International Epilepsy Day: ‘Unsafe childbirth, brain injuries may lead to epilepsy’

Essentially, epilepsy is a tendency to have recurrent seizures due to abnormal electrical discharge in the brain. It is a medical disorder and can be managed with proper treatment. Some seizures/epilepsies can be prevented by being aware of the risk factors. For example, unsafe childbirth without adequate medical support can lead to brain damage and epilepsy in the newborn. Consumption of unhygienic food can lead to neurocysticercosis in the brain, one of the common causes of seizures in our setting. Driving rash or without helmets can lead to accidents and brain injury, another common cause of epilepsy. Well-controlled epilepsy doesn’t create many hurdles. Some medicines are effective for specific types of epilepsies, so they should be started after consulting the appropriate doctor.

The experts said that the prescribed medicines need to be taken regularly, as missing even a single dose of the anti-seizure medicine can cause seizure recurrence.

Experts suggested that trying to stop a seizure by making patients smell shoes, putting water in their mouth, or trying to open the clenched teeth, etc., should not be done. They said that these measures can cause harm.