Epilepsy is a form of chronic disorder and it is characterized by recurrent seizures. The episodes of epileptic seizures may differ from person to person. These seizures could be a result of a genetic disorder or a result of trauma or stroke. During a seizure, a patient may also experience symptoms of neurological disorders and sometimes lose consciousness.

Medical help for epilepsy
Epilepsy itself cannot be cured using medication, but proper medicines help in eliminating recurrent seizures. These medicines stabilize the electrical activity within the brain preventing seizures.

How effective is the medication for epilepsy?
The success of controlling seizures using medicines depends on the type and severity of epilepsy. Medicines for epilepsy are usually very effective and may fully keep seizures under control. However, controlling seizures caused due to brain problems may be more difficult. Usually, epilepsy medicines can control seizures for a long period of time when they are taken regularly.

When is medical help needed?
The decision about when to start medicines for epilepsy is a tricky one. This is because a first seizure cannot confirm whether a person has an on-going epilepsy problem. A second seizure may occur after many years or may not happen at all. Prediction of seizures is also quite difficult.

The severity of seizures also indicates when to start medicines for treatment. In case a first seizure is quite severe, medication should be started at once. Some people have very mild seizures even though they may be recurring in nature, and medication can be avoided in this situation.

The decision of starting medication will vary from case to case and in most cases, medications may be prudent after the first seizure itself. You should always consult a doctor to know when you need to start taking medicines to treat the condition.

For making the most out of the medicines to control seizures, you should follow certain steps:

You must take medications exactly as your doctor has prescribed.
Before switching to generic versions of your medicines or before taking other prescribed medicines, you must consult your doctor.
You should never stop taking the medicines.
In case you experience enhanced depression, mood swings and suicidal thoughts, you should talk to your doctor immediately.
In case you have the migraine, you should let your doctor know so that he can prescribe you anti-epileptic medicines, which also prevent migraines.
Medicines cannot treat the underlying cause of epilepsy, but these help in controlling seizures and this is the most common symptom of epilepsy. Medication should be started at a proper time and must be continued without stopping.

Epilepsy - When To Seek Medical Help?

Living with epilepsy can be highly challenging. This is a medical condition that can be controlled with medications in most cases, but it might not be useful for all patients due to severe side effects. It is estimated that up to 30% people who have epilepsy face this issue, and in such cases, surgery might be considered as an option.

This condition typically results in seizures which is a result of sudden electrical activity in the brain. So, certain complicated epilepsy operations on the brain can help patients with their seizures and contain their symptoms.

The goal of epilepsy surgeries involves removing part of the brain that causes these seizures and disrupting parts of the nervous system in the brain that contribute to the same. The procedure also involves the installation of a device that helps control the side effects of epilepsy.

When is surgery not an option for epilepsy?
Doctors would accurately identify the part of the brain that is causing seizures as the first step. These parts are known in medical terms as the  seizure  focus. This area should not be related critical functions of the brain like movement, sensation, and language involved   else surgery would not be possible.

Surgery is not viable when seizures are severe and impair bodily movement or if the patient has serious medical conditions (like cancer or heart diseases).

Common Surgery Options Available

Lesionectomy: This is one of the most commonly used procedures. This form of surgery involves the surgeon removing brain lesions from the brain or areas of injury due to malformed blood vessels or tumors. These injuries can often cause seizures and epilepsy and can be treated effectively with lesionectomy.
Lobe resection: This is another form of treatment which is possible only if the epilepsy is located in one of the four parts of the brain   the temporal lobe. It is quite common in younger people and can easily be treated by expert neurosurgeons by removing the brain tissues that are causing epilepsy.
Multiple Subpial Transections: While the above methods involve cutting out brain tissues, sometimes such surgeries just might not be possible due to other complications. If the parts of the brain cannot be cut out, surgeons tend to adopt Multiple Subpial Transections. This procedure can help control seizures without requiring cutting out parts of the brain. Small intersections are made in the brain to disrupt the impulses from affected brain cells that cause seizures, and they do not affect normal brain activity. It helps leave all abilities intact in patients and aids in treatment very effectively.
So, if you are just fed up with dealing with the seizures, consult your doctor who will be able to advise on the course of action depending on the history and medical condition.

Epilepsy - Is Surgery An Option?

Debilitating inflammation in the joints and its surrounding tissue usually characterize arthritis. This ailment can greatly weaken the body. At the point when joints are seriously influenced by joint pain, there are a number of treatment methods that may be available for the patient. Pain relievers, physiotherapy and other forms of treatment can help in offering relief. Yet, when these methods fail, one can go in for replacement surgery of the affected joint. This may not just lessen or eliminate the pain experienced but it can also it can reestablish better strength in the joint. Hip, knee, and shoulder joint substitutions are a portion of the more normal surgeries suggested when managing joint pain.

