The term "epilepsy" refers to a severe pathological condition in which damage to brain cells occurs. Without timely medical intervention, the disease progresses. Information on whether epilepsy is treated in adults should be provided by a specialist in each case, taking into account the individual characteristics of the course of the disease. Currently, there are many conservative and operational methods to combat pathology. If you strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations, it is possible to get rid of attacks forever. The following describes the causes, symptoms and treatment of epilepsy in adults of nocturnal, generalized and other forms.
Development mechanism
The onset of the disease is associated with extremely complex processes occurring in the brain. In the presence of certain risk factors in the body, the formation of a group of neurons begins, the difference of which from other cells is that they have a reduced degree of excitation. In other words, they are easily activated under the influence of any, even the most insignificant process. In such cases, it is customary to talk about the formation of an epileptic focus.
If a nerve impulse forms in the affected area, a gradual involvement of nearby cells in the pathological process occurs. Thus, the disease, without proper treatment, progresses and affects all large areas of the brain.
The development of pathology is accompanied by the onset of seizures. These are conditions in which the patient experiences short-term mental disorders, convulsive seizures, impaired consciousness, etc. Manifestations of the pathology are diverse, they directly depend on which part of the brain is affected. A doctor should be consulted when the first alarming signs occur. The specialist will determine whether treatment of epilepsy in an adult patient is possible, draw up a treatment plan, evaluate the feasibility of surgical intervention.
Causes
In most cases, the starting factor for the development of the disease is a hereditary predisposition. In such situations, the brain is constantly ready for the fact that at any moment excitation of pathologically formed neurons can occur.
In addition, the following diseases and conditions are the causes of the development of epilepsy:
- Birth injury. The risk of pathology increases against the background of injuries to the child’s head, oxygen starvation, severe bleeding, etc.
- Severe infectious diseases.
- Abscess and other inflammatory processes in the brain.
- Pathologies of a degenerative nature.
- Metabolic disease.
- Poisoning by toxic compounds.
- Various kinds of injuries.
- Neoplasms localized in the brain.
- Staying long under stress.
- Excessive enthusiasm for alcohol-containing drinks.
It is not necessary that after a head injury a person begins to suffer from bouts of epilepsy. The disease can occur in a completely healthy individual. In many cases, the causes of the development of the disease remain unknown even after a set of diagnostic measures. In such situations, doctors refer to the presence of a hereditary factor.
At risk are older people. This is due to the fact that in old age the brain is worn out and cannot always fully cope with its functions. The risk of pathology increases significantly after suffering strokes and other diseases of a neurological nature.
Regardless of the causes of epilepsy, treatment in both adults and children should be started as soon as possible. Only in this case is it possible to suppress the disease. Timely intervention allows you to permanently stop the signs of epilepsy in adults. Whether pathology is treated in advanced cases is determined by the doctor. In some difficult situations, most of the brain is affected, and therefore even a surgical intervention can not always relieve attacks.
Symptoms
Signs of epilepsy are diverse. The clinical picture directly depends on which part of the brain is involved in the pathological process.
Common symptoms include the following conditions:
- Change in olfactory and taste sensations.
- The phenomena of visual, emotional and mental nature.
- Unusual sensations in the stomach.
- Hallucinations.
- Change the size of the pupils.
- Unusual behavior (usually automatic).
- Loss of consciousness.
- Uncontrolled motor activity (for example, smacking, twitching of limbs).
- Muscle cramps.
- Fixation of the gaze.
- Confusion.
When the frontal lobe of the patient is affected, the following are observed: simultaneous rotation of the head and eyes in one direction, twitching of the extremities of a convulsive nature, mental disorders, loss of speech.
If the temporal section is involved in the pathological process, the patient has a disorder of thinking, his speech becomes incoherent, he is concerned about various kinds of hallucinations, nausea and suddenly aggravated emotions.
The defeat of the parietal lobe is accompanied by the following symptoms: a violation of sensitivity and a misunderstanding of the constitution of your body.
Blindness and visual hallucinations are characteristic of patients in whom the occipital area is involved in the pathological process.
Regardless of the area of the lesion and the causes of epilepsy in adults with treatment, delaying is unacceptable. This is due to the fact that the disease can be accompanied by various forms of seizures. Some of them can be fatal.
All seizures are divided into 2 large groups:
- Partial.
- Generalized.
Partial seizures are characterized by a lesser degree of severity. They do not pose a threat to the life of the patient. The focus of the pathology is located in one of the hemispheres of the brain. Generalized attacks are life-threatening, since the whole organ suffers with them.
Types of partial seizures:
- Motor. Loss of consciousness occurs only in some cases. The main symptom is the rhythmic and uncontrolled movements of any muscle group. As a rule, only a small part of the body is involved. For example, eyes, feet, hands.
- Sensory. It is characterized by the sudden onset of unusual sensations in the body for no apparent reason. In this case, the patient may experience a whole range of feelings: tingling, burning, phantom odors, hum in the ears, etc.
- Vegetative-visceral. It is accompanied by the occurrence of unusual sensations in the abdomen. In addition, the blood pressure indicator rises, the heart rate increases. In most cases, loss of consciousness does not occur.
- Mental. The patient has memory lapses, a sharp change in mood and a disorder of thinking. A person does not recognize familiar places and familiar people. The patient is embraced by a feeling of unreality, he falls into a panic or feels boundless joy. Loss of consciousness is rare.
Sometimes a complex attack occurs. Its signs: the patient falls out of reality, while he retains motor activity, but does not respond to calls to him. Sometimes he freezes in one pose, constantly repeating a phrase.
