What can cause a person to have epilepsy?
What can cause a person to have epilepsy?
Occasionally, epilepsy can be caused by damage to the brain, such as damage from: a stroke. a brain tumour. a severe head injury. drug abuse or alcohol misuse. a brain infection. a lack of oxygen during birth.
How does living with epilepsy affect your life?
Living with epilepsy. Epilepsy is usually a lifelong condition, but most people with it are able to have normal lives if their seizures are well controlled. Most children with epilepsy are able to go to a mainstream school, take part in most activities and sports, and get a job when they’re older.
When do the symptoms of epilepsy usually start?
They can cause a wide range of symptoms. Epilepsy can start at any age, but usually starts either in childhood or in people over 60. It’s often lifelong, but can sometimes get slowly better over time. Seizures can affect people in different ways, depending on which part of the brain is involved. Possible symptoms include:
Is there a cure or cure for epilepsy?
There are many causes of epilepsy. For the majority of people with epilepsy (60%), the cause cannot be found. This is sometimes called ‘idiopathic’ epilepsy. We also know that some genes can cause or predispose a person to develop epilepsy.
What can trigger epilepsy?
Common triggers for epilepsy include: Alcohol, drugs, and caffeine. Nicotine. Poor sleep. Very low blood sugar, particularly if you’re diabetic.
What are the long-term effects of epilepsy?
The long-term effects of epilepsy on memory can result in language and speech difficulties as well. The effects of epilepsy on memory are well documented and those who have the disorder report memory loss more frequently than those who suffer from other neurological problems.
Can you cure epilepsy?
For most people experiencing epilepsy, the seizures can be controlled with medication. But for some people, the response to medication is imperfect. If seizures continue despite everyone’s best efforts, in some cases, specialized surgery may be the answer. Sometimes, epilepsy is essentially “cured” with surgery.
How else does epilepsy affect the body?
How does epilepsy affect the body? Besides causing seizures, epilepsy may also affect other areas of the body, these include the: Circulatory and respiratory system: The after effects of a seizure can impact a person’s heart rhythm and breathing function. Shortness of breath and coughing are common complaints for epilepsy suffers.