (as in the case of idiopathic epilepsy), and during the maturation of the fetus, it can be detected on MRI;
chronic alcoholism;
consequences of stroke;
card and brain injuries;
infections of the central nervous system (mengenencephalite, encephalitis, brain abscess);
receive row drug addicts (neuroleptics, antidepressants, armored vehicles, antibiotics);
multiple sclerosis;
drug use (especially cocaine, amphetamines, ephedrine);
antiphospholipid syndrome;
a number of hereditary metabolic diseases.
Factors of development of epilepsy
In some cases, the genetic defect does not take the form of idiopathic epilepsy and a person is not subject to illness. However, if "favorable" conditions arise (one of the above states or diseases), some form of symptomatic epilepsy may appear. At the same time, people are in young age in most cases epilepsy is developing after CMT and on the background of narcotic and alcohol dependence, And in the elderly people - as a result of stroke or brain tumors.Complications for epilepsy
If the epileptic attack continues longer than half an hour or if epileptic seizures follow one after another, while the patient is unconscious, such a state is called epileptic status. This state in most cases occurs if there is a sharply suspend the reception of antiepileptic drugs. The result of epileptic status in the patient can be a breakdown of breathing, stopping the heart, the fall of the vomit in airways And, as a result, pneumonia, as well as a coma against the background of brain edema. The death is not excluded.Life with epilepsy
Many believe that a person suffering from epilepsy is forced to largely limit himself, many life paths are not available to him, but it's not so hard to live with epilepsy. The patient himself, as well as his relatives and people around him, should know that, as a rule, the epilepsy suffering may not even make disability.Full life is ensured by regular continuous reception of prescribed medicines. The brain under the protection of drug drugs loses susceptibility to provoking factors. Therefore, the patient can live full life, work (even at the computer), watch TV, play sports, fly on airplanes and so on.
However, there are several types of activities that affect the epileptic brain as a red rag on the bull. It should be limited to such actions as:
work with automated mechanisms;
driving a car;
cancel or skip reception of tablets at your own accord;
swimming in open reservoirs or in the pool without supervision.
In addition, there is factors that can lead to epileptic attack Even a person without health problems,
They also need to be protected:
regular use or abuse of drugs and alcohol;
work in night shifts, lack of sleep, daily operation.
Symptoms and signs of epilepsy
Depending on the form of epilepsy and, taking into account the characteristics of each patient, signs and symptoms of epilepsy are distinguished. Symptoms are allocated that precede the seizure; symptoms accompanying fit; symptoms following the seizure.Harppings of an attack of epilepsy. Epileptic aura.
Approximately every fifth person suffering from epilepsy for a while (minutes, hours, days) begins to feel the approach. Epileptic aura - This is a combination of feelings and experiences that indicate the emergence of an epilepsy attack. It is visual, somatosensory, olfactory, auditory, mental, taste.The epileptic aura can manifest itself as a change in smell or taste, a feeling of nervousness or general tension, the feeling of "deja-vu" or inexplicable confidence that the seizure is already coming.
Symptoms and signs of epileptic seizure
The duration of epileptic seizures, as a rule, ranges from a pair of seconds to one or two minutes. The main symptoms of epilepsy are as follows:visual hallucinations;
extremely strong sensation of a non-existent unpleasant or pleasant smell,
cases of "shutdown" of the patient and disappearing the reaction to the surrounding reality,
cases of cutting loss of consciousness and muscle tone,
involuntary turn to the side or involuntary slopes of the body and head forward,
episodes of twitching muscles or rhythmic movements in the limbs that do not depend on the will of the patient,
incoming defecation or urine loss accompanying loss of consciousness or convulsions.
Diagnosis of epilepsy
When the diagnosis of epilepsy is made, the main thing is to determine which character it wears: secondary or idiopathic (that is, eliminate the presence of the main disease, which is the background for the progression of epilepsy), and in addition, the type of attack. This measure is needed to competently assign treatment. Directly the patient often does not remember how and what happens to him when the attack happens. That is, the information that the patient's environment can report, people present in the manifestations of epilepsy, are extremely important.Studies that need to be held:
EEG (electroencephalography) - reflects the modified electric brain activity. When the attack occurs, the changes to the EEG is always visible. However, in the intervals between the EEG attacks, it corresponds to the norm in 40 %
cases, so we need provocative samples, repeated surveys and video EEG monitoring;
general and deployed biochemical analysis blood;
CT (computed tomography) or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) brain,
if there are suspicions of a specific main disease in the case of symptomatic epilepsy, it is necessary to carry out additional surveys.
Epilepsy therapy
The essence of the treatment of epilepsy consists in the normalization of the electrical activity of the brain and stopping the attacks. To stabilize the membrane of brain nerve cells and due to this, increase the level of convulsive readiness and reduce electrical excitability, anti-epileptic drugs are prescribed. The result of such a drug impact is to reduce the risk of the appearance of another epileptic attack. Reduce the excitability of the brain between the attacks, which contributes to additional stabilization of the state and prevent the progression of epileptic encephalopathy, can be lakmictala and valproids.Apply:
antiepileptic drugs such as valproaty (Depakin Chrono), Carbamazepine (Finlepsin), Topamax, Lamiketal, Clonazepam, Gabapentin and so on. What exactly to choose the drug and in what dosage to use, the doctor decides.
If the epilepsy is secondary, additional treatment is carried out by the main disease.
Symptomatic treatment (for example, drugs that reduce depression or improving memory).
To protect themselves, patients with epilepsy should take anti-epileptic drugs for a long time. Alas, preparations of this group can lead to the appearance of side effects, such as lethargy, a decrease in cognitive activity and immunity, hair loss. For timely identification of unwanted effects, every six months do the ultrasound of the kidneys and liver, biochemical and general analysis blood.
The path to deliverance from epilepsy a nodogue, a thorny and requires considerable strength, but through 2,5-3 years since the last attack is carried out again comprehensive examinationcomprising MRI brain and video EEG monitoring, and then begin to smoothly reduce the dose of the anti-epileptic drug until it is completely canceled. The patient conducts a familiar lifestyle, keeps the same precautions, but it no longer depends on the reception of medicines. Such a cure takes place in 75 % Epilepsy cases.
Epilepsy is a common chronic diseases of a neurological nature, which manifests itself in sudden convulsive attacks. Previously, this pathology was called "hollow" and was considered the Divine Carray. Epilepsy disease is often congenital in nature, as a result of which the first attacks arise in children who are in the age stage from five to ten years or during the period of pubertal development. Clinically attacks of epilepsy are characterized by transient sensitive, mental, motor and vegetative dysfunction.
Epilepsy in adults is divided into idiopathic (inherited, often even after dozens of generations), symptomatic (there is a certain reason for the formation of foci of pathological impulse) and cryptogenic (it is impossible to establish the exact cause of the appearance of late impulse foci).
Causes of epilepsy
In almost 60% of incidence incidence, the exact cause of epilepsy cannot be established. It is more often diagnosed with an idiopathic and cryptogenic form of epilepsy unclear etiology.
Epilepsy, what is it? It comes against the background of increasing the activity of structural units of the brain. Presumably such an increase is based on the chemical peculiarities of brain cells and some properties of the cell membrane. It has been established that patients suffering from data from the disease, brain tissue are highly sensitive to changes in chemical compositionwhich occur as a result of the impact of a variety of stimuli. Similar signals entering the brain of a healthy individual and a person sick, in the first case remain unnoticed, and in the second, they lead to the seizure.
The causes of epilepsy can be determined depending on the age stage, on which for the first time the disease appeared. The disease under consideration can not be attributed to diseases of a hereditary nature, but 40% of individuals suffering from epilepsy are relatives that are tormented by seizures. A child can be inherited by the specific features of the brain activity, braking and excitation functions, a high level of readiness for a paroxysmal brain reaction to external changes and fluctuations in internal factors. If one parent suffers from this ailment, the probability of its appearance in the baby is approximately 6%, if both are 12%. More often a tendency to the disease is inherited if the seizures are characterized by a generalized current, and not focal.
Epilepsy causes. By probable reasons that generate the development of the disease under consideration can be attributed to the first turn, brain damage during the period of intrauterine formation of the fetus. In addition, among the factors contributing to the emergence of epilepsy, it is necessary to allocate:
- cranopy and brain damage;
- genetic changes;
- congenital defects;
- circulatory disorder in the brain;
- various infectious pathologies (meningitis, encephalitis);
- Abscesses and tumor processes in the brain.
Psycho-emotional overvoltage, stressful states, overwork, lack of sleep or overall sleep, climate change, bright light are considered provoking epilepsy factors. The main cause of convulsive states in the kids are perinatal complications. Generic and postpartum damage to the head lead to brain hypoxia. It is believed that in 20% of cases, the cause of epilepsy is precisely oxygen starvation of the brain. Brain injuries of approximately 5-10% of cases lead to the emergence of the considered aless.
Epilepsy in humans may occur after a strong head of the head, as a result of a road accident, gunshot wound. Post-traumatic convulsive seizures are often developing immediately immediately after the injury or injury, but there are cases when they appear after several years. Experts claim that people who have suffered severe head damage, which led to a long loss, have a high likelihood of this ailment. The pathology under consideration rarely can develop due to minor brain damage.
The transfer of a number of infectious or somatic diseases can also generate epileptic seizures. These diseases should be attributed: tumor processes in the brain, children's cerebral paralysis, meningitis, encephalitis, vascular pathologies, etc. Approximately in 15% of cases convulsions are the first sign of systemic red lupus.