Joint Replacement Surgery for Various Joints: Arthritis can affect a variety of joints in various ways. In the shoulder, this can be found in the humerus (the upper arm bone) and a bit of the scapula (the shoulder bone). In the knee, it includes the finishes of the femur and tibia (the thigh bone and shin bone, separately) and the patella (the knee top). In the hip, the influenced zones are the femur and the attachment in the pelvic bones in which it rests (the hip bone socket). In simple words, an aggregate joint trade or replacement for joint pain includes replacing the harmed joint surfaces with simulated segments artificially.

Ideal Candidate: In the event that your joint pain is progressed yet you are generally healthy, joint substitution might be a choice. Notwithstanding, you should take the advice of an accomplished orthopedic pro who can give you moderate treatment choices and other negligibly intrusive ways to deal with the condition before resorting surgery.

As a rule, you may not be a decent candidate of the replacement if:

-You have inadequately controlled diabetes

-You are a chain smoker

-You are extremely chubby

-You have encountered contaminations in the influenced ligament joint before

The best contender for a ligament joint replacement surgery includes patients who:

-Have joint pain that is extreme

-Are encountering a debilitating effect in their personal life due to the painful symptoms

-Have discovered moderate medicines, for example, mitigating drugs and non-intrusive treatment to be ineffectual

-Are willing to effectively and regularly participate in a recovery program after surgery

The accomplishment of a joint substitution surgery relies on upon the stability of the remaining parts of the joint. In the event that the joint has endured a few diseases, or in the event that it has experienced a few surgeries, it may not be sufficiently solid to withstand a joint replacement procedure. What's more, if you there are immune system disorders or long ailments like diabetes at play, then there may be little chance of aligning with the new joint.

Should You Undergo a Total Joint Replacement for Arthritis?

Unlike muscle aches, neuropathic pain or nerve pain is usually a lifelong condition. This usually affects the feet. In some cases, it can get better over the years but in most cases, nerve pain stays persistent or worsens with time. Neuropathic pain is caused by nerve damage and commonly triggered by conditions such as diabetes or is a result of the side effects of medication or chemotherapy.

Medication is usually the first line of treatment when it comes to dealing with neuropathic pain. Medication prescribed for such conditions can be categorized as:

Antidepressants
Anticonvulsants
Local anesthetics
These may be prescribed individually or in a combination of two or more types of drugs. additionally, topical creams may also be prescribed for pain relief. Conventional medicine can provide temporary relief from nerve pain. However, in the long run, making a few lifestyle changes can help control nerve pain. Here are a few tips.

Exercise: Nerve pain may tempt you to sit in one place, but you must force yourself to walk about and exercise a little on a regular basis. Exercising increases blood flow to the extremities of the body and releases endorphins that act as natural painkillers. It can also expand blood vessels and nourish damaged nerves.
Avoid alcohol: If you suffer from nerve damage, alcohol can aggravate the damage and increase pain. Hence it is best to skip alcohol and all other kinds of stimulants.
Heat therapy: Soaking your feet in a warm bath or using a heat pack can be very effective when it comes to dealing with nerve pain. The heat temporarily increase blood flow and reduces pressure on the nerves. However, be careful to avoid burning yourself.
Get a good night's sleep: Nerve pain is usually aggravated at night, thus disturbing your sleep. To get the required 8 hours of sleep a day, try maintaining a schedule of going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday. Drinking a cup of warm milk may also help you fall asleep faster. Ensure that the last cup of coffee you drink is in the afternoon.
Massage: As with muscle pains; a massage can help ease and reduce nerve pain. Your choice of oils also has a role to play in the effectiveness of the massage. While lavender oil helps people relax and takes their mind of the pain, geranium oil can help directly reduce nerve pain.

Ways to Control Nerve Pain

Gone are the days when bone ailments and damages were detected based on the experience and superficial conversations made by the physicians. These days with the advent of radio waves, medical science has made significant progress that has enabled a detailed overview of what exactly is going on inside your body and what should be the most relevant treatment in that regard. Magnetic Resonance Imaging or more commonly known as MRIs are a boon when it comes to diagnosing orthopedic and musculoskeletal complaints.

