Epilepsy
You have undoubtedly heard of the condition epilepsy. Victims suffer attacks that are caused ‘by a sudden, temporary disruption of the electrical stimulus transmission to the brain’, writes the UMC Utrecht.
In about half of epilepsy attacks there is no clear cause, but there are some factors that may play a role. Consider an age-related or genetic abnormality in the hereditary material, predisposition disorders that arise during pregnancy, acquired abnormalities due to a virus, brain accident, stroke or lack of oxygen. The cause may also be metabolic disorders, immunological disorders or a brain tumor.
Attack
Just as the causes of an epileptic seizure can vary enormously, so do the factors that trigger such an attack. Hyperventilation, flashes of light (like those at techno parties) and lack of sleep are among some of those factors. Just like drugs and alcohol use or abuse, illness and stress. In girls and women, hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle can also trigger an attack.
Before you can help someone who is having an epileptic seizure, you need to know how to recognize it. The Red Cross lists recognizable factors. ‘The victim suddenly loses consciousness. Cramping and jerking movements. Frequent (bloody) drooling from the mouth and loss of urine.’
2023-12-13 15:54:51
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