About 35% of brain tumors provoke repeated seizures of this ailment. At the same time, the brain tumors themselves cause approximately 15% of cases of convulsive states. Most individuals have an epilepsy in history, there are no other visible brain anomalies. Brain capillary dysplasia also often leads to re-attacks. Disturbance of metabolism is often becoming factors provoking the emergence of epilepsy. In this case, such violations may have hereditary features either be acquired, for example, due to lead poisoning. Metabolism disorder in about 10% of cases leads to the origin of epilepsy. Regular consumption by calorie, rich in carbohydrate and food fats, can seriously affect metabolism and provoke convulsions with almost any subject. Diabetes people as well as healthy individuals can be exposed to epileptic supplies due to a significant increase in blood sugar content. Convulsices can also accompany liver and kidney disease.
A stroke can be brought to epileptic attacks, in which the brain supply is broken, which often leads to short-term or long speech violations, disorder of mental activity and movement. This disease relatively rarely leads to the emergence of convulsions, in just 5% of cases in patients develop chronic epilepsy seizures. Attacks that are generated by stroke are most often amenable to therapy.
The attacks of epilepsy causes can be provoked by the effect of insecticides, narcotic substances, for example, cocaine, cessation of drugs, derivatives of barbituric acid, for example, valium, Dalmanna, alcohol-containing liquids. The passage of one dose of the anti-epileptic drug, prescribed by the doctor, can also cause a fit. It should also be borne in mind that convulsions appear not only due to drug abuse.
Crop the attacks with a low threshold of convulsive readiness can strong neuroleptics (aminezine), monumbizer inhibitors (nialamid), three-cycled antidepressants (amitriptyline), preparations of the penicillin group. The interaction of anti-epileptic drugs with other medicines sometimes can also provoke the seizure of epilepsy.
If there are no reasons for the presence of primary brain pathology, we can talk about spontaneous (generic) epilepsy. To this form, the disease belongs, in addition to generalized seizures, the myoclonic convulsions of the puberty period, generalized nightly convulsive seizures, as well as certain types of this disease with myoclonically-astrichest focal convulsions.
Types of epilepsy
The classification of epileptic convulsions every year is becoming increasingly due to the opening of previously unknown factors that stimulate the development of the disease. Today, two large groups of convulsions are distinguished, the symptoms of which causes those or other forms of epilepsy: partial or focal seizures and generalized attacks.
Focal epileptic convulsions arise due to the defeat of one or several brain areas. The severity of the flow of partial seizures and part of the body to which the attack is affected depends on the damaged hemisphere. Among the focal type seizures, the following can be distinguished: light shape Partial convulsions, complex partial convulsions, Jackson, temporal and frontal epilepsy.
The light shape of the epilepsy is characterized by disorder of motor functions on the body of the body, controlled by the affected area of \u200b\u200bthe brain, the appearance of the state of the aura, which accompanies the sensation of the deja vu, the occurrence of an unpleasant taste or aroma, nausea and other manifestations of disorder digestive system. The attack of this form has a duration of less than 60 seconds, while the consciousness of the individual remains clear. Symptoms of attack pass relatively quickly. The seizure of light shape for itself does not carry visible negative consequences.
Complex focal convulsions are accompanied by modified consciousness, behavioral and speech dysfunction. In the process of attack, the individual begins to make various unaccustomed actions, for example, constantly corrects clothes on himself, says strange unintelligible sounds, spontaneously moves the jaw. This form of attack lasts one or two minutes. The main symptoms of epilepsy passes after the seizure, but the confusion of thoughts and consciousness is saved over a couple of hours.
Jackson epilepsy is manifested by partial convulsive attacks that begin with a muscle of some kind of torso on one side.
You can select such types of convulsions:
- Jackson march, consisting of a series of walking alone by other attacks with a minor interval between them;
- attack, affecting facial muscles;
- Attachment that deploys in the muscles of a separate body.
A characteristic feature of this form of convulsions is considered the emergence of attacks against the background of a clear consciousness.
The first seizures of frontal epilepsy can occur at any age. First of all, clinical manifestations should include characteristic orthal symptoms, such as motor manifestations. The abnormal attack flows as follows. In the first turn, there is a motor phenomenon (postural, tonic or clonic), which is often accompanied by gesture automatics at the beginning of the seal. The duration of such an attack is usually a few seconds. The positive confusion is either absent or manifested as minimal. More often attacks come at night. Consciousness can be maintained or disturbing partially.
Name temple epilepsy Comes from its location site. This form of illness is located in the temporal area of \u200b\u200bthe brain. It is manifested by partial seizures. For further development This pathology appears secondly generalized attacks and.
Generalized forms of epilepsy are divided into:
- idiopathic, characterized by communication with age-related changes;
- symptomatic (cryptogenic) epilepsy;
- symptomatic seizures of nonspecific etiology;
- Specific epileptic syndromes.
The idiopathic seizures associated with age characteristics are initially generalized convulsions. In the period between the seizures on the electroencephalogram, generalized discharges are observed increasing at the stage of slow sleep, and normal background activity.
Types of epilepsy idiopathic generalized allocate the following:
- benign neonatal family convulsions;
- benign neonatal seizures;
- benign myoclonic attacks children's age;
- Youth myoclonic convulsions;
- children's and youthful absolute cramps;
- generalized tonic-clonic convulsions during awakening;
- Reflex convulsions.
Cryptogenic epilepsy, characterized by a connection with changes caused by age, in its turn can be divided according to the international classification of ailments to:
- Lennox-Gasto syndrome;
- children's spasms or weta syndrome;
- myoclonico-astatic seizures.
Symptomatic epipridges of nonspecific etiology are divided into early myoclonic encephalopathy, encephalopathy of infant age with zones of isoelectric electroencephalogram and other symptomatic generalized variations.
Specific epileptic syndromes include: febrile, alcoholic, drug seizures.
Febral convulsions are usually marked in children in the age stage from six months to 5 years. The attacks occur against the background of a temperature greater than 38 ° C, with normal neurological status. The character they have primary generalized with tonic-clonic convulsions. Simple febrile attacks are solitary and short, they are also not characterized by the presence of focal manifestations, after themselves and do not leave a long confusion of consciousness or drowsiness. Complicated febrile attacks can be long, serial or focal component containing. Such seizures require a more serious examination. Febral convulsions are found at about 4% of children, and approximately 1.5% of them can be repeated.
Alcohol attacks are observed at the second third stage of alcoholism during the period of abstinence. They are characterized by the development of clonic-tonic cramps.
Drug seizures most often occur due to the use of cocaine or amphetamine. Application in large doses of preparations of penicillin rows, isoniazid, lidocaine, aminoophylline can also provoke seizures. Tricyclic antidepressants and phenothiazines are characterized by the ability to lower a convulsive threshold, and if there is a certain fraction of predisposition, it can cause a fit. The seizures are also possible against the background of the abolition of barbiturates, ballopena, benzodiazepines. In addition, in a toxic dose, many antisructants have an epileptogenic property.
Symptoms of epilepsy
As already mentioned above, the main manifestation of this ailment is extensive convulsive attack, starting, mostly suddenly. As a rule, such a seizure is not characterized by the presence of a logical connection with external factors. In some cases, it is possible to determine the time of the attack.
The disease of the epilepsy may have the following forerunners: a couple of days before a possible seizure, a person has a general ailment, disruption of appetite, disorders of dreams, headaches, excessive. In some cases, the appearance of an attack is accompanied by the emergence of aura, which is a feeling of either an experience that is invariably preceded by an epileptic seizure. Aura can also be an independent attack.
The seizure of epilepsy is characterized by the presence of tonic convulsions, in which the head will thread, limbs and the torso that are in a stress state are pulled out. At the same time, the breathing is delayed, and veins located in the cervical region are swelling. On the face there is a "dead" pallor, jaws compressed. The duration of the tonic phase of the attack is approximately 20 seconds, then clonic convulsions are occurring, which are manifested in the thick muscle contractions of the whole body. This phase is characterized by a duration of up to three minutes. With it, breathing becomes hoarse and noisy, due to the accumulation of saliva, the spares of the language. It may also be selected from the mouth of foam, often with blood as a result of boning of the language or cheeks. Gradually, the frequency of convulsions decreases, their completion leads to muscle relaxation. This phase is characterized by the lack of response to any stimuli. Pupils of the patient in this stage are expanded, there is a lack of reaction to the effect of light. Protective and deep reflexes are not caused, involuntary urination is often observed.
Symptoms of epilepsy and their diversity depends on the form of epilepsy.
Newborn epilepsyarising against the background of high temperature is determined as intermittent epilepsy. The nature of the seizures in this form of the disease is as follows: the convulsions are moved from one part of the body to another, from one limb to the second one. As a rule, there is no formation of foam and biting language, cheeks. It is also missing after the attack sleep. Upon returning consciousness, it is possible to detect a characteristic weakness on the right or left side of the body, its duration can be several days. In babies, harbingers of attacks, as the observations show, are headaches, general irritability and appetite disorders.
Temple epilepsy is expressed in polymorphic paroxysmasms, which precedes a peculiar aura. The seizure of epilepsy of this form is characterized by the duration of manifestations of more than a few minutes.
Temple epilepsy symptoms and features:
- manifestations of abdominal character (reinforced peristalistic, nausea, abdominal pain);
- cardiac symptoms (heartbeat, pain, rhythm violation);
- occurrence of involuntary manifestations in the form of swallowing, sweating, chewing;
- difficulty breathing;
- personal changes manifested by paroxysmal mood disorders;
- lack of actions;
— vegetative disorders high severity arising between seizures (violation of thermoregulation, pressure change, allergic reactions, disorders of water-salt and fat metabolism, sexual dysfunction).
Most often, this form of epilepsy has chronic progressive current.
