Epilepsy 101

When people don’t have the basic facts that’s when myths tend to fill in the blanks. So here is epilepsy in a nutshell:

What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a chronic neurologic disorder with many possible causes. Anything that disturbs the normal pattern of neuron activity – from illness to brain damage to abnormal brain development – that can lead to seizures.

What is a seizure?
Seizures can cause strange sensations, emotions, and behavior. Seizures can also cause convulsions, muscle spasms, and loss of consciousness.

Is there more than one type of seizure?
Yes, there is! There are more than 40 known types of seizures.

Does everyone who has a seizure have epilepsy?
Having a seizure does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy. Only when a person has two or more seizures is he or she considered for a diagnosis of epilepsy.

How do you know if you’ve had a seizure?
In my case, you know because suddenly you are on the floor when previously you were not. Oh, and you can’t explain how you got there. But that is not always the case. Epilepsy.com has recently added a robust list of definitions and descriptions of all the different types of seizures and types of epilepsy. I suggest that you check it out.

How is epilepsy diagnosed?
EEG, CAT Scan, and MRI are common diagnostic tests for epilepsy. Epilepsy is usually diagnosed by a neurologist after a person has two or more seizures. For tips on how to find a great neurologist check out this earlier post.

Is a cause always identified?
Not always. The seizures in epilepsy may be related to a brain injury or a family tendency, but often the cause is unknown. The word “epilepsy” does not indicate anything about the cause of the person’s seizures, what type they are, or how severe they are.

How can I help someone having a seizure?
The 4 C’s of seizure first aid are: Calm, Clear, Comfort, Call. I love the simplicity of this message which applies to both convulsive and non-convulsive seizures. For more information on first aid, check out this post.

I hope you found this helpful. Please understand this post barely scratches the surface of epilepsy and seizures. For more news and updates follow Living Well on Twitter and Facebook.

Jessica K. Smith Founder and CEO; Executive Director

Jessica Keenan Smith is a patient advocate and epilepsy community leader with more than 15 years of experience. As Founder and CEO of Living Well With Epilepsy and Executive Director of ASENT she bridges the gap between the scientific and patient communities, with a particular focus on the needs of the epilepsies. Jessica Keenan Smith is Founder and CEO of Living Well With Epilepsy, an award winning online resource for people affected by epilepsy to share stories and access in-depth information on the disease. Since 2009, Living Well With Epilepsy (https://livingwellwithepilepsy.com) has been featured in Forbes, Wired, NBC, NPR and the cover story of Epilepsy Advocate Magazine and has partnered with companies such as UCB, Lundbeck, Sunovion, Eisai, and more. Ms. Smith is also the Executive Director of the American Society for Experimental Neurotherapeutics (ASENT) (https://asent.org), an organization that brings together leaders from industry, academia, government and advocacy who are engaged in bringing drugs and devices to market across all neurologic disease states. In this role she is responsible for leading a successful scientific journal and annual scientific conference with speakers from all over the world.

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Epilepsy