Epilepsy

As the fourth most common neurological disorder in the United States today, epilepsy affects one in 26 people. At his offices in New Rochelle, New York, Dr. Farhad Elyaderani, diagnoses epilepsy with state-of-the-art tests and offers customized treatment plans to reduce your risk of seizures and restore your quality of life. If you’re concerned about epilepsy or seizures, call the office or request an appointment online today. 

What is epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that causes abnormal brain activity, which leads to seizures, other irregular behaviors, or a loss of awareness. Epilepsy affects patients of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities.

If you have two seizures that don’t have an apparent cause, Dr. Elyaderani will likely run tests to confirm a diagnosis of epilepsy.

What are the symptoms of epilepsy?

The abnormal brain activity of epilepsy causes seizures to occur in different parts of your brain. Depending on the location of the seizure, you may have symptoms such as:

• Temporary confusion
• Staring spell
• Jerking movements in your arms or legs
• Loss of consciousness or awareness of your surroundings
• Fear and anxiety

Dramatic seizures where you lose control of your body are rare. Nonetheless, it’s important to be aware of the more subtle signs of seizures and seek professional diagnosis and treatment when you notice them.

What causes epilepsy?

In most cases, there’s no identifiable cause of epilepsy. While head trauma, prenatal injuries, and infectious diseases such as meningitis or encephalitis can lead to epilepsy, you may also have a genetic predisposition for epilepsy or develop the condition as a symptom of a brain tumor or the damage caused by a stroke. Your risk of seizures increases as you age, and your chances of developing diseases such as Alzheimer’s also increase.

How is epilepsy diagnosed?

Dr. Elyaderani diagnoses epilepsy with EEGs and a comprehensive exam. EEGs evaluate the electrical activity in your brain, which allows your doctor to spot abnormalities, diagnose epilepsy, and classify your seizures.

Dr. Elyaderani offers EEG testing as well as ambulatory testing. You wear mobile EEG equipment at home for 24 hours. When you return the equipment, he analyzes your brain activity.

How is epilepsy treated?

Currently, there is no cure for epilepsy. However, Dr. Elyaderani offers customized treatment plans to reduce or eliminate your seizures and other symptoms. 

While anti-seizure medication is the gold standard in terms of epilepsy treatment, he may recommend other therapies, including nerve stimulation, deep brain stimulation, and dietary changes. In rare cases, Dr. Elyaderani may recommend surgery for treatment-resistant epilepsy.

If you’re concerned about seizures or epilepsy, call Dr. Farhad Elyaderani or request an appointment online today.