Absissant epilepsy is a disease in which there are no typical symptoms of epilepsy, namely the fall and convulsions. This species Diseases are observed in children. It is characterized by fading a child. During an attack, the baby ceases to respond to what is happening around.
Absissant epilepsy is inherent in such symptoms and features:
- sudden fading with interruption of activities;
- the inability to attract the attention of the kid;
- Star or missing glance directed at one point.
Often the diagnosis of epilepsy is an absolute observed more often in girls than the boys. In two third cases, patients with children are noted the presence of relatives suffering from this ailment. On average, this type of illness and its manifestation lasts up to seven years, becoming gradually less common and disappearing at all, or processing the pathology.
Myoclonic epilepsy is characterized by twitching during seizures. This form of pathology is equally affecting both sexes. The characteristic feature of this species is considered to be the identification of brain, heart, liver, hearts, and deposits of carbohydrates in the morphological study of the cells.
Mioclonic epilepsy usually makes debuts in the age range of 10-19 years. It is manifested by epileptic seizures, to which myoclonies are later attached (that is, muscle reductions of an involuntary nature with the presence of the motor effect or absence). Frequencies can vary from daily attacks to several times a month.
Post-traumatic epilepsy is directly related to the brain damage caused by damage to the head. In other words, convulsive seizures occur through time after damage to the brain as a result of a blow or penetrating injury.
Causes are a reaction to the electrical discharges of the pathological type occurring in the brain. Facial seizures may occur two years after injury. The symptoms of this form of illness usually depends on the location zone in the brain of pathological activity. This type of epilepsy is often characterized by generalized tonic-clonic seizures or partial attacks.
Alcohol epileptic seizures are a consequence excessive use Alcohol-containing drinks. This pathology is manifested in convulsive attacks that arise suddenly. The beginning of the seizure is characterized by a loss of consciousness, after which the skin of the patient's face acquires a "dead" pallor, gradually reaching a blue shade. Foam and vomiting may appear.
After an attack of epilepsy, consciousness is gradually returned by replacing a long sleep.
Symptoms of alcoholic epilepsy can be as follows:
- fainting;
- convulsions;
- Strong "burning" pain;
- Muscular spasm;
- feeling of squeezing, tightening the skin.
The fit may occur after the use of alcohol fluids for several days. Often, attacks are accompanied by alcoholism.
Dismissed epilepsy, that is, the disease flows without the presence of convulsive seizures. It is manifested in the form of a twilight consciousness that comes suddenly. It can last a couple of minutes to several days. Also suddenly and disappears. In the attack, a narrowing of consciousness occurs. In other words, patients perceive only those phenomena or parts of objects that possess emotional significance to them. Often there may be a pretty frightened hallucination and. Hallucinations can provoke a patient attack on others. This type of epilepsy is characterized by the presence mental pathologies. After seizures, patients are forgotten with them, the residual memories of events can rarely be marked.
Epilepsy and pregnancy. Epileptic seizures for the first time can be detected during pregnancy. This is due to the fact that in the course of this temporary physiological state, the burden of load increases on the body. In addition, if a disease was in a woman before pregnancy, the attacks may be more likely during the extension of the fetus. The main manifestations of epilepsy during pregnancy are frequent migraines, fainting, dizziness, hysterical states, insomnia.
Epilepsy and pregnancy are two non-mutually exclusive states. You can pregnant and give birth at a given ailment, only approach to the decision about the continuation of the genus is required. For the successful course of pregnancy process in a woman suffering from epilepsy, it is necessary to establish close cooperation between the most pregnant, its relatives, therapist, a neuropathologist, a gynecologist, genetics. In case of non-compliance with all medical appointments and recommendations, the consequences of epilepsy during pregnancy can be crying for the baby. So, for example, pregnancy can sometimes be interrupted on the basis of a classic attack. If pregnancy is preserved, oxygen fasting fetus may occur.
For the life of the baby, a great danger represents a convulsive syndrome (generalized seizures), in which the abortion of pregnancy occurs as a result of the abdominal injury. Also in such cases there may be a violation of the uterine-placental blood circulation, the consequence of the placenta detachment.
Signs of epilepsy
The most specific feature that makes a diagnosis of epilepsy, is a large convulsive attack, which precedes the long period possible period from a pair of hours to two days. In this phase, patients are characterized by irritability, a decrease in appetite, change in behavior.
Signs of epilepsy-precursors or aura, which can accompany nausea, muscular twitching or other unusual feelings, such as delight, the feeling of crawling goosebumps by body, arise immediately to a convulsive fit. At the end of such precursors, the epileptic drops, losing consciousness, after which he has the following signs of epilepsy: first the tonic convulsions (the torso is tightened and strung out), lasts about 30 seconds, then clonic muscle contractions occur in the form of rhythmic oscillations, up to two minutes. Due to the reduction of the respiratory muscles, the patient's face becomes worm-black because of choking. In addition, often epileptics bite own language Or cheeks, due to the reduction of jaws. The patient's mouth follows foam, often with an admixture of blood due to the wound in the language or cheeks.
Epilepsy seizures ends with involuntary urination and flower. The person does not come to consciousness immediately, and the confusion can persist for several days. Epileptic about the attack do not remember anything.
A variety of generalized seizure is febrile convulsions, observed in kids from four months to six years old. They are accompanied by high body temperatures. Basically, such convulsions happen several times and do not pass into true epilepsy.
In addition to the big convulsive epipripads, the epileptics may often happen small, which manifests the loss of consciousness without falling. The muscles of the face drives a cramping, epileptic makes illogical actions or repeats the same actions. After the seizure, a person is unable to remember what happened and will continue to do what she did to the seas.
The consequences of epilepsy, its severity is different and depend on the forms of illness and the brain damage zone.
Diagnosis of epilepsy
To understand how to treat epilepsy, outline certain steps that contribute to the protracted remission, in the first turn, it is necessary to exclude other pathologies and establish the type of disease. To this end, the first turn is collected by anamnesis, that is, a careful patient survey and his relatives are carried out. In the collection of anamnesis, every little thing is important: it feels a sick approaching the seizure, whether the loss of consciousness occurs, whether convulsions are beginning in four limbs either in one, which feels after a convulsive attack.
Epilepsy is considered a rather insidious disease, which often a long time can be unrecognized.
Is it possible to cure epilepsy? Often asks this issue to doctors, because people fear this ailment. Any treatment begins with diagnosis, so the doctor can ask many questions to the patient himself and its nearest surroundings to obtain the most accurate description of the pathology. The survey helps to determine the form and type of attack, and also allows us to presumably establish a zone of the brain lesion and the region of further distribution of pathological electrical activity. From all listed depends possible help With epilepsy and choosing an adequate treatment strategy. After the collection of anamnesis is completed, a neurological examination is carried out, the purpose of which is to identify the following neurological symptoms in a patient headache, an unstable gait, one-sided weakness (hemiparez) and other manifestations indicating the organic brain pathology.
The diagnosis of epilepsy includes magnetic resonance tomography. It helps to eliminate the presence of dysfunction and pathologies of the nervous system, causing convulsive seizures, such as brain tumor processes, capillary anomalies and brain structures. Magnetic-resonant tomography is considered an important part of the epilepsy diagnosis process and is carried out when the first attack of convulsions appears.
Electricencephalography is also a necessary diagnostic method.
Electric brain activity can be registered by electrodes placed on the head of the diagnosed one. Outgoing signals increase many times and fixed with a computer. The study is carried out in a darkened room. Its duration is approximately twenty minutes.
In the presence of the disease, the electroencephalography will show transformations called epileptic activity. It should be noted that the presence of such activity on the electroencephalogram does not yet mean the presence of epilepsy, since a variety of disorders of the electroencephalogram can be revealed in 10% of a completely healthy population of the planet. At the same time, many epileptics, the electroencephalogram between the attacks may not demonstrate any changes. Such patients have one of the opportunities to make a diagnosis of epilepsy will provoke pathological electrical sections in the brain. For example, it is possible to conduct encephalography in the patient's sleep process, since sleep causes an increase in epileptic activity. In other ways to cause epileptic activity on the electroencephalogram are photostimulation and hyperventilation.
Treatment of epilepsy
Most people are concerned about the question: "Is it possible to cure epilepsy", since it makes it possible that this pathology is incurable. Despite the all-danger of the described disease, it is possible to heal from it, subject to timely detection and adequate treatment. Approximately 80% of cases of morbidity can be achieved by stealing remission. If this disease was revealed for the first time and adequate therapy began immediately, then in 30% of people with epilepsy attacks are no longer repeated or stopped at least two or three years.
How to treat epilepsy? The choice of methods of treating the pathology under consideration, depending on its shape, type, clinical picture, the age of the patient, the focus of the lesion is carried out either surgicallyeither conservative method. Modern medicine More often resorts to drug treatment, since the reception of antiepileptic means gives a resistant effect in almost 90% of cases.
Conservative therapy covers several steps:
- Differential diagnosis, allowing to determine the form of a few and the type of convulsion for the correct selection of drugs;
- establishment of factors generated by epilepsy;
- prevention of seizures for the complete exception of risk factors, such as overwork, stress, lack of sleep, supercooling, alcohol consumption;
- relief of epileptic convulsive seizures by providing emergency care, appointment of an anticonvulsant.
It is important to inform about the diagnosis of relatives and instruct them about precautions, first aid for convulsive seizures. Since during the seizures is high, the likelihood of injury to patients and stopping respiration, due to the vigorous language.
Medicase treatment of epilepsy implies regular reception of antiepileptic agents. It is impossible to assume a situation in which the epileptic drinks drugs only after the epileptic aura occurs, since with timely reception of the anti-epileptic drug, the harbingers of the upcoming seizure, in most cases, do not appear at all.
