Home » Health » Cerebral Epilepsy: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

Cerebral Epilepsy: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

Sudden loss of consciousness, fainting, or even whole-body convulsions are common symptoms of epilepsy. However, some neurologists pointed out that the symptoms caused by cerebral epilepsy depend on the location of the problem in the brain, so some atypical symptoms may appear. Doctors must carefully understand the patient’s condition at the time of the disease and then cooperate Clinical examination to aid diagnosis. At present, the control of cerebral epilepsy is generally through drug treatment. If the patient stops taking the drug because he feels that the number of seizures has decreased, the condition may become out of control. Therefore, the patient’s self-discipline is very important for disease control.

Most cerebral epilepsyThe cause of the case is unknown Common symptoms: loss of consciousness, convulsions all over the body

Dr. Ng Bing-wing, a specialist in neurology at Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, explained that epilepsy is caused by abnormal electric waves produced in the patient’s brain, which causes the patient to experience different symptoms. The cause of some cases is unknown, and some studies have found that some patients have certain symptoms in their bodies. Some genetic problems make them prone to inducing abnormal brain waves in the brain and causing disease.

The onset and symptoms of patients with cerebral epilepsy vary depending on the location of the problem in the brain, so they can be very diverse. Loss of consciousness and general convulsions are the most common symptoms, but they are not inevitable. For example, some patients It was recalled that before each attack, there may be gastrointestinal discomfort and a feeling of bloating; some people may experience auditory hallucinations. These symptoms may reflect cerebral epilepsy caused by problems in the temporal lobe.

Cerebral epilepsy is caused by abnormal electric waves generated in the patient’s brain, causing the patient to experience different symptoms. The most common symptoms include loss of consciousness and convulsions throughout the body. Some patients also experience gastrointestinal discomfort, auditory hallucinations and other symptoms.

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Clinical consultation cooperationEEGcheckhelpmedical examinationbreak

Dr. Wu emphasized that diagnosing cerebral epilepsy requires great caution, and clinical consultation is an important step. Since most patients will have reduced consciousness or lose consciousness when the disease occurs, it is usually difficult for the patient to describe what happened during the disease. It is best to have family members or friends who have witnessed the onset of the disease accompany the doctor and help explain the details of the disease to assist the doctor in diagnosis.

On the other hand, patients need to undergo an electroencephalogram examination to collect brain waves to check for abnormalities. However, since epilepsy does not occur continuously, patients may not have abnormal brain waves during the examination. An electroencephalogram can only detect abnormal brain waves on the surface of the cerebral cortex. Abnormal brain waves in deep structures may be difficult to capture. Therefore, even if a patient’s electroencephalogram is normal, doctors will not immediately rule out the possibility of epilepsy. , must cooperate with clinical consultation to make a diagnosis.

Develop drug combinations Find the best “prescription”

Dr. Wu pointed out that about 70% of patients can control the disease through drugs, allowing patients to live a normal life. The function of drugs is to reduce the activity of brain cells to reduce the occurrence of abnormal brain waves. The drugs commonly used in the past were mainly Carbamazepine and Valproate. The former was once the most commonly prescribed drug for epilepsy. However, some people taking the drug may experience allergic reactions such as skin redness, ulceration, and peeling, which can be serious. It can even be fatal. Studies have found that some patients are more likely to have the above allergic reactions if they carry a specific gene. Therefore, doctors usually arrange genetic tests for patients to ensure that they can safely take them before prescribing them. As for valproic acid, it is very effective. , but patients may have side effects such as hand tremors, rashes, hair loss, and even obesity. Young female patients taking this drug will increase the risk of giving birth to teratomas, so doctors generally do not prescribe this drug to young women.

In addition to the above two drugs, a variety of new generation drugs have actually been released, but currently no drug is effective for all patients. Therefore, in the early stage of treatment, different drug combinations and dosages will be tried according to the patient’s type of epilepsy. Find the “prescription” that is most effective in controlling the condition with the fewest side effects.

Related reading: Understand the 4 causes of sudden fainting: abnormal heart rhythm, brief cardiac arrest, low blood pressure, and signs of cerebral epilepsy?

Self-discipline is required when taking medicine Never stop taking medication on your own

Dr. Wu emphasized that to effectively control the disease, the most important thing is the patient’s discipline in taking medication. If the patient thinks that the number of attacks has reduced, he can stop taking the medication on his own. This will cause the level of drugs in the body to drop, and may more easily induce cerebral epileptic seizures. Making the condition more difficult to control. However, he also pointed out that patients with cerebral epilepsy may not necessarily need to take medication for life. After the condition of some cases is properly controlled, doctors will try to adjust the dosage of the medication. If the effect is satisfactory after gradually reducing the dose, the medication may even be stopped. If the seizures no longer occur, there will be no need to take medication again. .

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Avoid triggering factors: strong light stimulation, fatigue and stress disease reductionrisk

Dr. Wu also pointed out that many patients are particularly susceptible to cerebral epilepsy due to certain conditions, such as lack of rest, fatigue, prolonged brain use, flash stimulation, etc. In addition to taking medication according to the doctor’s instructions, patients should also pay attention to avoiding these triggering factors, such as paying attention to their work and rest schedules, avoiding too much stress, and being careful about looking at bright lights and flashing lights in dark environments, which can help reduce the chance of the disease.

2024-02-27 06:25:08

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