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Overview
Epilepsy is a common condition that affects the brain and causes frequent seizures.
Seizures are bursts of electrical activity in the brain that temporarily affect how it works. They can cause a wide range of symptoms.
Epilepsy can start at any age, but usually starts either in childhood or in people over 60.
It's often lifelong, but can sometimes get slowly better over time.
Symptoms
Seizures can affect people in different ways, depending on which part of the brain is involved.
Possible symptoms include:
- uncontrollable jerking and shaking, called a "fit"
- losing awareness and staring blankly into space
- becoming stiff
- strange sensations, such as a "rising" feeling in the tummy, unusual smells or tastes, and a tingling feeling in your arms or legs
- collapsing
Sometimes you might pass out and not remember what happened.
Causes
In epilepsy, the electrical signals in the brain become scrambled and there are sometimes sudden bursts of electrical activity. This is what causes seizures.
In most cases, it's not clear why this happens. It's possible it could be partly caused by your genes affecting how your brain works, as around 1 in 3 people with epilepsy have a family member with it.
Occasionally, epilepsy can be caused by damage to the brain, such as damage from:
- a stroke
- a brain tumour
- a severe head injury
- drug abuse or alcohol misuse
- a brain infection
- a lack of oxygen during birth
Diagnosis
If you have a seizure, a GP may refer you to a specialist to find out what caused it.
You'll usually see a doctor called a neurologist. This is someone who's an expert in conditions that affect the brain and nerves. They'll want to find out more about your seizure and may suggest having some tests.
Tests for epilepsy
The specialist may suggest having a test to check your brain activity called an electroencephalogram (EEG), or a brain scan to look for any problem in your brain.
But if these tests do not show anything, it's still possible you have epilepsy, and you may be diagnosed just based on your symptoms.
Checking your brain activity (EEG)
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is used to check for unusual electrical activity in the brain that can happen in people with epilepsy.
Brain scan
A brain scan can help spot problems in your brain that can sometimes cause epilepsy, such as:
- an unusual growth (brain tumour)
- damage to the brain, such as damage caused by a stroke
- scarring in the brain
Treatment Options
Treatment can help most people with epilepsy have fewer seizures or stop having seizures completely.
Treatments include:
- medicines called anti-epileptic drugs – these are the main treatment
- surgery to remove a small part of the brain that's causing the seizures
- a procedure to put a small electrical device inside the body that can help control seizures
- a special diet (ketogenic diet) that can help control seizures
Some people need treatment for life. But you might be able to stop treatment if your seizures disappear over time.
When To See A Doctor
See a GP if you think you might have had a seizure for the first time.
This does not mean you have epilepsy, as a seizure can have several causes and sometimes they're just a one-off, but you should see a doctor to find out why it happened.
Call for an ambulance if someone:
- is having a seizure for the first time
- has a seizure that lasts more than 5 minutes
- has lots of seizures in a row
- has breathing problems or has seriously injured themselves
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