How is epilepsy diagnosed?
1) Epilepsy is an entirely clinical diagnosis. An accurate diagnosis can be made following the hearing of a detailed history of the patient, or following the observation of a fit.
2) The EEG (electroansephalography), a brain MRI (magnetic resonance), a PET scan, SPECT, and neuropsychological evaluation are methods that help in the diagnosis of epilepsy.
How is epilepsy treated?
1) Treatment with medication
The patient is started on medication immediately after a diagnosis of epilepsy has been made. The decision on the type of medication to be used is made taking into considerationthe types of seizures, the category of the epilepsy, and EEG and MRI findings. The most frequently observed side effects are peeling of the skin, an increase in liver functions, and pressure on the spinal cord. Relatives of the patient are informed and cautioned about these side effects. Certain medication necessitates that the liver functions and blood counts of the patient be monitored in certain intervals. Although it varies with each patient, medication must be continued to be used for at least two years. At the end of this term, it may be discontinued under the doctor’s supervision.
2) Surgical treatment
Treatment through surgery may be possible for patients who do not response to treatment with medicine (epilepsy with endurance). Most of these patients have abnormal MRIs. These patients undergo methods such as focal resection (the excision of the area of concern), corpus callosotomy (the disconnection of the cerebral hemispheres), hemispherectomy (the disconnection of a single hemisphere of the brain with the other, in cases in which only side of the brain is damaged), and batteries (vagus nerve stimulation).
Pain;
-Headache, migraine and other headache and face pain
-Neuropathic pains of all kinds
-Back, neck and extremity pain
SPECIAL SENSORY DISORDERS;
-Odor and taste disorders
-Visual and eye movement disorders
-Deafness Dizziness and balance disorders
EPILEPSY AND CONSCIOUS DISORDERS;
-Epilepsy and other seizures-Diseases related to coma and unconsciousness
-Fainting and Syncope-Sleep and abnormalities-Speech disorders
-Brain vascular diseases
-Paralysis due to vascular occlusions
-Brain hemorrhage and related paralysis
-Paralysis due to other causes
-Multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases
-Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders
-Tremortic disorders, dystonia
-Disorders due to nutritional and vitamin deficiencies
-Alcohol and alcohol related disorders
-Neurological disorders due to drugs and toxins
-Diseases of the spinal cord
-Myasthenia gravis and other musculoskeletal disorders
-Alzeimer's disease-Other diseases that cause dementia
-Peripheral nerve diseases
-Muscle diseases
-Cramps and spasms
VERY IMPORTANT EXAMINATIONS IN DIAGNOSIS;
-EEG (ELECTRO ENSEPHALO GRAPHY): It helps us to diagnose the central nervous system in many diseases, especially epilepsy and helps us in differential diagnosis
-BBT (COMPUTERIZED BRAIN TOMOGRAPHY): All kinds of brain hemorrhage in the immediate detection of treatment and follow-up makes a great contribution to us.
-MRI (MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING): Coma stroke, cerebral vascular obstructions,tumors, MS and many other diseases of the brain allows us to diagnose, follow-up and treatment helps us.
