What is epilepsy?

癫痫是一种导致人癫痫发作的脑部疾病. 它是神经系统最常见的疾病之一. 它影响所有年龄、种族和民族背景的人.

The brain consists of nerve cells that communicate with each other through electrical activity. A seizure occurs when one or more parts of the brain has a burst of abnormal electrical signals that interrupt normal brain signals. Anything that interrupts the normal connections between nerve cells in the brain can cause a seizure. This includes a high fever, high or low blood sugar, alcohol or drug withdrawal, or a brain concussion. But when a person has 2 or more seizures with no known cause, this is diagnosed as epilepsy.

癫痫发作有不同的类型. The type of seizure depends on which part and how much of the brain is affected and what happens during the seizure. The 2 main categories of epileptic seizures are focal (partial) seizure and generalized seizure.

Focal (partial) seizures

Focal seizures take place when abnormal electrical brain function occurs in one or more areas of one side of the brain. Before a focal seizure, you may have an aura, or signs that a seizure is about to occur. 这在复杂局灶性癫痫发作时更为常见. The most common aura involves feelings, such as deja vu, impending doom, fear, or euphoria. Or you may have visual changes, hearing abnormalities, or changes in your sense of smell. 局灶性癫痫的两种类型包括:

Simple focal seizure

症状取决于大脑的哪个区域受到影响. If the abnormal electrical brain function is in the part of the brain involved with vision (occipital lobe), your sight may be altered. More often, muscles are affected. 癫痫发作仅限于一个孤立的肌群. For example, it may only include the fingers, or larger muscles in the arms and legs. 你可能还会出汗、恶心或脸色苍白. 这种癫痫发作是不会失去意识的.

Complex focal seizure

This type of seizure often occurs in the area of the brain that controls emotion and memory function (temporal lobe). You will likely lose consciousness. This may not mean you pass out. 你可能会停止意识到你周围发生了什么. 你可能看起来很清醒，但有各种不寻常的行为. These may range from gagging, lip smacking, running, screaming, crying, or laughing. 癫痫发作后，您可能会感到疲倦或困倦. This is called the postictal period.

Generalized seizure

全身性癫痫发作发生在大脑两侧. 癫痫发作后你会失去意识并感到疲倦(阳性状态). 全身性癫痫发作的类型包括:

Absence seizure

这也被称为小癫痫发作. 这种癫痫发作会引起短暂的意识和凝视状态的改变. 你可能会保持你的姿势. 你的嘴或脸可能会抽搐，或者你的眼睛可能会快速眨眼. 癫痫发作通常持续不超过30秒. 当癫痫发作结束时，你可能不记得刚刚发生了什么. 你可以若无其事地继续你的活动. 这些癫痫发作可能一天发生几次.

Atonic seizure

This is also called a drop attack. With an atonic seizure, you have a sudden loss of muscle tone and may fall from a standing position or suddenly drop your head. 在癫痫发作期间，你会软弱无力，没有反应.

全身性强直阵挛发作(GTC)

This is also called grand mal seizure. 这种癫痫发作的典型形式有5个不同的阶段. Your body, arms, and legs will flex (contract), extend (straighten out), and tremor (shake). This is followed by contraction and relaxation of the muscles (clonic period) and the postictal period. 在月经后期，你可能会犯困. You may have problems with vision or speech, and may have a bad headache, fatigue, or body aches. 并不是所有的这些阶段都发生在这种类型的癫痫发作中.

Myoclonic seizure

This type of seizure causes quick movements or sudden jerking of a group of muscles. 这些癫痫发作往往成群发生. This means that they may occur several times a day, or for several days in a row.

What causes a seizure?

癫痫发作可以由很多原因引起. These can include:

• 传递神经信号的大脑化学物质(神经递质)失衡

• Brain tumor

• Stroke

• Brain damage from illness or injury

癫痫可能是由这些因素共同引起的. 在大多数情况下，无法找到癫痫的病因.

What are the symptoms of a seizure?

你的症状取决于癫痫的类型. 癫痫发作的一般症状或警告信号包括:

• Staring

• 胳膊和腿的抽搐动作

• Stiffening of the body

• Loss of consciousness

• 呼吸困难或停止呼吸

• Loss of bowel or bladder control

• Falling suddenly for no apparent reason, especially when associated with loss of consciousness

• 短时间内对声音或言语没有反应

• Appearing confused or in a haze

• Nodding your head rhythmically, when associated with loss of awareness or loss of consciousness

• 快速眨眼和凝视的时期

During the seizure, your lips may become tinted blue and your breathing may not be normal. 癫痫发作后，您可能会感到困倦或困惑.