What to do with epilepsy?
Conservative treatment of epilepsy implies following the following rules:
- strict adherence to the chart of receiving medicines and dosages;
- to achieve positive dynamics, it is impossible to stop taking drugs without the permission of a specialist;
- Timely notify your doctor about all unusual manifestations, change in well-being, shifts in a state or mood.
Patients suffering from partial epiprusts are prescribed such groups of drugs such as carboxamides, hollows, phenyatines. Patients with generalized seizures are shown the appointment of a combination of hollows with carbamazepine, valproids are used in idiopathic form; with an absnex epilepsy - ethosuximide; With myoclonic cramps - only holproids.
With a resistant remission of epilepsy, at least five years old, you can think about the cessation of drug therapy.
Treatment of epilepsy should be completed gradually, reducing the dose of drugs to full cessation within six months.
The first aid for epilepsy assumes, in the first turn, preventing the sparklery of the language, by inserting a patient with a patient who is preferably made of rubber or other material, but not very solid. It is not recommended to transfer the patient during the seizure, but to avoid its injury, it is necessary to put something soft under the head, for example, scounded in Cough clothes. It is also recommended to cover the eyes of the epileptic of something dark. With limited access, the shooting light passes faster.
The information presented in this article is intended solely for familiarization and cannot replace professional advice and qualified medical care. With the slightest suspicion of the presence of this disease, be sure to consult your doctor!
Epilepsy - The disease whose name comes from the Greek word Epilambano, which literally means "grabby". Previously, under this term understood any convulsive seizures. Other ancient names of the disease - "Sacred Disease", "Hercules disease", "hollow".
Today, the ideas of doctors about this disease changed. Not any convulsive seizure can be called epilepsy. Convulsions can be a manifestation of large quantities of various diseases. Epilepsy is a special condition accompanied by a violation of the consciousness and electrical activity of the brain.
This epilepsy is characterized by the following features.:
- parole disorders of consciousness;
- seizures seizures;
- parole violations nervous regulation Functions internal organs;
- gradually increasing changes in the psycho-emotional sphere.
Facts about the prevalence of epilepsy:
- the disease may suffer from people of any age, from babies to old men;
- it is about the same in the same way with men and women;
- in general, epilepsy occurs in 3 - 5 per 1000 person (0.3% - 0.5%);
- prevalence among children above - from 5% to 7%;
- epilepsy occurs 10 times more often than other common neurological disease - multiple sclerosis ;
- in 5% of people, at least once in his life, the seizures that flowed on the type of epileptic was met;
- epilepsy in developing countries occurs more often than in developed (schizophrenia, on the contrary, is more common in developed countries).
Causes of epilepsy development
HeredityCramps - a very complex reaction that can occur in humans and other animals in response to the action of various negative factors. There is such a concept as convulsive readiness. If the body faces a certain impact, then it will respond with convulsions.
For example, convulsions occur with severe infections, poisoning. This is normal.
But individual people can have an increased convulsive readiness. That is, they have convulsions arise in such situations when healthy people do not happen. Scientists believe that this feature is inherited. This is confirmed by the following facts:
- most often, the epilepsy people are ill, whose family already have or have patients;
- many epileptics relatives have violations that are close by nature to epilepsy: urinary incontinence (enuresis), pathological thrust for alcohol, migraine;
- if you examine the relatives of the patient, then in 60 - 80% of cases, they can identify disorders of the electrical activity of the brain, which are characteristic of epilepsy, but do not manifest;
- often the disease occurs in single-person twins.
External factors contributing to the development of epilepsy:
- damage to the head brain of a child during childbirth;
- impairment of metabolism in the brain;
- head injuries;
- the flow of toxins into the body for a long time;
- infections (especially infectious diseases, striking brain - meningitis, encephalitis);
- circulatory disorder in the brain;
- transferred stroke;
The question of whether epilepsy is more congenital or acquired disease, it remains open to the present.
Depending on the reasons that cause the disease, there are three varieties of convulsive seizures:
- Epileptic disease - healthy disease, which is based on congenital violations.
- Symptomatic epilepsy is a disease in which there is a hereditary predisposition, but an external role is also played with a significant role. If it were not external factors, Most likely, the disease would not have arisen.
- Epileptiform syndrome is a strong impact from outside, as a result of which any person has a convulsive fit.
Types and symptoms of epilepsy
Big convulsive fit
This is a classic attack of epilepsy with pronounced convulsions. It consists of several phases that follow one after another.Phase large convulsive:
| Phase name | Description, symptoms |
| Phase harbingers - precedes a row |
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| Phase of tonic convulsion |
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| Phase of clonic convulsion Clonus -the term denoting fast, rhythmic muscle contraction. |
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| Phase relaxation |
The relaxation phase occurs due to the fact that the focus of the pathological activity of the brain "tired", strong braking begins in it.
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| Sleep | After exiting the state of the sopor, the patient falls asleep. Symptoms that arise after awakening: Related circulatory disorders in the brain during an attack:
Symptoms associated with the oxidation of the tongue and blows about the floor and the surrounding items here is the time of attack:
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Often, a big convulsive fit arises not by itself. It provokes different influences from the outside: blinking bright light, quickly replacing images in front of the eyes, strong stress, loud sounds, etc. In women, the attacks occur during menstruation.
Absan
Absan (Literally translated as "absence") - a common variety of so-called small epileptic attacks. His manifestations are very different from a large convulsive segment. Manifestations of Absan:
- During the attack, the patient's consciousness turns off for a short time, usually for 3 to 5 seconds.
- Doing some kind of business, the patient suddenly stops and freezes.
- Sometimes the patient's face can beat a little or redden.
- Some patients during the attack thrust their heads, roll eyes.
- After the end of the attack, the patient returns to the chopped occupation.
As a rule, the patient himself does not remember what happened to him. It seems to him that he was engaged in his business for all this time, without interrupting. The surrounding often, too, do not notice this, or incorrectly intervene the manifestations of absans. For example, if a school has a series of such attacks in school during the lesson, a teacher may decide that the student is inattentive, constantly distracted and "believes Raven."
Other types of small epileptic attacks
Small attacks can manifest in different ways, depending on which section of the brain is in a state of pathological arousal:- Dismissed attacks. There is a sharp drop in the muscular tone, as a result of which the patient falls on the floor (there are no convulsions), it can briefly lose consciousness.
- Mioclonic attacks. There is a short-term fine twitching of the muscles of the body, hands, legs. A series of such attacks is often repeated. The patient does not lose consciousness.
- Hypertensive attacks. There is a sharp tension of muscles. Usually all bends or all the extensors are strained. The patient's body takes a certain pose.
Jackson attacks
Jackson attacks are a kind of so-called partial epileptic paroxysms. During such attacks, irritation of a limited brain zone occurs, so manifestations are observed only by a certain muscle group. Signs of Jackson epilepsy:
- The attack is manifested in the form of convulsive twitching or feeling of numbness in a certain part of the body.
- Jackson attack can capture a brush, foot, forearm, shin, etc.
- Sometimes convulsions are distributed, for example, from the brush for the entire half of the body.
- The attack can spread to the whole body and move to a large convulsive fit. Such an epileptic attack will be called secondaryly generalized.
Changes personally in a patient epilepsy. What do patients look like epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a chronic disease, which in the absence of treatment is constantly progressing. Gradually increasing the frequency of seizures. If they may arise in the initial stages once a few months, then with a long-term course of the disease - several times a month and a week. Pathological changes occur in the intervals between the attacks. Characteristic epileptic features are gradually being formed. The speed of this process depends on the variety of epilepsy. With large seizures, painful features of personality are formed very quickly.
Signs of formation of epileptic features:
- The child suffering from epilepsy becomes an overly pedantic, petty, punctual. He needs everything to go according to the rules, according to the scheduled scheme. Otherwise, he reacts very violently to the situation, it may be aggression.
- The patient becomes viscous in communication with adultery. He can continue to continue the dispute when the question is already exhausted, show signs of devotion and affection, constantly annoying the object of these feelings.
- Usually, the patient flashes to other people, looks like very well, but immediately becomes an aggressive and embittered. Characteristic quick and often unmotivated mood change *.
- On the one hand, the patient inert: it is very difficult for him when changing the external situation. At the same time, it easily flows into a state of affect.
- Schoolchildren and workers with epilepsy have characteristics as very neat and pedantic people. But they have great difficulties with switching from one occupation to another.
- Most of the time in the patient prevails a wishful-angry mood.
- Patients with epileptic features of the personality are very incredulous, with a big alertness relate to others. And at the same time, they are experiencing strong attachment, often there are fussy and helpful.
With long-term increases of these signs, epileptic dementia is gradually developing: the patient decreases the intellect. In general, with a significant transformation of the personality, the behavior of many patients to a certain extent is asocial. They experience huge difficulties in the family, at school, at work, in the team. The relatives lies great responsibility: they must understand what causes the patient's behavior is caused, to develop their own proper behavior line, which will contribute to avoiding conflicts and successful anticipation.
What is dangerous attack of epilepsy for the life of the patient?
Pathological changes in the brain and organism during a large convulsive:- stop breathing during the tonic contraction of the muscles leads to a violation of oxygen flow into all organs and tissues;
- ingress of saliva and blood from the mouth to the respiratory tract;
- high loads on the cardiovascular system;
- during the attack, there is a violation of the rhythm of heart abbreviations;
- oxygen starvation leads to a brain edema, violating exchange processes in it;
- if the attack continues for a very long time, then respiratory disorders and blood circulation are further exacerbated.
