Epilepsy is a serious medical condition. Epilepsy causes seizures that can occur anytime and anywhere. Seizures are an uncontrolled burst of electrical activity from nerve cells in the brain. The symptoms can range from mild short-term muscle spasms to full-body convulsions that last for several minutes. But regardless of the duration and severity of the symptoms. Epilepsy decreases the quality of life significantly. For this reason, this condition needs to be treated.
Here are 7 effective ways to treat epilepsy and improve the quality of your life.
Medications that have been tested in rigorous scientific trials and gotten approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is the most widespread option to treat epilepsy. The doctor needs to make tests to choose medications that will work best for you. The diagnosis includes brain wave study and imaging of the brain. The first prescribed medication might not be effective or cause side effects. In this case, the doctor suggests another medication or other therapies.
Your lifestyle may have a big impact on your seizure control. Chronic insomnia or mental disorders like anxiety or depression can make you more prone to epilepsy attacks. Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider about these conditions. If you have frequent epilepsy, you need to reduce the intake of alcohol and caffeine. These products can increase the frequency or severity of epilepsy episodes.
Medical marijuana contains about 80 chemical compounds that can help relieve the frequency and severity of seizures. Medical marijuana differs from tradition because it doesn’t contain tetrahydrocannabinol. This is a compound that has mood-altering effects. Using cannabis oil is a safe and effective way to relieve seizures and improve brain function. The effectiveness of marijuana is confirmed for conditions like Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome.
Brain surgery is the most effective way to stop seizures completely. The doctor will find the seizure focus to make sure that it can be safely removed. If the seizure focus cannot be determined by applying electrodes on the scalp, the doctor may suggest putting electrodes directly within the brain. You may visit a neurosurgeon for a detailed consultation.
Epilepsy can be caused by the immune system attacking the brain. Autoimmune epilepsy is a rare condition that was recently recognized. The symptoms of autoimmune epilepsy cannot be controlled with anti-seizure medications alone so you may need complementary treatment. Reducing the number of antibodies usually helps control seizures. Immunotherapy can help reduce the number of antibodies in the blood and improve your condition.
The ketogenic diet is one of the most effective dietary changes that can help you manage epilepsy symptoms. It can help you reduce the number and severity of seizures. While this diet is strict, it can provide you with amazing health benefits in terms of epilepsy. This diet triggers ketosis when an alternate metabolic pathway works against seizures. This type of epilepsy treatment requires support from experienced nurses, dietitians, and physicians.
If seizures come from one specific area of your brain and cannot be controlled with medication, the doctor may suggest intracranial neurostimulation. The doctor exactly identifies the seizure focus and stimulates this area with electrical impulses. It’s like fighting fire with fire. This can help you get rid of epilepsy and seizures.
The main goal of any treatment is to stop all seizures and improve the quality of the patient’s life. The process of treatment can be struggling, but the result is worth your efforts and time. Be sure to discuss with your neurologist possible options to make a treatment plan that works best for you.