癫痫发作的症状可能与其他健康状况相似. 一定要和你的医疗保健提供者谈谈诊断.

How are seizures diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will ask about your symptoms and your health history. You’ll be asked about other factors that may have caused your seizure, such as:

• Drug or alcohol use

• A recent injury to the head

• High fever or infection

• Genetic abnormality

You may also have:

• A neurological exam

• 血液检查，检查血糖和其他因素的问题

• 脑部成像检查脑部成像检查，如核磁共振或CT扫描

• 脑电图，用来测试大脑的电活动

• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap), to measure the pressure in the brain and spinal canal and test the cerebral spinal fluid for infection or other problems

How are seizures treated?

治疗的目的是控制、停止或减少癫痫发作的频率. 治疗最常用药物. 治疗癫痫的药物有很多种. Your healthcare provider will need to identify the type of seizure you are having. 药物是根据癫痫发作的类型来选择的, age of the person, side effects, cost, and ease of use. Medicines used at home are usually taken by mouth as capsules, tablets, sprinkles, or syrup. 有些药物可以进入直肠. 如果你因癫痫而住院, 药物可通过注射或静脉(IV)给药。.

It is important to take your medicine on time and as prescribed by your doctor. People’s bodies react to medicine differently so your schedule and dosage may need to be adjusted for the best seizure control. All medicines can have side effects. 与您的医疗保健提供者讨论可能的副作用. While you are taking medicine, you may need tests to see how well the medicine is working. You may have:

• Blood tests. 你可能需要经常验血来检查你体内的药物水平. Based on this level, your healthcare provider may change the dose of your medicine. You may also have blood tests to check the effects of the medicine on your other organs.

• Urine tests. 您的尿液可能会被测试，以了解您的身体对药物的反应.

• Electroencephalogram (EEG). 脑电图是一种记录大脑电活动的程序. 这是通过将电极连接到你的头皮来完成的. This test is done to see how medicine is helping the electrical problems in your brain.

Other treatments

如果药物对你不起作用, 您的医疗保健提供者可能会建议其他类型的治疗. You may have:

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS)

This treatment sends small pulses of energy to the brain from one of the vagus nerves. 这是颈部的一对大神经. If you have partial seizures that are not controlled well with medicine, VNS may be an option. VNS是通过外科手术在胸壁放置一个小电池来实现的. Small wires are then attached to the battery and placed under the skin and around one of the vagus nerves. The battery is then programmed to send energy impulses every few minutes to the brain. When you feel a seizure coming on, 你可以通过在电池上放置一块小磁铁来激活脉冲. 在许多情况下，这将有助于阻止癫痫发作. VNS can have side effects such as hoarse voice, pain in the throat, or change in voice.

Surgery

Surgery may be done to remove the part of the brain where the seizures are occurring. Or the surgery helps to stop the spread of the bad electrical currents through the brain. Surgery may be an option if your seizures are hard to control and always start in one part of the brain that doesn’t affect speech, memory, or vision. 癫痫发作的手术非常复杂. 这是由一个专门的外科团队完成的. You may be awake during the surgery. The brain itself does not feel pain. 如果你是清醒的，并且能够听从命令, the surgeons are better able to check areas of your brain during the procedure. 并不是所有癫痫患者都可以选择手术.

Living with epilepsy

如果你患有癫痫，你可以控制自己的健康. Make sure to:

• 严格按医嘱服药

• 保证充足的睡眠，因为睡眠不足会引发癫痫发作

• 避免任何可能引发癫痫发作的事情

• Have tests as often as needed

• 定期去看医生

我应该什么时候给我的医疗保健提供者打电话?

Call your healthcare provider if:

• 你的症状变得更糟或没有好转

• You have side effects from medicine

癫痫及发作要点

• A seizure occurs when one or more parts of the brain has a burst of abnormal electrical signals that interrupt normal signals

• There are many types of seizures. 每一种都会引起不同的症状. These range from slight body movements to loss of consciousness and convulsions.

• 癫痫是指你有两次或两次以上没有已知原因的癫痫发作.

• Epilepsy is treated with medicine. 在某些情况下，可以用VNS或手术治疗.

• 避免任何会引发癫痫发作的东西很重要. This includes lack of sleep.