Epileptic status
Epileptic status is the most severe manifestation of epilepsy. It is a series of seizures that are repeated one by one. Epileptic status often occurs in patients who stopped the reception of anticonvulsants, with an increase in body temperature, with various concomitant diseases. Epileptic status develops as a result of an increasing edema and oxygen starvation of the brain. The convulsions provoke a brain swelling, and he, in turn, provokes a new fit.
The most dangerous for the life of the patient epileptic status with a large convulsive fit.
Symptoms in epileptic status:
- the patient is usually in a coma: Consciousness is not restored even between attacks;
- between the attacks of the muscle tone is strongly reduced, reflexes are not detected;
- pupils are greatly expanded or narrowed, may have a different size;
- heart abbreviations slowed down or severely rapidly: the pulse is very popular or, on the contrary, very weak, is working with difficulty;
As the brain edema increases, the risk of stopping heart and breathing arises. This condition is a threat to life. Therefore, if any patient after the first attack after a short time there is a second, you need to urgently call a doctor.
Alcohol epilepsy
Epileptic transformation of personality and convulsive seizures may occur in people abusing for a long time alcohol. This is due to chronic poisoning ethyl alcoholwhich has a toxic effect on the brain. Most often, the disease develops in people who consume low-quality alcoholic beverages, surrogates. The first attack develops when a person is in a state of intoxication.
A seizures with alcohol epilepsy can be provoked against the background of frequent regular reception of alcohol and other factors, such as injury or infection.
Usually the seizure that occurred once in a person abusing alcohol, in the future repeated after certain intervals. With a long flow, the attacks can be repeated, even when a person sober.
First aid for epilepsy
| What needs to be done if you are near the sick? | What should not be done? |
| Help during the first phase of the epileptic attack: the fall in the patient and the beginning of the tonic convulsion. |
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| Help during clonic seizures and completion of the attack |
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In what cases do you need to call "ambulance"?
- epilepsy attack happened again;
- after the end of a convulsive seizure of the patient does not come into consciousness more than 10 minutes;
- the attack lasts more than 3 - 5 minutes;
- the attack occurred in a small child, an elderly person, weakened patient suffering from another severe illness;
- the attack occurred for the first time in life;
- during the attack of the patient heavily bit the tongue, received serious injuries, there is a suspicion of bleeding, dislocation, fracture, crankny injury or other serious damage.
Diagnosis of epilepsy
What doctor should you contact the epilepsy when suspected? Conversation with a patient.
Neuropathologists are engaged in diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. Medical reception begins with a patient survey. The doctor sets the following questions: - What are the patient complaints? What manifestations did he notice his relatives himself?
- When did the first signs appear? How did it happen? What, according to the patient or his relatives, could provoke the first attack? After which he arose?
- What diseases and injuries were transferred by the patient? How did the mother be groaned? Were birth injuries? It is necessary in order to understand what contributed to the occurrence of the disease. Also, this information helps a neurologist to distinguish the epilepsy from other diseases.
- Is epilepsy diagnosed near the next relatives? Was she grandparents, great-grandmothers and great-grandfathers?
If a neurologist notices deviations in the emotional sphere and in intelligence, he will send a patient to consult a psychiatrist. This is a very responsible step, and no neurologist will make it just like that. This is necessary in order to help the patient.
Check reflexes
Reflexes that can check the neurologist during inspection: - Ball Reflex. The patient is asked to put a leg on foot and slightly hit by a rubber hammer in the knee.
- Reflex Twin Muscle Reflex. The doctor asks the patient to put the patient's forearm on the table and slightly hits the rubber hammer in the area of \u200b\u200bthe elbow joint.
- Crowded-beam reflex. The doctor hits the dice in the field of ray-taking joint.
These tests are carried out in order to identify various lesions of the brain, which could lead to epileptic seizures.
Electroencephalography
Electricencephalography is the main method of diagnosing epilepsy. It helps directly reveal the lectures of pathological impulse in the brain. Principle of method
During the operation of the brain, electromagnetic potentials arise in it characterizing the excitation of its sections. They are weak, but can be registered with the help of a special device - electroencephalographer.
The device registers electromagnetic oscillations and displays them in graphical form on paper - they have the form of curves. Norma U. healthy man Alpha and beta waves of certain frequency and amplitude can be detected.
How is the study?
Preparation for electroencephalogram:
- the patient who appeared on the study should not be hunger;
- he must be in a calm emotional state;
- before studying cannot be made of sedatives and other medicines affecting the nervous system.
The electroencephalogram is carried out in a special insulated room in which there are no interference - the device has a high sensitivity.
During the study, the patient is seated in a middle-off condition on the chair, you need to take a convenient position and relax. A special hat with electrodes are put on the head. They will register pulses arising in the brain. During the study, no pain and unpleasant sensations arise.
The pulses from the electrodes on the wires are transmitted to the device, and it displays them on paper in the form of curves resembling a cardiogram. Deciphering the result and writing a conclusion by a doctor usually take a few minutes.
What can be detected?
Electricencephalography makes it possible to detect:
- Pathological impulsation in the brain. At each specification of epileptic seizures on the electroencephalogram, specific types of waves are noted.
- The focus of the pathological impulse - the doctor may definitely say which section of the brain is amazed.
- In the intervals between the attacks, characteristic changes of the electroencephalographic curve are also noted.
- Sometimes changes on the electroencephalogram are found in people who do not suffer from convulsive seizures. This suggests that they have a predisposition.
Other studies that can be appointed with epilepsy:
| Research name | Essence | What does it reveal? |
| CT scan and magnetic resonance tomography. | Can be used to study bones and cavity skull. With the help of CT and MRI, you can take pictures with layers of heads, build a three-dimensional image of the brain and other intracranial structures. |
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| Head angiography. | X-ray system. In the vessels of the head, a contrast agent is introduced, after which X-ray skulls are made. At the same time, the vessels in the pictures are clearly visible. |
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| Echo encephalogram | Ultrasound procedureMore often applies in young children. |
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| Reoeczephalography | Study of the state of the brain vessels, based on measuring resistance to electric current. |  The study reveals impaired blood flow in the brain. |
| Consultation of specialist doctors. | If a neurologist has a suspicion that convulsive seizures are associated with any disease or pathological stateHe directs the patient for consultation to the appropriate specialist. |
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These studies and consultations are appointed not to all patients, but only by testimony.
Treatment of epilepsy
Day mode and patient diet with epilepsy
Patients suffering from epilepsy must adhere to a certain lifestyle.It is necessary to exclude the effect of irritating factors that can provoke an attack.:
- view the TV, especially films with bright special effects and frequently changing, flashing images;
- visiting events with bright flashing light music, other special effects;
- stress, severe physical work;
- other factors that are able to provoke seizures from a particular patient.
Recommendations on diet:- full nutrition enriched with necessary nutrient substances and vitamins;
- avoid acute and salted food;
- exclude food from the diet products that are strong allergens;
- limit the amount of liquid consumed or at least make sure that it is not delayed in the body.
Medical treatment of epilepsy
Principles medical treatment With epilepsy:- the main drugs for the treatment of the disease are anticonvulsants;
- it is necessary to correctly select the dosage and the reception mode - it will be able to do only a specialist;
- when choosing a drug, it is necessary to take into account the view, frequency and time of the occurrence of attacks;
- the lack of convulsive seizures does not yet indicate that the recovery has come - in no case cannot independently stop taking the drug or take breaks without the knowledge of the doctor;
- the doctor controls the process of cure not only on external symptoms, but also by electroencephalogram;
- dose of drugs can be launched only if the attacks have not been repeated for 2 years;
- the complete abolition of the drug is possible only after 5 years, with the complete absence of attacks during the whole time and normalization of the electroencephalogram, the decision to cancel only the attending physician;
- the final goal of drug treatment of epilepsy is to achieve complete recovery against the background of cancellation of drugs.
| Anticonvulsant drugs**. it large groupwhich includes substances with a different chemical structure and action mechanism. Their general quality is the ability to suppress convulsions. Their constant techniques helps prevent epileptic seizures. | |
| Phenobarbital | It is used to treat epilepsy in children and adults, with large convulsive seizures and partial seizures. Phenobarbital is often combined with other medicines, there are complex drugs (PAGLUFERL, BARBECKSAKLON). |
| Lookifin | It is used in adults and children over 12 years old for the treatment of large and partial seizures. Effective in cases where the attacks cannot be treated with other drugs. It is often used in combination with other antiepileptic agents. |
| Carbamazepine | The mechanism of action of the drug is not sufficiently studied, but it is effective for all types of epileptic seizures. Also contributes to the normalization of mood. |
| Clonazepam | Refers to a group of tranquilizers, but is widely used as an anticipant drug. Basic effects:
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| Gapentek | The anticonvulsant is an analogue of the mediator (substance helps to transmit nerve impulses from one nervous cell to another). Indication for appointment:
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| Depakin Chrono | Anticonvulsant with effectiveness with all forms of epilepsy. You can assign children from 3 years old. The dose is selected depending on the age, shape and severity of the disease reached by the clinical effect. |
| Convalex (Valproic Acid) | The effect of the drug is based on blocking pulses in the brain. Effective with all types of epilepsy, with various convulsive seizures (for example, cramps in children associated with increasing body temperature). Helps normalize behavior. |
Tranquilizers - Preparations that eliminate fears and increased anxiety. Their other effects:
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| Sibazone (diazepams, ranges) | One of the most common tranquilizers. Application targets for epilepsy:
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| Penazepam | One of the most active tranquilizers. Basic effects:
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| Lorazepam | Pretty powerful tranquilizer. Indications for use - like Sibazone. |
| Mesopam | Unlike other tranquilizers, it has some activating effect. After receiving the mespama, the patient retains performance. Therefore, this drug is often called the "day tranquilizer". |
| Neuroleptics - Antipsychotic drugs with a soothing effect and capable of suppressing the nervous system, reduce reactions to stimuli. |
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| Aminazin | One of the strongest neuroleptics. It has an overwhelming nervous system with action, it is used to derive a patient from epileptic status. |
| Nootrops - Preparations that are used to restore brain functions in patients with epilepsy and other pathologies. |
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| PiRsetam | One of the most common nootropics. Effects:
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| Picikalon | Improves metabolic processes and blood circulation in the brain. Can be used with alcohol epilepsy. Restores performance. |
| Cortexin | One of the most modern nootropic drugs. It is the proteins necessary for the nervous system obtained from the cortex of cattle brain. Improves all metabolic processes in the brain, blood circulation, protects the brain from damage. |
| Mexidol | Effects:
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| Diuretic drugs - Help to fight with an edema of the brain, which occurs during convulsive seizures. |
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| Diakarian | Effects of epilepsy drugs:
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| Laziks (Furosemide) | The preparation has a strong diuretic effect. |
Surgical treatment for epilepsy
Surgical intervention When epilepsy is shown in the case when drug therapy does not bring effect, the seizures become frequent, and the gaps between them are constantly reduced. Operation allows you to achieve positive effect (Reduction of quantity or complete termination of seizures). In most patients.
