Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases. In Poland, the number of patients reaches 400,000. It involves a temporary disturbance in the function of a group of nerve cells, concentrated in a specific part of the brain, leading to a seizure. There are disruptions in the transmission of impulses and discharge. They can start in different parts of the brain, most often affecting the temporal and frontal lobes, less often the occipital and parietal lobes.
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How does epilepsy manifest itself?
Depending on the area of the brain where the epileptic focus is located, the symptoms of a seizure look different. In generalised seizures, i.e. seizures that start in both hemispheres of the brain, the most common symptoms are loss of consciousness and tension in all the muscles of the body. The patient bends the head back, stretches the legs and arms, has difficulty breathing, and convulsions occur. Focal seizures, on the other hand, are characterised by a temporary loss of consciousness, no convulsions and increased tension.
What can trigger a seizure ?
Seizures can be provoked by:
- excessive stress and lack of sleep,
- emotions,
- heavy physical exertion,
- alcohol,
- flashes of light,
- hormonal fluctuations.
Everyday problems of patients with epilepsy
A patient with epilepsy, due to the occurrence of seizures, usually struggles with a sense of injustice, mainly as a result of limitations in normal social and physical functioning. Unpleasant reactions from the environment are an additional burden. The best way to combat stigma is to disclose the disease and, above all, to treat it effectively.