Common Uses of the Procedure:

MR imaging is usually the best choice for examining the:

body s major joints.
spine for back pain
soft tissues (muscles, tendons and ligaments) and bones of the extremities.
MR imaging is typically performed to diagnose or evaluate:

degenerative joint disorders such as arthritis.
tears of the menisci, ligaments and tendons (knee) or rotator cuff and labrum (shoulder and hip).
fractures (in selected patients).
spinal disk abnormalities (such as a herniated disk).
the integrity of the spinal cord after trauma.
sports-related injuries and work-related disorders caused by repeated strain, vibration or forceful impact.
infections (such as osteomyelitis).
tumors (primary tumors and metastases) involving soft tissues around the joints and extremities (such as muscles, bones and joints).
pain, swelling or bleeding in the tissues in and around the joints and extremities.
congenital malformations of the extremities in children and infants.
developmental abnormalities of the extremities in children and infants.
congenital and idiopathic (developing during adolescence) scoliosis prior to surgery.
tethered spinal cord (abnormal stretching in the spinal cord) in infants and children.
The Process:

In this process, X-rays and radio waves are subjected upon the affected region to examine the conditions of the bones, tissues, muscles and also detect the presence of tumours. This is majorly a non-invasive test and is painless. It does not use ionizing rays and therefore does not harm the body in any which way. The MRIs capture a detailed picture of the organs and the internal body structures and then transmit them onto a computer screen for the physician to monitor the inside story.

The Benefits: 

MRI is an imaging technique that does not require exposure to radiation.
MR images of the soft-tissue structures of the body (particularly muscles, bones and joints) are often clearer and more detailed than with other imaging methods. This detail makes MRI an invaluable tool in early diagnosis and evaluation of many conditions, including tumors.
MRI can distinguish abnormal tissues from normal tissues much more accurately than most other imaging tests (x-ray, CT, etc.).
MRI enables the discovery of abnormalities that might be obscured by bone with other imaging methods.
The contrast material used in MRI exams is less likely to produce an allergic reaction than the iodine-based contrast materials used for conventional x-rays and CT scanning.
MR images allow the physician to clearly see even very small tears and injuries to tendons, ligaments and muscles and some fractures that cannot be seen on x-rays and CT.

Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal MRI

Epilepsy is a disorder in the central nervous system characterized by recurrent seizures. An unexpected rush of electrical activity inside the brain leads to a seizure. Brain activity becomes abnormal and leads to periods of unusual behaviour with loss of awareness at times.

Seizures do not always include unusual muscle movements or convulsions. Untreated seizures can seriously affect the lives of children having them. Epilepsy affects both men and women regardless of their ethnic background and age.

Signs of Epilepsy:

A staring spell
Momentary bewilderment
Loss of consciousness
Jerking movements of arms and legs.
Panic or anxiety
Kinds of Seizures:
Seizures are normally classified as focal or generalized depending on the commencement of abnormal brain activity.

Focal (partial) seizures result from abnormal activity in a particular area of the person's brain. Simple partial seizures may change emotions or the way things smell, appear, feel, sound or taste. It is characterized by tingling and dizziness.
Complex partial seizures or focal seizures with impaired awareness entail a modification of or loss of awareness and consciousness. Repetitive movements are performed during such seizures such as hand rubbing, walking in circles or swallowing.
Thorough testing is needed to differentiate epilepsy from other neurological disorders such as narcolepsy, migraine or mental illness.

Generalized seizures normally affect all areas of the brain and consist of:

Tonic seizures lead to muscle stiffness and normally affects muscles in the person's back, legs and arms.
Atonic seizures or drop seizures lead to a loss of muscle control which makes a person abruptly collapse or fall down.
Myoclonic seizures are visible as short jerks or twitches of a person's arms and legs.
Clonic seizures are characterized by repetitive or rhythmic jerking muscle movements.
Tonic-clonic seizures cause sudden loss of consciousness, quivering and body stiffening.
Absence seizures might take place in clusters and lead to momentary loss of awareness.
Symptoms of Epilepsy:
The main symptoms of epilepsy are seizures and it differs from one person to another.

Symptoms of Focal (partial) seizures include:

Dizziness
Change or modification in the sense of smell, taste, hearing, sight or touch.
Twitching and tingling of limbs.
Symptoms of Complex partial seizures include:

Unresponsiveness
Staring blankly
Performing repetitive movements
Loss of awareness or consciousness
Genetics may provide a person with a natural seizure threshold as a person who is susceptible to seizure triggers is said to have inherited a low seizure threshold. A higher threshold conversely makes a person less liable to have seizures.

Epilepsy is a comparatively common neurological disorder that affects innumerable people worldwide and treatments range from medication to surgery.

Epilepsy - Signs and Symptoms You Must Know!

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