Epilepsy, also known as epilepsy, is a transient brain dysfunction caused by sudden abnormal electrical discharges from nerve cells in the brain.
The classification of epilepsy is complex, and it can be divided into four types: focal, comprehensive, generalized focal, and unknown. If the cause is clear, it is divided into secondary epilepsy, idiopathic epilepsy and cryptogenic epilepsy.
Epilepsy can occur at all ages, among which the incidence of epilepsy in children is higher than that in adults, and after entering old age, with the increase of cerebrovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, and degenerative diseases of the nervous system, the incidence of epilepsy will increase again.
During a seizure, there are many symptoms, such as sudden loss of mind, abortion of movements, cataplexy, stiffness, self-talk, etc., so it is necessary to take medication to control it in time. If you want to treat the disease, you need to know the cause of it, so what causes epilepsy?
1. Sleep disturbance
Sleep and epilepsy are closely related, and prolonged sleep disturbances can induce epilepsy to a certain extent, such as frequent insomnia and irregular sleep.
Data show that nearly one-third of patients have epilepsy during sleep because sleep disturbance can lower the seizure threshold. However, many people with epilepsy do not realize this, so it is recommended that patients with epilepsy must solve their sleep problems to help alleviate the condition.
2. Stress response
Stress is the most common cause of epilepsy and is mainly divided into chronic stress and acute stress. Chronic stress mainly comes from negative emotions such as stress, depression, and anxiety in life, while acute stress is mostly caused by sudden blows, such as the death of a loved one.
Studies have shown that although both are inducing factors for seizures, acute stress is more likely to cause seizures, while chronic stress is more likely to increase the frequency of seizures.
Therefore, epilepsy patients must learn to regulate their emotions and have a good attitude to facilitate the recovery of the disease. Try to calm yourself when you encounter an unexpected situation and avoid stressful behaviors, so as to reduce the occurrence of epilepsy.
3. Failure to take medication on time
People with epilepsy need to take their medications on time and in the right amount, and even if they change the dosage, they should follow their doctor's instructions and recommendations. However, because most of the seizures are intermittent, many patients forget to take their medications on time, so that the condition is unstable, resulting in seizures.
Therefore, regardless of the severity of the condition, you should take medication on time to avoid seizures that can affect your daily work and life.
4. Heat and light stimulation
Fever is the most common trigger for epilepsy in children because the child's brain is not fully developed, and fever can cause abnormal electrical activity in the brain, which can lead to epilepsy.
Secondly, if you have photosensitive epilepsy, it will also cause paroxysmal brain electrical activity under the stimulation of strong light, thus inducing epilepsy.
Photosensitive epilepsy is common in women and is hereditary. The only way to avoid bright light stimuli is to avoid bright light stimuli, such as not watching TV in a bright room and controlling the time you use electronic devices.
Although epilepsy does not cause much harm to the body in the short term, if it is not controlled in time, it can lead to mental decline, memory loss, and even loss of self-care ability.
Therefore, patients with epilepsy must have a comprehensive understanding of the development of their disease and be familiar with its predisposing factors, so as to avoid risks in time. At the same time, you should also go to a professional hospital for regular check-up and follow-up, and adjust the treatment plan in time according to the specific situation.