Many people think that the consequences of drinking alcohol can only be a hangover the next day. This is a profound mistake, because alcohol intoxication can provoke the development of dangerous consequences, and in some cases lead to death. One of these diseases is an epilepsy attack after alcohol. In most cases, this pathology occurs in chronic alcoholics, but it can also occur in people who do not abuse alcohol. What reasons can trigger an epilepsy attack after alcohol and what treatment is prescribed? We will analyze these issues in the article.
What is alcoholic epilepsy
Epilepsy is a severe neurological disease characterized by convulsive seizures. The occurrence of psychosis. Alcohol and epilepsy are often referred to together. This is due to the fact that drinking alcohol can lead to brain damage. Ethanol has a negative effect on brain neurons, therefore, it can cause an attack even in small doses. Nerve cells recover very slowly, and drinking alcohol speeds up the process of wear and tear, which inhibits the functioning of the central nervous system. Epilepsy on the background of alcohol begins to progress, and seizures characteristic of this disease occur more often. A feature of this form of the disease is that the occurrence of seizures occurs under the influence of alcohol.
Causes
There are a large number of factors provoking the appearance of epilepsy after alcohol. Let's consider them in more detail:
- The main reason for the development of pathology is the defeat of neurons under the toxic effects of ethanol.
- Prolonged ethanol poisoning.
- Reception of low-quality alcohol-containing liquids that are not intended for oral use.
- Atherosclerosis.
- Traumatic brain injuries.
- Hereditary epilepsy.
- Cerebrovascular accident.
- Infectious diseases (e.g., encephalitis).
- Brain tumors.
Forms
Currently, experts distinguish the following types of seizures:
- Classic fit. It has the most serious consequences. In this case, in a certain area of the brain, pathological activity occurs, covering the cerebral cortex. A sharp muscle spasm, cramps, foam from the mouth and fainting are observed.
- Partial (local) attack. Subtle cramps in any one part of the human body. Often the attack will go unnoticed, so some continue to think that you can drink alcohol with epilepsy.
- Absence (small attack). It is characterized by spontaneous blackout, in which the patient does not respond to external stimuli. Convulsions do not occur. In some cases, partial or complete amnesia occurs. The duration of such attacks directly depends on the amount of alcohol consumed. At first, such a condition can occur within 10-20 seconds, but with the constant use of alcohol, this type of attack develops into full-fledged alcoholic epilepsy.
It is noteworthy that this pathology can have two completely different manifestations - a classic attack in which cramps occur, as well as a condition in which the patient freezes for several seconds, after which he comes to his senses.
Symptomatology
With this pathology, a very clear connection is observed between the onset of symptoms of the disease and the intake of alcohol. An epileptic seizure of alcoholic origin is very similar to the signs of traditional epilepsy, but it has certain peculiarities characteristic only of this type of disease. Let's consider them in more detail:
- Burning headache.
- Severe pain throughout the body.
- Confusion.
- Weakness.
- Nausea.
- Increased salivation.
- Sleep disturbances.
- Dizziness.
- Bitterness.
- Touchiness.
- Lack of appetite.
- Speech Disorders.
- Wheezing when breathing.
- Pallor of the face.
- Cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle.
- Irritability.
After taking alcohol, an attack of epilepsy in most cases occurs on the 2-3rd day of drinking. But it is important to note that even if a person has stopped drinking alcohol, an epilepsy attack can still occur. Indeed, with prolonged binge, a strong toxic effect is exerted on brain cells.
The actual attack of epilepsy after alcohol has the following manifestations:
- Loss of consciousness.
- Rolling eyes.
- Muscle cramps.
- The appearance of foam from the mouth, sometimes with an admixture of blood, which can occur when biting the inside of the cheeks.
- Uncontrolled bowel movements or urination.
- Hoarse breathing.
- Spasm of the lower jaw.
- A bursting loud scream that appears in connection with a spasm of the vocal cords.
- Vomiting may occur.
- Tilting the head back.
The attack can last from a few seconds to several minutes. After this, the person regains consciousness, but does not remember the seizure. The patient feels unbearable pain and pressure in the muscles, due to which his limbs can be completely immobilized for some time. Then a person falls into deep sleep for several hours, after which he develops alcoholic insomnia, characterized by the following manifestations:
- Early awakening.
- Chills.
- The appearance of hallucinations.
- Fever.
- Bitterness.
- Confusion.
- Delirium tremens.
After the end of the attack, personality degradation is observed, accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Impaired coordination.
- Slurred speech.
- Decreased attention.
- Inhibition or increased aggression.
- Violation of facial expressions.
Diagnosis of the disease
Currently, there are no specific diagnostic measures that can detect alcoholic epilepsy. But, knowing the symptoms preceding the attack, you can identify the initial stage of the disease. Particular attention should be paid to the following precursors:
- Conversations during sleep.
- Frequent cramps and tremors.
- Walking in a dream.
- The absence of the above symptoms.
After a preliminary diagnosis has been made, the patient is sent to a medical institution for further examination. In this case, a set of diagnostic measures is applied, including instrumental and laboratory studies. The most common ones include the following:
- General analysis of blood and urine.
- MRI
- CT scan.
- Electroencephalography.
