Epilepsy is a common neurological disorder. This condition is distinguished by frequent and malicious seizures and fits. Epilepsy can be a brief sign or a symptom of some irregular, disproportionate or synchronized neuronal functioning in the brain. Epilepsy is a type of disorder that can be proscribed but cannot be treated by medication, but for severe cases the option for surgery is available.

Not every form of epilepsy is life long. There are some conditions wherein the attacks seize after childhood. Epilepsy is accompanied by a cluster of disorders having varying symptoms that involve intermitting, irregular electrical activity in the brain.

Diagnosis and tests:

The condition for the diagnosis of epilepsy includes frequent and malicious fits and is made depending upon the medical history of the patient.

The cause of the epileptic seizures can be found using imaging and measurement technologies such as EEG( electroencephalography), MRI( magnetic resonance imaging), SPECT( single photon emission computed tomography), PET( positron emission tomography) and MEG( magnetoencephalography). These technologies are also helpful in finding about the affected region of the brain and the class in which the epilepsy falls. However, these tests and studies of brain mapping are not helpful in preparing the initial diagnosis.

The best technique for the diagnosis of epilepsy is Long-term video-EEG monitoring, but it is not used as a consistent means of diagnosis because of its high cost, low availability and the inconvenience it is known to cause.

The chances of a misdiagnosis of epilepsy are very high owing to the fact that there are other non- epileptic seizures that are hard to differentiate from epilepsy. Many doctors conduct a misdiagnosis of epilepsy due to their inability to recognize the early symptoms of the disorder and mistake it for some other syndrome.

Treatment:

The usual treatment of epilepsy is done with medications prescribed by physicians, neurologists and neurosurgeons.

Diet therapy has also been found useful in some epileptic patients.

In some cases, implanting the vagus nerve stimulator can be very helpful.

Neurosurgical operation can also be carried out by a qualified surgeon. It helps provide relief from seizures by minimizing their frequency and severity. In some cases, it can also cure the syndrome.