Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders

What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a neurological condition; a condition affecting the nervous system. Epilepsy is also known as a seizure disorder.

A seizure is an outward manifestation of a malfunction in the brain's electrical system. A seizure may be a convulsion, a brief stare, muscle spasms, odd sensations, automatic behavior, or altered consciousness.

The seizures in epilepsy may be related to a brain injury or a family tendency, but most of the time the cause is unknown.

What is a Seizure?
A seizure is a sudden surge of electrical activity in the brain that usually affects how a person feels or acts for a short time. Seizures are not a disease in themselves. Instead, they are a symptom of many different disorders that can affect the brain. Some seizures can hardly be noticed, while others are totally disabling.

A person with epilepsy has had at least two seizures that were not caused by some known medical condition like alcohol withdrawal or extremely low blood sugar. The seizures in epilepsy may be related to a brain injury or a family tendency, but often the cause is completely unknown. The word "epilepsy" does not indicate anything about the cause or severity of the person's seizures.

How is epilepsy diagnosed?
A doctor who specializes in conditions affecting the brain and nerves, such as epilepsy, will gather important information and make a diagnosis based on the description of the events as described by the patient, family members, or their caregivers. At times, this information may not be enough to make an accurate diagnosis and further testing may be required.

There are many categories of epilepsy. The treatment of each type is highly specific. Therefore, the proper diagnosis and classification of seizures is mandatory.