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Epilepsy

Affecting one in every 26 people, epilepsy is the fourth most prevalent neurological disorder. Using state-of-the-art tests, our neurologists are able to learn more about the symptoms of your epilepsy to design a custom treatment plan geared towards reducing your risks and restoring your quality of life.

What is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a disorder in which nerve activity in the brain is disrupted, leading to seizures, irregular behavior or a loss of awareness. This chronic neurological disorder can affect patients of all ages, genders, races and ethnicities.

Head trauma, prenatal injuries and diseases like meningitis can lead to epilepsy, but there is often no identifiable cause for epilepsy. Some patients exhibit a genetic predisposition for epilepsy or develop it as a result of a brain tumor or stroke.

What Are the Symptoms?

Epilepsy seizures can affect different parts of the brain resulting in a range of possible symptoms. Dramatic seizures that result in total loss of body control are rare. These subtler signs of a seizure are much more common and should prompt diagnosis and treatment:

  • Fear and anxiety
  • Jerking limb movements
  • Loss of awareness of surroundings
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Staring spell
  • Temporary confusion

The risk of seizures increases with age, as do chances of developing diseases like Alzheimer’s.

How Is It Diagnosed?

Our team of neurologists perform a comprehensive exam incorporating electromyography (EMG) and electroencephalography (EEG) to monitor the electrical activity in your brain, nerves and muscles. These tests allow your doctor to identify abnormalities, diagnose your condition and classify your seizures.

How Is It Treated?

While there is no cure for epilepsy, our neurologists are able to design a treatment plan to reduce or prevent seizures and other symptoms of epilepsy. In addition to anti-seizure medication, your doctor may also prescribe nerve stimulation, deep brain stimulation and dietary changes to manage your condition.

Surgery is sometimes an option for patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy.