Epilepsy affects the brain and causes repeated seizures, also known as fits.
Epilepsy affects around 456,000 people in the UK. This means that about 1 in 130 people has epilepsy. Epilepsy usually begins during childhood, although it can start at any age.
Seizures
The cells in the brain, known as neurons, communicate with each other with electrical impulses. During a seizure, the electrical impulses are disrupted, which can cause the brain and body to behave strangely.
The severity of the seizures can differ from person to person. Some people simply experience a ‘trance-like’ state for a few seconds or minutes, while others lose consciousness and have convulsions (uncontrollable shaking of the body).
Types of epilepsy
There are three main types of epilepsy:
- Symptomatic epilepsy - the symptoms of epilepsy are due to damage or disruption to the brain.
- Cryptogenic epilepsy - while no evidence of damage to the brain can be found, other symptoms, such as learning difficulties, suggest that damage to the brain has occurred.
- Idiopathic epilepsy - no obvious cause for epilepsy can be found.
See Epilepsy - causes for more information about the different types of epilepsy.
Outlook
Epilepsy is a long-term condition and, for most people, the outlook is very good. Symptoms can usually be controlled using medicines known as anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs).
It can take some time to find the right type and correct dose of AED before your seizures can be controlled.
With a clear understanding of your epilepsy and good management of your seizures, the risk of SUDEP can be minimised.
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