Myths and Facts About Epilepsy

Some 470,000 children and 3 million adults in the United States have epilepsy, a brain disorder that causes seizures. While there’s often no obvious cause behind this chronic condition, injuries, infections, and genetics can play a role. 

Once you have epilepsy, abnormal brain activity leads to seizures and related symptoms, like anxiety and confusion. And it can set in at almost any age, although it’s usually diagnosed during childhood or after age 60. 

At his offices in New Rochelle, New York, Dr. Farhad Elyaderani uses advanced tests to diagnose epilepsy and offers personalized treatment plans to lower your risk of seizures and bolster your quality of life. 

Myth: All epileptic seizures involve convulsions

It’s easy to get the impression from movies or TV that epileptic seizures cause you to drop to the ground in dramatic convulsions. In reality, that’s only one of numerous types of seizures. 

Some seizures cause what appears to be a blank stare or body stiffness. Other seizures cause you to experience confusion as you wander aimlessly around. Only generalized motor seizures, formerly known as grand mal seizures, cause your whole body to move uncontrollably. And only in some cases are those movements extreme.

Myth: You can’t hold down a job or have a healthy pregnancy when you have epilepsy

With proper treatment, you can lead a full life that involves almost any career path and family goal you wish for. Vocation exceptions are few and include being a truck driver or pilot.

As for pregnancy, epilepsy does make medical monitoring especially important, which is the case for many chronic conditions. You’d need to see your obstetrician slightly more often compared to people who aren’t prone to seizures, for example, but you can still have a healthy pregnancy and delivery. Your neurologist can also help ensure your safety and well-being through each trimester.

Myth: There’s no way to prevent epileptic seizures

While there’s no known cure for epilepsy, Dr. Elyaderani’s customized treatment plans can effectively reduce or even eliminate your symptoms. Depending on the specifics of your symptoms and overall health, your epilepsy treatment may include:

• Anti-seizure medication
• Deep brain stimulation
• Dietary changes

Up to 70% of people with epilepsy stop experiencing seizures altogether once they’re on the right medication, according to the Epilepsy Foundation. 

If it turns out that you have a rare case of treatment-resistant epilepsy, you may be a good candidate for surgery. Epilepsy surgery typically removes a small portion of the brain where seizures happen.

To learn more about epilepsy or get the treatment or support you need, call Dr. Farhad Elyaderani or request an appointment online today.