Epilepsy
(Seizure Disorder)

• Introduction
• What is Epilepsy?
• What Causes Epilepsy?
• What Are the Different Kinds of Seizures?
  • Focal Seizures
  • Generalized Seizures
  • Patient Discussions: Epilepsy (Seizure Disorder) - Describe Your Effective Treatments
• What Are the Different Kinds of Epilepsy?
• When Are Seizures Not Epilepsy?
  • First Seizures
  • Febrile Seizures
  • Nonepileptic Events
  • Eclampsia
• How is Epilepsy Diagnosed?
• Can Epilepsy be Prevented?
• How Can Epilepsy be Treated?
• How Does Epilepsy Affect Daily Life?
• Are There Special Risks Associated With Epilepsy?
• What Research Is Being Done on Epilepsy?
• How Can I Help Research on Epilepsy?
• What To Do If You See Someone Having a Seizure
• Conclusion
• Where can I get more information?

Seizures: When the Computer Goes Haywire Medical Author: Benjamin C. Wedro, MD, FAAEM Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD The brain is an impressively wired computer. It stores information from input through our five senses and sifts through the data; gets rid of frivolous material and organizes the important stuff into short-term memory centers; and finally rearranges the final product into long-term memory. The brain also sends messages out electrically to the rest of the body, controlling movement and position so that the body can take the brain where it wants to go. Electricity is the key to its function, and sometimes it short circuits. Seizures occur when parts of the brain becomes irritable and develop electrical surge. That surge can remain in a small area or it can spread to the whole brain. Every person has the potential to have a seizure. Read more about seizures » Top Searched Seizure Terms: Ultram, types of seizures, causes, grand mal, Paxil, febrile, Zoloft, absence, stress, epileptic, symptoms, petit mal, myoclonic, partial

Introduction

Few experiences match the drama of a convulsive seizure. A person having a severe seizure may cry out, fall to the floor unconscious, twitch or move uncontrollably, drool, or even lose bladder control. Within minutes, the attack is over, and the person regains consciousness but is exhausted and dazed. This is the image most people have when they hear the word epilepsy. However, this type of seizure -- a generalized tonic-clonic seizure -- is only one kind of epilepsy. There are many other kinds, each with a different set of symptoms.

Epilepsy was one of the first brain disorders to be described. It was mentioned in ancient Babylon more than 3,000 years ago. The strange behavior caused by some seizures has contributed through the ages to many superstitions and prejudices. The word epilepsy is derived from the Greek word for "attack." People once thought that those with epilepsy were being visited by demons or gods. However, in 400 B.C., the early physician Hippocrates suggested that epilepsy was a disorder of the brain -- and we now know that he was right.

Epilepsy (Seizure Disorder) - Describe Your Effective Treatments

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