There are actually many common epilepsy treatments that one suffering from this brain disorder may benefit from participating in. However, the most common form of treatment is drug therapy. This is basically due to the fact that prescription medications have been deemed as the most appropriate course of action for preventing and stopping seizure activity.
The goal of treatment is to reduce the occurrence of seizures and other uncomfortable symptoms associated with epilepsy. When deciding which epilepsy treatments are the most appropriate for your condition, there are many factors that must be considered.
These include the severity of the seizures experienced, if you suffer from other medical conditions, and your general medical history. Here, you will be introduced to several of the common epilepsy treatments.
Medication
Many individuals are put on medication therapy. These medications are in a class of drugs known as anticonvulsants. There are several different drugs that are used to prevent and stop seizures. These include, but are not limited, to the following:
• Neurontin
• Tegretol
• Dilantin
• Lamictal
• Lyrica
• Topamax
The down side to drug treatments for epilepsy is that many uncomfortable and troublesome side effects may be experienced while taking the medications. These side effects may include lethargy, cognitive complications, depression and other types of mood fluctuations, and even thoughts and attempts of suicide.
Nerve Stimulation
A type of nerve stimulation that is identified by specialists called "Vagus" is used as a common treatment for epilepsy. There is a nerve found in the back side of the neck that is relatively large that is called the "Vagus" nerve. Specialists will send short, quick electrical bursts to this nerve so that they reach the brain. While this is not a treatment that has been used for a long time, it is a treatment that is becoming more common as it seems to provide a type of balance within the electrical circuitry of the brain.
The Ketogenic Based Diet
There is a special diet that is low in carbohydrates and exceptionally high in fats that may specialists put epilepsy patients on to treat their condition. This diet works to ensure that the body burns the fat that it receives for energy rather than burning the fat for glucose. This diet has been found to assist individuals in experiencing less seizure activity.
This seems to be effective in patients that suffer from epilepsy due to a metabolic disorder or when the body unsuccessfully processes vitamins and nutrients. Most patients that benefit from this type of epilepsy treatment are children.
It is unknown why this seems to work better for children. The down side to this diet is that it could result in a high level of triglycerides in the body. If you are interested in learning about common epilepsy treatments, be sure to discuss all of your options with a medical professional.