It is very important that the above studies be performed as soon as possible after the attack. In this case, it will be possible to most accurately establish a diagnosis and begin appropriate treatment.
First aid for an attack
Currently, everyone should have the skills of first aid in an attack of epilepsy. Since the general manifestations of the disease are similar for any nature of the disease, the rules for first aid will be as follows:
- First of all, you do not need to be afraid of the person who had the attack. Do not bypass the patient in the stage of intoxication.
- You should try to support the person, preventing his fall.
- After this, it is necessary to lay the patient, removing objects that are next to him that can cause injury.
- Put something resembling a pillow under your head. It can be a regular folded jacket.
- The patient's head must be turned to the side, holding it with your hands, thereby preventing the tongue from dropping.
- Unfasten the collar and upper buttons, loosen the tie.
- When vomiting occurs, gently turn the person on his side to prevent vomit from entering his airways.
- Try to fix the duration of the attack and call an ambulance.
- No need to try to forcibly keep the body from convulsions, try to open your mouth with hard objects. This can break your teeth or injure your mouth.
- Do not try to raise or seat the patient.
Alcoholic epilepsy is not a fatal disease. Subject to the recommendations of the doctor, she is quite successfully treated. But if the patient continues to drink alcohol during epilepsy, despite the prescribed therapy, the attacks will continue, and the pathological process will turn into a chronic one, which will be much more difficult to cure.
Treatment
The treatment of alcoholic epilepsy is complex and includes the following methods:
- Drug therapy.
- Physiotherapy.
- Psychotherapy.
- Diet.
- Socialization.
- In more severe cases, surgical intervention may be required.
Let us consider in more detail the options for the treatment used.
Drug therapy for alcoholic epilepsy includes taking the same medications that are used for ordinary epilepsy. Treatment is based on the use of anticonvulsant drugs, which are prescribed by the attending physician after receiving the results of the tests. The most prescribed drugs are:
- Clonazepam.
- Phenobarbital.
- "Benzobamyl".
- "Hexamidine."
Vitamins and tranquilizers are also prescribed.
Treatment with the above medicines also have a beneficial effect on the psyche of the patient - relieves emotional stress, helps fight anxiety.
Diet
Oddly enough, following a special diet is an important link in the treatment of alcoholic epilepsy. It is necessary to include protein-rich foods in the diet, and the use of carbohydrates is minimized, because they can be a trigger for an attack.
It is recommended to increase the amount of foods such as:
- The eggs.
- Meat.
- Cheese.
- Cream.
- Avocado.
- Nuts.
- Milk.
The following foods should be limited:
- Potatoes.
- Sweet.
- Bakery products.
- Cereals.
- Honey and others.
Other treatments
In addition to the main methods of treatment, walks in the fresh air, moderate physical activity, pleasant emotions are recommended. To normalize the psychoemotional state, the means of traditional medicine have proven themselves well. Decoctions and infusions of sedative medicinal herbs have a beneficial effect on the patient’s nervous system, normalize his sleep and relieve irritability. It is important that they are alcohol free. The most common traditional medicine used in the treatment of epilepsy are:
- Stone oil, which reduces the tendency to drink alcohol.
- Soothing herbs - motherwort, mint, lemon balm, valerian and others.
- Heather.
- Nettle, which helps cleanse the body of toxins.
- Blooming Sally.
But there are situations in which a surgical method of treatment may be required. This necessitates a neglected form of alcoholic epilepsy, in which there is a threat to the patient's life. In this case, a neurosurgical intervention is performed.
It is important that close people are located next to the patient during the course of therapy and during the recovery period. After all, asking if alcohol is possible with epilepsy, a person may not be mentally ready to get rid of the disease and at the same time easily breaks down again.
Effects
When drinking alcohol with epilepsy, the consequences can be very serious. In addition, during a seizure, a person can cause serious injury to himself, a negative effect is exerted on the whole organism as a whole:
- Hallucinations can occur, in which there is a threat to both the patient himself and the people around him.
- Over time, irreversible brain damage develops, in connection with which personality disorders occur.
- Cerebral edema may occur.
- Often there is loss of vision and hearing.
- Depressive conditions occur.
- The body ceases to function normally, which can lead to death.
The listed consequences help answer the question whether alcohol can be used for epilepsy or not. Any treatment option will not bring recovery if alcohol consumption is continued. In this case, the body receives intoxication, and brain cells continue to break down.
Prevention
Alcoholic epilepsy is characterized by the fact that seizures occur directly in the state of a hangover or at the time of drinking alcohol. Therefore, the most basic preventive measure will be the refusal to drink alcohol after the first attack or when its precursors appear.
Conclusion
Epilepsy after drinking alcohol is a dangerous disease that can cause irreparable harm to the body. With this pathology, the timeliness of treatment is very important. After all, the longer the toxic effect on the brain cells and the body as a whole is, the more difficult it will be to recover. If therapy is prescribed on time and alcohol is stopped, the prognosis in most cases is favorable. Sometimes only a slight decrease in intelligence worries and some mental abnormalities are observed. It is important that a person can realize the danger of the disease and be ready to fight it, clearly understanding whether it is possible to drink alcohol with epilepsy or not.