Treating Epilepsy: An Overview Of Options

For the millions of people living with epilepsy, the condition can have an impact on all areas of their life. Finding effective treatment not only improves symptoms, but it may also greatly improve their quality of life.   

What Is An Epileptic Seizure?

Normally, neurons transmit electrical impulses throughout the brain. A seizure can develop when there is a disruption to the electrical activity in the brain.

It is important to understand that not everyone who has a seizure has epilepsy. Seizures can be caused by several things, including extremely high fevers, head injuries and brain tumors. According to John Hopkins University, a diagnosis of epilepsy is considered when two or more seizures, which are unprovoked, occur.   

The condition affects both children and adults. There are different types of epileptic syndromes and different types of seizures. For example, temporal lobe epilepsy is the most common epileptic syndrome. Other epileptic syndromes include frontal lobe epilepsy, Rasmussen’s Syndrome and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

In addition to different syndromes, there are also two main types of seizures including partial and generalized. Partial seizures start in one location in the brain. Generalized seizures do not have a specific location where they start. Instead, they appear to start everywhere at once.

The exact symptoms of a seizure may vary depending on where in the brain the seizure starts. Most people are familiar with seizures and know about some of the symptoms that can result from them, such as uncontrollable muscle spasms and a loss of consciousness.

Conventional Treatment Options For Epilepsy

Different treatments are available for children and adults with epilepsy. The recommended treatment may depend on the type of epilepsy and how frequently seizures are occurring, while other aspects of the person's health (such as comorbid disorders) are also taken into account. In some cases, various types of treatment may be tried until something that controls seizures is found. Below are a couple of conventional treatment options.

Medication: In many instances, medication is one of the first treatments used for epilepsy. Several types of anti-epileptic medications can be used to manage the symptoms of epilepsy. According to The University of Chicago Medical Center, the available anti-epileptic medications have increased from a handful in the 1980s to over 20 currently.

Although anti-epileptic medication can be useful, side effects may occur, such as weight gain, fatigue and memory problems. It is essential that the risks versus the benefits of anti-epileptic medications are weighed before taking the medication.

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Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Vagus nerve stimulation is a type of epileptic treatment that can be used in adults when medication has proven to be unsuccessful in stopping seizures. The treatment involves surgically implanting a device under the skin in the chest. Wires attached to the implant are threaded up to the vagus nerve, which is located in the neck. The device is programmed to emit small, electrical impulses at specific intervals, which inhibits seizures. According to the Mayo Clinic, vagus nerve stimulation usually decreases seizure activity between 20 to 40 percent in most people.

Surgery And Alternative Treatments For Epilepsy May Offer Hope

Medication and vagus nerve stimulation can be effective treatments for some people with epilepsy. But for others, conventional treatment does not work, and seizures continue. In some instances, other types of treatments may be recommended to improve a patient's quality of life.

Surgery For Epilepsy

The most invasive type of epilepsy treatment is surgery. Surgery for epilepsy is most effective if seizure activity occurs in a well-defined area of the brain. In addition, surgery can only be performed if it does not interfere with functions, such as speech, motor skills and vision. 

Physicians will usually try all other types of treatment before resorting to surgical procedures. Different types of surgical procedures may be recommended, depending on the part of the brain where the seizure activity originates. 

For instance, one type of procedure is called asubpial transection. The procedure involves making a few small incisions into different sections of the brain, which is intended to disrupt the seizure. In another surgery, one lobe or part of a lobe in the brain is removed to reduce seizures. In many cases, this type of surgery is used to treat seizures, which start in the temporal lobe.

Another surgical procedure, referred to as corpus callostomy, does not involve removing brain tissue. Instead, a membrane is severed, which divides the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Severing the membrane interferes with the electrical impulses traveling from both halves of the brain.  

Additional Epilepsy Treatment

Doctors continue to research additional treatments for epilepsy. It is essential to understand not all treatments work for everyone. Medicine is always evolving, and some types of epilepsy treatment are still in the research stage.  Below are a few additional treatments for epilepsy.   

Diet: One treatment or way to manage epilepsy, which some people have found effective, involves dietary changes. The ketogenic diet is a high fat and low carb diet. According to the Mayo Clinic, following this diet may reduce seizure activity is children when medication is not effective. Because the diet limits carbohydrates, the body is forced to burn fat for energy, which causes ketones to build up. For reasons that are not fully understood, high levels of ketones decrease seizure activity in some children.

Medical Marijuana: In some states, medical marijuana is legal for treating certain diseases. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, some people with epilepsy have a decrease in seizures when using medical marijuana. The reason marijuana may decrease seizures in some people is currently being researched.

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Complementary Treatments: When conventional treatment does not reduce seizures or side effects are severe, some people with epilepsy try alternative treatments to treat epilepsy. Additionally, alternative treatment is sometimes used to complement traditional treatment and not to replace it.

Complementary treatments, which are sometimes used to treat epilepsy including acupuncture and herbal remedies. In addition, chiropractic therapy along with biofeedback may be also used by some people. Before trying any type of alternative treatment for epilepsy, it is critical to discuss it with your doctor. Some forms of alternative medicine can interact with conventional medications, so it is important to be careful.