Surgical intervention can be performed not in all patients.
Factors affecting the possibility of surgical treatment:
- variety of epilepsy - the best operation is the partial seizures, in which the excitement is applied not to the entire brain, but on a separate limited area;
- the location of the brain zone, which was amazed: Neurosurgeon will not perform an operation on the brain area, which is responsible for speech, rumor or other important function;
- the location of the brain centers responsible for important functions - The doctor must make sure that they do not coincide with the areas of pathological activity, for which special tests are conducted.
Types of operations for epilepsy
| Type of operation | Description | The percentage of patients who have interference brings effect |
| Removal of pathological education in the brain, which is the cause of convulsive seizures. | Sometimes the cause of epilepsy is a tumor, hematoma or other pathological formation in the skull cavity, hydrocephalus. Deleting the cause leads to recovery. | It depends on how large the value of pathological education in the development of epilepsy was. |
| Lobectomy | The surgeon removes the brain fragment in which there is a pathological center, having previously convinced that it is not responsible for important functions. The most common variety of lobectomy is the excision of a part of the temporal share. | 55 - 90% with accurate detection of the pathological focus. |
| Multiple subpial transsection | The type of operation, which is used in the case when the pathological focus is not removed. The surgeon makes numerous cuts on the brain, which prevent the spread of excitement. | 70% |
| Kallezotomy | The dissection of the corn body, which connects the right and left half of the brain. It is used in patients with a severe course of epilepsy, whose convulsions begin on one half of the body, and then apply to the second. | The convulsions do not apply to the second half of the body, but on the affected side are preserved. Nevertheless, after that, the disease is not so hard. |
| Gemisfectomy and Gemisferotomy | The surgeon removes half the cerebral cortex. The operation is applied as an extreme measure. It is performed only in children under 13, since only at this age the patient can recover as much as possible. | |
| Stimulator of a wandering nerve | This is a miniature device that is sewn under the skin. It constantly sends impulses to a wandering nerve that is responsible for the calm state of the brain and the dream process. | The frequency of seizures is reduced by 20 - 30%. But the patient must still take medicine. |
Folk and non-traditional methods of treatment of epilepsy ***
Osteopathy
Osteopathy is a direction in medicine that sees the main cause of pathologies in the skeletal deformations and impaired the movement of biological fluids in the body. So, according to osteopathy, epilepsy is the result of the microscopic deformations of the skull, disorders of the bones relative to each other, circulation of the brain fluid and blood current in Brain vessels. Osteopathian is trying to correct these violations, making light movements, pressure, displacement. The procedure externally resembles manual therapy, but in this case a more subtle, delicate work is carried out.
Igloreflexotherapy
Igloreflexotherapy (acupuncture, acupuncture) is a technique that goes back to medicine of ancient China. According to the traditional concept, introducing subtle needles into the body of the patient, the doctor affects the channels for which the vital energy of Chi. Modern medicine attributes acupuncture effects to needles on nervous endings. To treat epilepsy, the needle is introduced on the back surface of the neck, at the top of the back. There is evidence that after such a course the frequency of seizures is significantly reduced.
During the attack of epilepsy, the needle is introduced into special points on the head.
Folk ways to treat epilepsy:
- daily swimming in the infusion of forest hay - such baths have a pronounced soothing effect;
- morning walking on delets - and there is also a soothing effect, biologically active points in the foot are activated;
- in the room where the patient is located, you need to put small piece Mirra resin so that the smell spread throughout the room.
Epilepsy as a disease, known to humanity more than a few hundred years. This multifactorial disease is developing under the influence of many different reasons that are divided into internal and external. Specialists from the field of psychiatry, suggest that the clinical picture can have so vivid severity that even minor changes may cause the degradation of the patient's well-being. According to experts, epilepsy is hereditary diseasewhich develops against the background of the influence of external factors. Let's consider the causes of epilepsy in adults and the methods of treating this pathology.
Epilepsy is a disease of the nervous system in which patients suffer from sudden seizures.
Epilepsy, manifested in adulthood, belongs to neurological diseases. During the diagnostic measures, the main task of specialists is to identify the main cause of the occurrence of the crisis. To date, epilepsy attacks are divided into two categories:
- Symptomatic - manifests itself under the influence of cranolating injuries and various diseases. Quite interesting is the fact that in this form of pathology, the epileptic fit can begin after certain external phenomena (loud sound, bright light).
- Cryptogenic - One-time attacks of unknown nature.
The presence of epileptic seizures is a bright reason for the need for a thorough diagnostic survey of the body. Why arises epilepsy in adults, the question is so complicated that it is not always possible to find the right answer to the experts. According to doctors, this disease can be associated with organic lesion of the brain. Benign tumors And the cyst located in this area is the most common causes of the appearance of the crisis. Often, the clinical picture is characteristic of epilepsy, is manifested under the influence of infectious diseases, such as meningitis, encephalitis and brain abscess.
It should also be mentioned that such phenomena may be a consequence of stroke, antiphospholipid disorders, atherosclerosis and rapid increase in intracranial pressure. Often, epileptic seizures are developing against the background of long-term use of drugs from the category of armored companies and immunosuppressants. It should be noted that the development of epilepsy in adults may be caused by a sharp discontinuation of the use of potent sleeping drugs. In addition, such symptoms can be caused by acute intoxication of the body by poisoning substances, poor-quality alcohol or narcotic substances.
Character of manifestation
Methods and treatment strategies are selected based on the type of disease. Specialists allocated the following types of epilepsy in adults:
- dismissed attacks;
- night crises;
- seizures against the consumption of alcohol;
- convulsive seizures;
- epilepsy on the background of injuries suffered.
Unfortunately, the specific reasons for the occurrence of convulsions doctors are not known until now According to experts, there are only two main causes of the development of the disease under consideration in adults: hereditary predisposition and organic brain damage. The brightness of the severity of the epileptic crisis is influenced by various factors, among which psyche disorder should be distinguished, degenerative diseases, violation of metabolism, oncological diseases and toxins poisoning.
Factors provoking the appearance of the epileptic crisis
Epileptic seizures can be triggered by various factors that are divided into internal and external. Among the internal factors should be allocated infectious diseasesaffecting certain brain departments, vascular anomalies, oncological diseases and genetic predisposition. In addition, the epileptic crisis can be caused by disadvantages in the work of the kidneys and liver, increased pressure, Alzheimer's disease and cysticercosis. Often, symptoms characteristic of epilepsy manifest themselves due to toxicosis during pregnancy.
Among external factors, specialists identify acute intoxication of the body caused by the action of poisoning substances. Also, the epileptic attack can be caused by certain drugs, drugs and alcohol. Much less often the symptoms peculiar to the death under consideration are manifested against the background of crank-brain injuries.
What is the danger of attacks
The frequency of the episodes of the epileptic crisis is particularly important in the diagnosis of the disease. Each such fit leads to the destruction of a large number of neural connections, which becomes the cause of personal changes. Often the attacks of epilepsy in adulthood are the reason for changing the nature, the development of insomnia and memory problems. Epileptic attacks that manifest themselves once within a month belong to rare phenomena. The average frequency of episodes is about three for thirty days.
Epileptic status is assigned to the patient if there is a constant crisis and the absence of a "light" gap. In the case when the duration of the attack exceeds thirty minutes, there is a high risk of developing catastrophic consequences for the patient's body. In such a situation, it is necessary to immediately cause an ambulance carriage, informing the disease dispatcher.
Most. characteristic sign this disease is a convulsive fit Clinical picture
The first signs of epilepsy in adult men are most often manifested in a hidden form. Often, patients flow into second confusion, accompanied by the commission of uncontrolled movements. In certain phases of the crisis, the patients change the perception of smell and taste. Loss of communication S. real Mir leads to a series of repetitive televitations. It should be mentioned that sudden attacks can cause injury that will negatively affect the patient's well-being.
Among the explicit signs of epilepsy should be distinguished by an increase in pupils, loss of consciousness, tremor limbs and convulsions, erratic gesticulation and television. In addition, during an acute epileptic crisis, there is an uncontrolled intestinal emptying. The development of the epileptic segment is preceded by a sense of sleepiness, apathy, strong fatigue and problems with the concentration of attention. Listed symptoms may be temporary or permanent. Against the background of the epileptic seizure, the patient may lose consciousness and lose mobility. In such a situation, there is an increase in muscle tone and uncontrolled cramps in the field of legs.
