Causes of sudden epilepsy

In this article, get to know the most important information about the causes of sudden epilepsy and other information.

Epilepsy is defined as a condition in which temporary signs or symptoms are caused by abnormal nervous activity in the brain. What are the causes of sudden epilepsy? The answer is in the following: 

Causes of sudden epilepsy

The causes of sudden epilepsy vary and vary, and among these reasons are the following:

1. Central nervous system infection

Infection of the brain due to infection with bacteria, viruses, and parasites can cause sudden epilepsy, as infection with these microbes will cause inflammation in the brain tissue, which leads to disruption of neurological activity in the brain. Such as:

Tuberculosis that affects the central nervous system.

Neurocysticercosis.

Meningitis or encephalitis.

Brain abscess.

Onchocerciasis.

Cerebral toxoplasmosis.

2. Brain tumors

Sudden epileptic seizures are usually one of the early signs of brain tumors, and this may be accompanied by headaches at different times, and the frequency and severity of seizures is an indication of tumor growth, bleeding or swelling.

3. Head and brain injuries

Injury to the head and brain can cause epileptic seizures. These seizures may occur immediately after the injury or within hours or days. Factors that increase the risk of seizures after head and brain injuries include:

The patient was over 65 years old.

Chronic alcohol abuse.

If the injury has penetrated the skull.

A brain contusion.

The presence of a brain hemorrhage.

4. Abuse of stimulants and withdrawal symptoms of sedatives

Some substances can alter the activity of neurotransmitters, leading to seizures. Some substances may disturb the electrolytes or blood flow in the brain, resulting in a seizure. Among these mods are the following:

Antidepressants.

Diphenhydramine.

Cocaine.

Methamphetamine.

Tramadol

Isoniazid.

And some substances have a calming effect on the brain. If the patient is constantly taking regular doses of this drug, a sudden stop may lead to a seizure.

5. Stroke

A stroke may cause problems with the electrical activity in the brain, leading to a seizure. A seizure most often occurs within 24 hours of a stroke, but may occur months after the stroke.

In addition, the more severe the stroke, the more likely it is to cause seizures.

6. High body temperature

High fever can cause seizures, especially in young children and infants, and these seizures are called febrile seizures. Having a febrile seizure does not necessarily mean that a child will have seizures when they grow up.

7. Disturbance of blood sugar level and minerals

Hypoglycemia or electrolyte disturbance may cause seizures.

Sudden epilepsy symptoms

There are different types of epilepsy, some of which are partial (focal) or total (generalized), and the symptoms of epilepsy are as follows:

Uncontrollable movements of the hands and feet.

A disturbance in the level of consciousness, and this occurs in total epileptic seizures.

The patient may bite his tongue during an epileptic seizure.

Epilepsy treatment

Having a single epileptic seizure may not need specific treatment, but if the seizures recur continuously, epilepsy can be treated in different ways, including the following:

1. Nutritional therapy

There is a ketogenic diet, which is high in fat and low in carbohydrates. A ketogenic diet may help control seizures.

2. Drug therapy

Pharmacotherapy is one of the options available to treat epileptic seizures, as there are different options for medications.

3. Surgical treatment

Surgical treatment may be resorted to if other options have not worked, and it may be suitable for a certain group of patients. Among these surgical treatments are the following:

Lobectomy.

Corpus callosotomy.

Thermal ablation using laser.

4. Electrostimulation therapy

There are a number of procedures that may also help reduce epileptic seizures, including the following:

Vagus nerve stimulation.

Responsive neurostimulation.

Deep brain stimulation.

Who are the patients who should see a doctor?

There is a group of patients who may need to visit a doctor who specializes in epilepsy diseases, and these patients include the following:

Diabetics.

pregnant women.

A patient with a high temperature.

Cases where the epileptic seizure lasts more than 5 minutes.

If the patient is no longer breathing normally after an epileptic seizure.

People who sustain an injury during an epileptic seizure. 

En savoir plus sur epilepsy

Next...