In view of current environmental / health issues being openly discussed, there is a topic which has in the past been
misinterpreted and misunderstood. One in 200 of the UK population suffer from the condition of epilepsy. Changes in
the normal activity of certain brain cells result in the person suffering a 'fit', 'attack', 'seizure' or 'convulsion' which all
mean the same thing.
The only thing which distinguishes someone from having epilepsy to someone free of them is that his/her 'threshold'
level is lower than that of the average person's. The severity of the seizures depends upon the person's 'threshold' which
is either high enough to be safe from seizures or is low enough to cause uncontrolled brain activity.
Stretched over about twenty years, providing adequate precautions are taken and proper medication is in place, the person's
threshold can increase to a safe level. On the other hand, if the person has a car accident; electrical shock or certain sports
(eg boxing or rugby or football) this can cause a reduced seizure threshold.
There are many types of seizures, three of which are:
------------- Grand Mal - or major seizure - consciousness is lost, muscles contract and the body becomes rigid. The person
recovers after a few minutes and wouldn't require emergency services unless his/her head is injured.
------------- Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (otherwise known as Complex Partial Seizures) - seizures may be triggered by smell, or
hearing eg a snatch of music. Feelings of fear or anxiety may occur.
------------- Petit Mal - this type affects younger people between the ages of five to twelve years. There is a brief lapse of
consciousness or momentary change in colour of the face. A pause in conversation or a slight jerk of a limb may
be all that is visible.
Seizures can, over a long time, be controlled and the regularity of seizures may be reduced to a minimum or even nil.
Epilepsy is just a word which represents several different types of the condition. Remembering that threshold levels can rise to
a safe level, it is possible for people with the condition to recover to a healthy state of mind.
A person's seizure threshold can be improved over the years with proper medication in place. Today's medication is very good.
Epilepsy is not contagious. Source: 'Understanding Epilepsy' by George Burden & Peter H. Schurr
Steph. Anderson ©
Return