Features of diagnostic events
Symptoms of epilepsy in adults have so vivid expression that in most cases it is possible to put the correct diagnosis without using complex diagnostic techniques. However, attention should be paid to the fact that the survey should be held no earlier than two weeks after the first attack. During the diagnostic measures, it is very important to identify the fact of the absence of diseases that cause similar symptoms. Most often, this disease is manifested in people who have reached older age.
Epileptic seizures in people aged from thirty to forty-five years are observed only in fifteen percent of cases.
In order to reveal the reason for the appearance of the disease, it should be consistent with a doctor who will not only be drawn by the design of anamnesis, but also conducts a thorough diagnosis of the entire body. For the formulation of an accurate diagnosis, the doctor is obliged to study the clinical picture, to identify the frequency of seizures and carry out the magnetic resonance tomography of the brain. Since depending on the form of pathology, the clinical manifestations of the disease can differ significantly, it is very important to carry out a comprehensive examination of the body and identify the basic cause of the development of epilepsy.
What to do during an attack
Considering how epilepsy in adults manifests itself, special attention should be paid to the rules for first aid. In most cases, the attack of epilepsy takes its beginning from a muscular spasm, which leads to uncontrolled movements but. Often, in a similar state, the patient loses consciousness. The appearance of the above symptoms is a good reason to appeal ambulance. Before the arrival of doctors, the patient should be in a horizontal state, with heads lowered below the body itself.
In the period of the attack, the epileptic does not respond even on the strongest stimuli, the reaction of pupils into light is completely absent Often, epileptic seizures are accompanied by attacks of vomiting. In this case, the patient must be in sitting position. It is very important to keep the head of the epileptic, in order to prevent the falling masses to the respiratory organs. After the patient comes to himself, he should give a small amount of fluid.
Medicia treatment
In order to prevent the recurrence of such a state, it is very important to properly approach the therapy. To achieve long-term remission, the patient must take medicine for a long time. Using drugs Only at the moments of crisis phenomena - it is unacceptable, due to the high risk of developing complications.
Use potent medicines that buy the development of attacks, only after consulting with the attending physician. It is very important to notify the doctors about any change due to health. Most patients manage to successfully avoid recurrence of the epileptic crisis, thanks to correctly selected medicines. In this case, the average duration of remission can reach five years. However, at the first stage of treatment it is very important to properly choose the treatment strategy and stick to it.
The treatment of epilepsy implies close attention to the state of the patient from the doctor. At the initial stage of treatment, drugs are used only in small doses. Only in the case when the use of drugs does not contribute to the positive dynamics, the dosage is allowed. The composition of the complex treatment of partial attacks of epilepsy includes drugs from a group of fenitoins, hollows and carboxamides. In generalized epileptic seizures and idiopathic seizures, the patient is prescribed hollows, due to their mild effects on the body.
The average length of therapy is about five years of regular reception of medication. It is possible to stop the treatment only when any manifestations of the disease are lacking in the above period. Since during the treatment of the disease under consideration, potent drugs are used, the treatment should be treated gradually. Over the past six months of drug reception, dosage is gradually decreasing.
Epilepsia comes from Greek Epilepsia - "caught, caught by surprise" Possible complications
The main risk of epileptic seizures is a strong oppression of the central nervous system. Among possible complications This disease should be mentioned about the possibility of recurrence of the disease. In addition, there is a danger of the development of aspiration pneumonia, on the background of penetration of the vomit in the respiratory authorities.
Attacking convulsion during adoption water procedures It can turn into a fatal outcome. It should also be particularly distinguished by the fact that epileptic seizures during the toasting of the fetus can adversely affect the health of the future baby.
Forecast
With a one-time appearance of epilepsy in adulthood and timely appeal for medical help, you can talk about a favorable forecast. Approximately in seventy percent cases, patients regularly using special drugs, a long remission is observed. In the case when the crisis phenomena is recidal, the use of anticonvulsant drugs is prescribed.
Epilepsy is serious diseaseaffecting the nervous system of the human body. In order to avoid catastrophic consequences for the body, you should focus as much as possible on your own health. Otherwise, one of the epileptic seizures can lead to a fatal outcome.
The attack of epilepsy in humans is suddenly the coming, rarely emerging, spontaneous convulsive seizures. The epilepsy is called the pathology of the brain, the main sign of which are convulsions. The ability to be described is considered a very common violation that affects not only human subjects, but also animals. According to statistical monitoring, a single epileptic attack transfers each twentieth individual. Five percent of the entire population suffered the first attack of epilepsy, followed by other seizures. A convulsive attack can be caused by various factors, such as intoxication, high temperature, stress, alcohol, sleep deprivation, metabolic disorders, overwork, long-term games for a computer, long-lasting telecast.
Causes of attacks of epilepsy
Until now, experts are beating over the clarification of the exact reasons that provoke the occurrence of epileptic seizures.
Epilepsy attacks can occur periodically in people who do not suffer from the disease under consideration. According to evidence of most scientists, epileptic signs in humans are manifested only if there is damage to a certain brain zone. The affected, but preserved some vitality, the structures of the brain are converted to sources of pathological discharges, which cause a "package" disease. Sometimes the consequence of the attack of epilepsy may be new brain damage leading to the development of new foci of considered pathology.
Scientists to this day with one hundred percent accuracy is unknown, as well as, why some sicks suffer from its seizures, and other people have no manifestations. Also, they cannot find an explanation why in some subordinate subjects there can be a single case, and others have a constantly manifest symptom.
Some specialists are convinced of the genetic conditionality of the emergence of epilepsy attacks. However, the development of the considered illness may have a hereditary nature, as well as being a consequence of a number of diseases transferred to the epileptic, the effects of aggressive environmental factors and injuries.
Thus, among the reasons for the occurrence of epilepsy attacks, the following diseases can be distinguished: tumor processes in the brain, meningococcal infection and brain abscess, encephalitis, vascular disorders and inflammatory granulomas.
The reasons for the occurrence of the pathology under consideration in an early age or pubertal period is either impossible to establish or they are genetically due to.
The older than the patient, the most likely that epilepsy attacks develop against the background of severe brain lesions. Often, convulsions can be caused by a feverish state. Approximately four percent undergoing severe fevering state, epilepsy is formed later.
The true cause of the development of this pathology is the electrical impulses arising in the neurons of the brain, which determine the states, the appearance of convulsions, the individual by the Individual of the Action. Major brain brain areas do not have time to handle electrical impulses sent to large quantitiesIn particular, those that are responsible for cognitive functions, as a result of which epilepsy is born.
Below are typical risk factors for the emergence of epilepsy attacks:
- generic injuries (for example, hypoxia) or premature genera and the low weight of the newborn, associated with them;
- thromboembolism;
- abnormal brain structures or brain vessels at birth;
- cerebral bleeding;
- cerebral paralysis;
- the presence of epilepsy in family members;
- Abuse of alcohol-containing drinks or use of narcotic substances;
Symptoms of epilepsy attacks
The appearance of epipripads depends on the combination of two factors: the activity of the epileptic (convulsive) focus and the overall convulsive preparedness of the brain.
An attack of epilepsy often may be preceded by aura ("breeze" or "blowing" in translation from the Greek language). Its manifestations are quite varied and caused by localization of the brain zone, the functioning of which is broken. In other words, the manifestations of Aura depend on the location of the epileptic focus.
In addition, some of the conditions of the body can become "provocateurs" causeing epipridges. For example, the attack may arise due to the onset of menstruation. There are also seizures that appear only during dreams.
Epileptic seizures in addition to physiological conditions can be provoked by a number of external factors (for example, flickering light).
The seizures for epilepsy are characterized by the manifestation of manifestations, which depend on the location of the lesion, etiology (causes of the occurrence), the electroencephalographic indicators of the degree of maturity of the patient's nervous system at the time of the occurrence of the attack.
There are many different classifications Epipripades based on the above and other characteristics. You can distinguish about thirty species of convulsive seizures. International Classification Epipripads highlights two groups: partial attacks of epilepsy (focal cramps) and generalized convulsions (apply to all brain zones).
A generalized attack of epilepsy is characterized by bilateral symmetry. At the time of occurrence, there are no focal manifestations. This category of seizures include: large and small tonic-clonic convulsions, absans (short periods of loss), vegetative-visceral attacks and epileptic status.
Tonic-clonic convulsions are accompanied by the stress of limbs and torso (tonic convulsions), twitching (clonic convulsions). At the same time, consciousness is lost. Often, short-term breathing delay without suffocation is often possible. Usually the seizure lasts no more than five minutes.
After an attack of epilepsy, the patient can fall asleep for a while, feel stunning, apathy, less often - pain in the head.
A large tonic-clonic fit begins with a sudden loss of consciousness and is characterized by a short tonic phase with a tension of the muscles of the body, face and limbs. Epileptic falls, as if milled, due to the contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm and spasm of the voice gap occurs moan or cry. The patient's face first becomes a deadly pale, and then acquires a blue shade, the jaws are tightly compressed, the head of the thips, there is no breathing, the pupils are expanded, there is no reaction to light, eyeballs or heads up, or to the side. The duration of this phase is usually no more than thirty seconds.
In the escalation of the symptoms of the expanded large tonic-clonic segment, a clonic, duration from one to three minutes occurs after the tonic phase. It begins with a convulsive sigh, which arise and gradually enhanced clonic convulsions. At the same time, breathing is rapidly, hyperemia replaces cyanosis of the skin of the face, there is no consciousness. During this phase, it is possible to bite the language of the patient, involuntary urination and the act of defecation.
Epilepsy attack ends with muscle relaxation and deep sleep. Practically in all cases of such attacks is noted.
