What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a type of neurological disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing
seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness.
According to statistics with WHO, around 50 million individuals worldwide have epilepsy,
making it quite possibly the most well-known neurological disorder internationally. Almost
80% of individuals with epilepsy live in low and middle-income nations.
Rates of disease:
Epilepsy represents a critical extent of the world's mental illness trouble, affecting
around 50 million people around the world.
The estimated proportion of the general population with active epilepsy (i.e. continuing seizures or with the need for treatment) at a given time is between 4 and 10 per 1000 people.
Around the world, an expected 5,000,000 individuals are determined to have epilepsy every year.
In top level salary nations, there are assessed to be 49 for every 10000 individuals determined to have epilepsy every year.
In low and middle -pay nations, this figure can be pretty much as high as 139 for every 100 000. This is likely because of the expanded danger of endemic conditions like intestinal sickness orneurocysticercosis; the higher occurrence of street traffic wounds; birth-related wounds; and varieties in clinical framework, the accessibility of preventive wellbeing programs and available consideration.
Causes of epilepsy:
Epilepsy isn't a transmissible disease. Albeit numerous underlying disease mechanisms can
lead to epilepsy, the reason for the illness is as yet unclear in about half of cases around the world. The reasons for epilepsy are separated into the accompanying categories: tructural, genetic, infectious, metabolic, immune and unknown.
Examples encompass:
Brain damage from prenatal or perinatal causes (e.g. a loss of oxygen or trauma during birth, low birth weight).
Congenital abnormalities or genetic conditions with associated brain malformations.
Severe brain injuries.
A stroke that restricts the amount of oxygen to the brain.
Brain infections such as meningitis, encephalitis or neurocysticercosis.
Certain genetic syndromes.
Brain tumour.
Signs and symptoms:
Attributes of seizures shift and rely upon where in the cerebrum the unsettling influence initially starts, and how far it spreads. The risk of premature death in people with epilepsy is up to three times higher than in the general population.
Temporary symptoms occur, such as loss of awareness or consciousness, and disturbances of movement, sensation (including vision, hearing and taste), mood, or other cognitive functions.
People with epilepsy tend to have more physical problems (such as fractures and bruising from injuries related to seizures), as well as higher rates of psychological conditions, including anxiety and depression.
Treatment:
Even though gaining insight about such a neurological disorder can be staggering and overwhelming, there is a brighter side to the situation since there is treatment available for epilepsy. Many patients who have been rightly diagnosed and given appropriate treatment could live sans seizure and treated.
Low-cost treatment is available, with day by day drugs that cost as little as US $5 every year.
Discontinuing anti-seizure medicine can be considered after 2 years without seizures and should take into account germane clinical, social and personal factors.
Prevention:
It has been appropriately stated that ‘Prevention is better than cure’. Below are some of the ways epilepsy can be prevented:
Preventing head injury is the most effective way to prevent post-traumatic epilepsy.
Adequate perinatal care can reduce new cases of epilepsy caused by birth injury.
The use of drugs and other methods to lower the body temperature of a feverish child can reduce the chance of febrile seizures.
Education on how to avoid infections can be effective ways to reduce epilepsy worldwide.
Our contribution:
In Spite of being in the twenty-first century, many people are still not aware about such health issues and do not know the right sources to seek help. People still have a conservative approach that such issues are not a big deal and the person who has them is probably deranged. But the question is, ‘What can we do to solve this issue?’ and to answer that, I suggest the following ways:
Creating an environment wherein everyone is treated not only sympathetically but empathetically.
Raising awareness so that people who are sufferers of this disorder can get timely treatment.
Highest epilepsy death rates are in middle and low-income countries. Donating for such people through various NGOs.
Nelson Mandela rightly stated, “We can change the world and make it a better place. It’s inbour hands to make a difference”.
So, let's abide by this and make every effort to create a world where every person, no matter who and what he is, is treated equally and fairly. Every problem has a solution and so is the scenario with Epilepsy. To all those who have their
loved ones suffering from epilepsy, don’t worry since the problem is curable and everything will be fine if given the right treatment at the right time.
- Prakriti Khanna
Bibliography:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/epilepsy
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/epilepsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20350093
https://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/guide/treating-epilepsy
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