What is nocturnal epilepsy?
Nocturnal seizures are seizures that happen while a person is asleep. They can cause unusual nighttime behavior, such as waking for no reason or urinating while sleeping, as well as jerking and shaking of the body. Nocturnal seizures are usually a type of seizure called a tonic-clonic seizure.
What diet is best for epilepsy?
The “classic” ketogenic diet is a special high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that helps to control seizures in some people with epilepsy. Doctors usually recommend the ketogenic diet for children whose seizures have not responded to several different seizure medicines.
What are the signs and symptoms of epilepsy?
The main symptoms of epilepsy are repeated seizures. There are many different types of seizure, depending on the area of the brain affected. People with epilepsy can experience any type of seizure, although most people have a consistent pattern of symptoms. Seizures can occur when you are awake or asleep.
What happens if you have a tonic epilepsy?
Atonic seizures cause all your muscles to suddenly relax, so there is a chance you may fall to the ground and there is a risk you could injure yourself. Tonic seizures cause all your muscles to suddenly become stiff, which can mean you lose balance and fall over. Like atonic seizures, there is a risk of injury.
Why are auras called warning signs of epilepsy?
These seizures are sometimes known as “warnings” or “auras” because they can be a sign that another type of seizure is about to happen. During a complex partial seizure, you lose your sense of awareness and make random body movements, such as: You will not be able to respond to anyone else during the seizure and you will not have any memory of it.
How many unprovoked seizures does it take to diagnose epilepsy?
At least two unprovoked seizures are generally required for an epilepsy diagnosis. Treatment with medications or sometimes surgery can control seizures for the majority of people with epilepsy. Some people require lifelong treatment to control seizures, but for others, the seizures eventually go away.