After convulsions, for several hours, weakness, headaches, a decrease in performance, and muscle, mood and speech disturbance can be occurring. In some cases, the confidence of consciousness remains short, stunning, less often - twilight.
A large convulsive attack can have precursors who foreshadow the offensive of the epipridge. These include:
- malaise;
- change in mood;
— headache;
- Somato vegetative violations.
Usually, the harbingers are characterized by stereo and individuality, that is, each epileptic is characterized by their forerunners. In some cases, the type of attack under consideration can begin with aura. It happens:
- auditory, for example, pseudogalucification;
- vegetative, for example, vasomotor disorders;
- taste;
- visceral, for example, uncomfortable sensations inside the body;
- visual (or in the form of simple visual sensations, or in the form of complex hallucinatory paintings);
- olfactory;
- psychoseensory, for example, the feeling of changing the form of your own body;
- mental, manifested in changing the mood, inexplicable;
- Motor, characterized by convulsive vibrational abbreviations of individual muscles.
Absans are called short-term periods of disconnection (duration from one to thirty seconds). At small abscansions, the convulsive component is missing or poorly expressed. At the same time, it, as well as other epileptic paroxysms, is inherent in a sudden beginning, short-term seizure (limited time), disorder of consciousness, amnesia.
Absans are considered the first sign of the development of epilepsy in children. Such short-term periods of loss of consciousness can occur during the day repeatedly, often reaching three hundred seizures. At the same time, they are practically invisible for others, because often people write down such manifestations on a pensive state. This variety of attacks is not preceded by aura. During the seizure, the patient moves sharply, the glance becomes lifeless and empty (as if freezing), there is no response to external world. Sometimes it can observe the eye rolling, changing skin coloring on the face. Following this kind of "pause", a person, as if nothing happened, continues to move.
A simple abscance is characterized by a sudden loss of consciousness, duration within a few seconds. A man at the same time finds in the same position with a frightened eyes. Sometimes rhythmic reductions can mark eye apples Or twitching the eyelids, vegetative dysfunction (expansion of pupils, pulse and breathing, leather pallor). At the end of the attack, a person continues interrupted work or speech.
Absissance is inherent in the change in musculature tone, motor disorders with elements of automatism, vegetative disorders (pale or hyperemia, urination, shaking).
Vegetative-visceral attacks are characterized by various vegetative visceral disorders and vegetual-vascular dysfunction: nausea, pain in the region of peritoneum, heart, polyuria, a change in blood pressure, pulse, vase gestative disorders, hyperhydrosis. The end of the attack is the same sudden as his debut. Miscellaneous or stunning attack of epilepsy does not accompany. Epileptic status manifests itself continuously with each other with epipridges and is characterized by rapidly increasing comatous state With vital dysfunctions. Epileptic status arises due to irregular or inadequate treatment, a sharp abolition of long-used drugs, intoxication, acute somatic diseases. It can be focal (one-sided convulsions, more often tonic-clonic) or generalized.
Focal or partial attacks of epilepsy are considered the most frequent manifestations of the pathology under consideration. They generate damage to neurons in the specific section of one of the brain hemispheres. These seizures are divided into simple and complex partial convulsions, as well as secondary generalized convulsions. With simple enclosures, consciousness is not broken. They are manifested by discomfort or twitching in certain parts of the body. Often, simple partial convulsions are similar to the aura. Complex attacks are characterized by disorder or change in consciousness, as well as pronounced motor disorders. They are due to the diverse in the location of the over-excitation sites. Often, complex partial seizures can be transformed into generalized. The considered variety of convulsions occur at about sixty percent of people suffering from epilepsy.
The second-general-generalized attack of epilepsy first has the form of a convulsive or inconsistent partial seal or an absax, then the bilateral distribution of convulsive motor activity is developing.
First aid in the attack of epilepsy
Epilepsy today is among the most common neurological ailments. It is known since the Hippocratic times. As the symptoms, signs and manifestations of this "Padoy" disease, an epilepsy rapidly turned around many myths, prejudice and secrets. For example, before the seventies of the last century, the United Kingdom's laws hinder people suffering from epilepsy, marriage. Even today, many countries, with well-controlled manifestations of epilepsy, do not allow you to choose some professions and drive a car. Although there are no foundations for such prohibitions.
Since epileptic seizures are not rare, each person needs to know that he can help epileptics with a sudden attack, and what hurts.
So, if a colleague or passerby has an attack of epilepsy, what to do in this case how to help to avoid him difficult consequences? In the first turn, you need to stop panicing. It is necessary to understand that the health and further vital activity of another person depends on the tranquility and clarity of the mind. In addition, you must definitely damage the time of the seizure.
Epilepsy attack The first aid includes such actions. It should be watched around. If there are objects that can injure epileptic during the attack, they should be removed at a sufficient distance. Man himself, if possible, it is better not to move. He is recommended to put something soft, for example, roller from clothing. You should also turn your head to the side. It is impossible to hold the patient in a fixed state. Epileptic muscles in the process The seizure is tense, therefore the holding of human body power can be determined by injury. It should be released the neck of the patient from the items of clothing, which may make breathing.
Contrary to previously adopted recommendations and express views on the topic "Epilepsy attack, what to do" should not try to break the jaws of a person if they are compressed because there is a risk of injury. Also, they should not try to insert solid objects into the mouth, since there is a chance to cause harm to such actions, right up to the teeth breakage. You do not need to try to drink a person through force. If the epileptic fell asleep after the seizure, then it is not worthwhile.
During convulsions, it is necessary to constantly monitor the time, since if the seizure continues for more than five minutes, then an ambulance should be called, since long-term attacks can lead to irreversible consequences.
Do not leave a person one until its condition improves up to normal.
All actions aimed at assisting with epipridges should be quick, clear, without excessive turmoil and sharp movements. It is necessary to be near the entire attack of epilepsy.
After an attack of epilepsy, you should try to turn the patient on the side to avoid the volatile language. For the psychological comfort of a person who suffered a fit, it is recommended to clean the room from foreign observers and ZEVAK. In the room there should be only those persons who are able to provide real assistance to the victim. After an attack of epilepsy, minor twisting of the body or limbs may be observed, so if a person tries to stand up, he needs to help and hold during walking. If the seizure of epileptic in the zone of increased danger, for example, on the steep bank of the river, then it is better to convince the patient to maintain a supine position until a complete cessation of twitching and returning consciousness.
To achieve normalization of consciousness, usually need no more than fifteen minutes. Upon returning consciousness, the epileptic can decide on the need for its hospitalization. Most patients thoroughly studied the features of their condition, diseases and know what they need to do. Do not try to feed a person with medicinal products. If this is the first attack of epilepsy, then careful diagnosis is necessary, laboratory studies and a medical conclusion, and if repeated, then the person himself is well aware of what medications need to be taken.
You can highlight a number of precursors that signal the imminent attack:
- increased person;
- change of familiar behavior, for example, excessive activity or excessive drowsiness;
- extended pupils;
- short, independently passing muscle twitching;
- lack of response to others;
- It is rarely possible to be concerned and anxiety.
Provision of incorrect or late assistance in the seizure is quite dangerous for epileptic. The following dangerous investigations are possible: Food, blood, saliva in breathing channels, due to the difficulty of breathing - hypoxia, brain functioning, with a prolonged epilepsy - coma, and is also a fatal outcome.
Treatment of epilepsy attacks
Persistent therapeutic effect The treatment of the pathology under consideration is achieved mainly by drug impact. The following basic principles of adequate treatment of epipridges can be distinguished: an individual approach, differentiated selection of pharmacopic agents and their doses, duration and continuity of therapy, complexity and continuity.
Treatment of this ailment is carried out at least four years, the abolition of drug intake is practiced solely when normalizing the indicators of the electroencephalogram.
In order to treat epilepsy, it is recommended that the prescription of drugs of different spectrum of action is recommended. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account those either etiological factors, pathogenetic data and clinical indicators. Mainly practiced the purpose of such groups of drugs, such as corticosteroids, neuroleptics, antiepileptic drugs, antibiotics, substances with dehydrating, anti-inflammatory and absorbing effects.
Among the anticonvulsant drugs, barbituric acid derivatives (for example, phenobarbital), valproic acid (depair), hydantoinic acid (diphenin) are successfully applied.
Treatment of epilepsy attacks must be started with the selection of the most efficient as possible, as well as well tolerable drug. The construction of the treatment regimen should be based on the nature of clinical symptoms and the manifestations of the ailment. For example, with generalized tonic-clonic convulsions, the prescription of phenobarbital, hexamidine, diphenine, clonazepama, with myoclonic seizures - hexamidine, valproic acid preparations are shown.
Treatment of epileptic attack should be carried out in three stages. At the same time, the first stage involves the selection of drugs, which will respond to the necessary therapeutic efficacy, and will be well tolerated by patients.
At the beginning medical events It is necessary to adhere to the principles of monotherapy. In other words, it should be assigned to minimum dosage One drug. As the pathology develops, the purpose of the combinations of drugs is practiced. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the mutualization of the appointed drugs. The result of the first stage is to achieve remission.
At the next stage, therapeutic remission must be deepened by systematic use of one or combination of drugs. The duration of this stage is at least three years under the control of the indicators of electroencephalography.
The third stage is to reduce doses of drugs, subject to the normalization of data of electroencephalography and the presence of remission. Preparations are canceled gradually for ten or twelve years.
When the negative dynamics appears on the electroencephalogram, the dosage should be increased.
The information presented in this article is intended solely for familiarization and cannot replace professional consultation and qualified medical care. With the slightest suspicion of the presence of this disease, be sure to consult your doctor!