Tag Archives: epilepsy

Epilepsy Awareness

Illness, Uncategorized, , , , , ,

Epilepsy is a complex and prevalent neurological disorder marked by abnormal brain activity, recurrent seizures and other sensory disturbances. Let’s take a closer look:

  • Epilepsy is a shockingly common condition, striking approximately 1 in every 100 Americans with nearly 150,000 new diagnoses each year.
  • Anyone can develop epilepsy. The disorder can just as easily develop in elderly people as it can in children (or anywhere in between).
  • Seizures can begin after another type of medical trauma such as a stroke.
  • DO: roll a seizure victim on their side gently, try to support their head and make them comfortable, as well as monitor your vitals.
  • DON’T: Despite common misconception, never try to put something in the mouth of a seizure victim as it may make them choke or hurt their jaw or teeth.
  • Contrary to commonly held belief, it is actually impossible to swallow your tongue during a seizure.
  • People with epilepsy can hold down most steady jobs (except some that may be a safety hazard in the case of a seizure on the job, such as construction).
  • Epilepsy can’t be cured but it can be successfully treated in many cases.
  • Unfortunately, a fair number of people with the disorder do not respond to treatment and live with uncontrolled epilepsy. However, it is entirely possible with rapid medical advancements that there may be better treatment in the near future.
  • It is possible to die from an epilepsy complication called sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).
  • Sadly, up to 42,000 people die from SUDEP each year in the United States.
  • Symptoms of epileptic seizures include: trans-like staring, abrupt jerking of the limbs, temporary loss of consciousness or awareness, repetitive movements, dizziness or light sensitivity, just to name a few.
  • The two main types of seizures are focal and generalized. Each have various subtypes.
  • The most commonly known type of seizure is a grand mal (tonic-clonic) generalized seizure.
  • If a person is having their first seizure, a seizure that lasts longer than 5 minutes or has another seizure following the first, has an additional medical condition, or appears to have been injured during the seizure call 9-1-1 immediately.

Thanks for visiting DocChat! We hope we’ve answered some of your questions about epilepsy. We hope you’ll be back again soon!

 

6 Common Neurological Diseases

Illness, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , ,

Untitled-1
Neurological diseases affect the central nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and nerves. There over 600 different neurological diseases and disorders, many of which are quite common in the United States.

6 Prevalent Neurological Diseases 

We can’t cover all 600 neurological conditions, so we will touch on some of the most common and notable including:

  • Stroke – When the brain’s blood vessels burst or become blocked, a stroke ensues. This is a very common neurological disorder afflicting over 600,000 Americans annually. It is the number one cause of long-term disability and third leading cause of death in the country.
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) – Also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, this devastating disorder slowly destroys nerve cells, leading to severe paralysis which eventually extends to the respiratory system, proving fatal. It is the most common motor neuron disease among Americans, with about 30,000 cases currently in the United States and about 5,000 more diagnosed annually.
  • Muscular dystrophy refers to a series of neurological disorders that result from genetic abnormalities. Muscular dystrophy can cause severe mobility impairment and muscle weakness. It is predominantly a male disorder, affecting approximately 1 in every 3,500 to 6,000 American men.
  • Epilepsy is a disorder that disrupts the brain’s electrical activity, causing repeat (sometimes life-threatening) seizures. Epilepsy is one of the more common neurological disorders affecting approximately 3 million Americans.
  • Migraine disorder consists of a debilitating collection of neurological symptoms such as vision disruption, numbness, pain, light sensitivity and more. Migraine disorder is also prevalent in the United States, affecting approximately 12% of the American population.
  • Parkinson’s is a disorder of the nervous system which gradually progresses to cause many disabling symptoms such as severe shaking, muscular problems, stiffness and speech problems. Nearly 10,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s annually.

Some Disorders Fit Into Multiple Categories

There are many common conditions with neurological components that fit under other categories as well such as:

  • Developmental disorders like autism
  • Psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia,
  • Certain autoimmune diseases are also neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis
  • Brain damage that stunts neurological development
  • Degenerative neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease

Treatment

Treatment for neurological disorder varies, depending on the type of disease and each individual case. If you have symptoms in line with the above mentioned disorders, see your doctor soon for testing. If you have any questions, our board certified DocChat physicians are standing by 24/7/365. Thanks for visiting DocChat, we hope you’ll be back again soon!