Complex attacks can last several hours. At the same time, the patient has no consciousness, but he has automatic twitching (not necessarily convulsions). Such attacks can result in the involvement of the entire brain in the pathological process. These conditions are called secondary generalization. They have signs-precursors that remain in the patient's memory. It can be: visual pictures, sensations in the abdomen, etc. When they appear, a person can call for help in advance and lie on a soft surface.
Regardless of the severity of symptoms of epilepsy in adults, treatment is always carried out, even if there is no threat to life.
Types of generalized seizures:
- Simple abscess. Loss of consciousness occurs for several seconds (up to 10).
- Complicated abscess. The patient loses consciousness for several seconds (up to 10). This condition is accompanied by some kind of motor activity.
- Myoclonic. Duration - a few seconds. Significant muscle contractions are observed: swings, head movements, etc.
- Tonic. The duration of the attack is no more than 30 seconds. Outwardly, it looks like a spasm of muscle tissue.
- Clonic. It is characterized by a complete loss of consciousness. The limbs of the patient vibrate, foam is released from his mouth, his face turns red.
- Tonic-clonic. The attack lasts a few minutes. Initially, the muscles of the larynx contract, after which the clonic phase sets in. Then comes the dream.
- Atonic. They are characterized by a loss of a tone of a muscle group for several seconds. Example: a sharp drop in the head to one side.
Many patients suffering from generalized seizures are interested in whether epilepsy is treated in adults. The prognosis is positive only if the patient is ready to completely change his lifestyle and constantly follow the doctor's recommendations. It is impossible to get rid of the disease, but seizures with the right approach will not bother.
Seizures can occur in the daytime and at night. In the latter case, it is customary to talk about damage to the temporal lobe of the brain. As a rule, attacks are disturbing immediately after falling asleep or immediately before waking up.
Diagnostics
If alarming symptoms occur, consult an epileptologist. He will prescribe a comprehensive examination and find out the reasons. This specialist also deals with the treatment of epilepsy in adults.
The main methods for diagnosing the disease:
- Electroencephalography. Using this method, it is possible to assess the degree of brain activity and the level of power of nerve impulses created by it.
- MRI During the study, the doctor receives information regarding the presence of injuries and neoplasms. In addition, a specialist assesses the state of the nervous system.
- Positron emission tomography. Provides information on metabolic processes, allows you to study the functional activity of the brain.
Based on the diagnostic results, the doctor draws up the most effective treatment regimen for epilepsy. For adults, this is medication, surgery and lifestyle changes.
Conservative therapy
Any medications are prescribed only with a confirmed diagnosis and if the clinical manifestations of the disease were observed 2 or more times. The dosage is selected for each patient individually. If the medication is ineffective, the doctor prescribes another remedy. If it turned out to be effective, therapy should be long and regular.
Constant adherence to the doctor’s recommendations is the key to a successful outcome of the disease. Many patients doubt whether adult epilepsy is completely treated. In fact, it is impossible to get rid of pathological changes in the brain forever. But at the same time, against the background of treatment, the attacks disappear. In many cases, the patient forever forgets about the disease and lives a full life.
Drug therapy is the main treatment for epilepsy in adults. Drugs are selected strictly on the basis of research results. The most commonly prescribed drugs are:
- "Carbamazepine." The drug is intended to increase the seizure threshold and correct ongoing personality changes during seizures.
- "Trileptal." It is prescribed in the presence of tonic-clonic and complex seizures. The active components of the drug block the increased excitability of nerve cells.
- "Valparin." Helps prevent the onset of any form of attack. In addition, the tool relieves mental and behavioral disorders during a seizure, nervous tic and muscle cramps.
Treatment of nocturnal epilepsy in adults involves taking anticonvulsants. Seizures that occur during sleep are well amenable to drug therapy.
The patient should be in a favorable environment. The patient is not recommended for a long time to watch TV and work at the computer. A person suffering from epilepsy is shown a full sleep. The daily activities of the patient should not be associated with strong physical and mental stress.
Surgical intervention
In adults, treatment of epilepsy with surgical methods is advisable with the ineffectiveness of conservative methods. In the process of surgery, exclusively modern technologies are used.
Methods of treating an ailment:
- Focal resection. It implies the removal of neoplasms, which are a provoking factor.
- Lobectomy During the operation, the doctor removes the lesion located in the temporal lobe.
- Callosotomy. It involves the dissection of the corpus callosum, as a result of which the nervous connection between the hemispheres is destroyed.
Unconventional methods
Treatment of epilepsy in adults with folk remedies without the permission of a doctor is unacceptable. After its approval, you can use some effective recipes.
The most effective methods for treating epilepsy in adults at home:
- Eat raw onions as often as possible.
- Drink tincture of valerian (20 drops) daily mixed with water.
- Three times a day, use a decoction prepared on the basis of the evading peony, cyanosis, chicory and angelica.
- Drink tea twice a day with the addition of lilac flowers.
The duration of treatment is from 1 to 3 months. This period directly depends on the severity of the disease.
First aid
It is important for every person to know how to stop an attack of epilepsy in adults. The treatment of the disease is long, seizures against its background do not disappear immediately.
Algorithm of actions:
- Call an ambulance crew.
- Remove heavy, cutting and piercing objects from the patient.
- Lay him on his back, and then throw his head back. If the patient has vomiting, try to plant it. The head also needs to be supported.
- As soon as the attack stops, the patient is recommended to drink water.
Forecast
It is important to understand that epilepsy is not a sentence. If you regularly follow the doctor’s instructions, you can permanently get rid of seizures or minimize the frequency of their occurrence. Ignoring the pathology leads to many negative consequences, including death.
Finally
Epilepsy is a serious disease that requires an integrated approach to treatment. If you suspect a pathology, you should consult a doctor. The specialist will draw up a referral to a comprehensive diagnosis and, based on the results, will draw up the most effective treatment regimen.