মৃগী রোগ বা খিঁচুনি কি, জানুন/ Epilepsy Awareness

Описание: Epilepsy is a chronic noncommunicable disease of the brain that affects around 50 million people worldwide. It is characterized by recurrent seizures, which are brief episodes of involuntary movement that may involve a part of the body (partial) or the entire body (generalized) and are sometimes accompanied by loss of consciousness and control of bowel or bladder function.
Who does epilepsy affect?
Anyone, of any age, race or sex, can develop epilepsy.
Signs and symptoms
Characteristics of seizures vary and depend on where in the brain the disturbance first starts, and how far it spreads. Temporary symptoms occur, such as loss of awareness or consciousness, and disturbances of movement, sensation (including vision, hearing and taste), mood, or other cognitive functions.

People with epilepsy tend to have more physical problems (such as fractures and bruising from injuries related to seizures), as well as higher rates of psychological conditions, including anxiety and depression. Similarly, the risk of premature death in people with epilepsy is up to three times higher than in the general population, with the highest rates of premature mortality found in low- and middle-income countries and in rural areas.Causes
Epilepsy is not contagious. Although many underlying disease mechanisms can lead to epilepsy, the cause of the disease is still unknown in about 50% of cases globally. The causes of epilepsy are divided into the following categories: structural, genetic, infectious, metabolic, immune and unknown. Examples include:

brain damage from prenatal or perinatal causes (e.g. a loss of oxygen or trauma during birth, low birth weight);
congenital abnormalities or genetic conditions with associated brain malformations;
a severe head injury;
a stroke that restricts the amount of oxygen to the brain;
an infection of the brain such as meningitis, encephalitis or neurocysticercosis,
certain genetic syndromes; and
a brain tumour.
Treatment
Seizures can be controlled. Up to 70% of people living with epilepsy could become seizure free with appropriate use of antiseizure medicines. Discontinuing antiseizure medicine can be considered after 2 years without seizures and should take into account relevant clinical, social and personal factors. A documented etiology of the seizure and an abnormal electroencephalography (EEG) pattern are the two most consistent predictors of seizure recurrence.

Diagnosis and Tests
How is epilepsy diagnosed?
Technically, if you experience two or more seizures that weren’t caused by a known medical condition — for example, from alcohol withdrawal or low blood sugar — you’re considered to have epilepsy. Before making a diagnosis, your healthcare provider (or epilepsy specialist) will perform a physical exam, take your medical history and may order blood work (to rule out other causes). They may ask about your symptoms during the seizure and conduct other tests, as well.

Your healthcare provider will ask you or your family member (who’s witnessed your seizure) if you experienced any of the following during a seizure:

Muscle jerks.
Muscle stiffness.
Loss of bowel or bladder control (you peed or pooped during the seizure).
Change in breathing.
Skin color turned pale.
Had a blank stare.
Lost consciousness.
Had problems talking or understanding what was said to you.
What tests will be done to diagnose this condition?
Tests include:

Electroencephalography (EEG): This test measures the electrical activity in your brain. Certain abnormal electrical patterns are related to seizures.
Brain scans: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for such things as tumors, infections or blood vessel abnormalities.
Management and Treatment

In low-income countries, about three quarters of people with epilepsy may not receive the treatment they need. This is called the “treatment gap”.
In many low- and middle-income countries, there is low availability of antiseizure medicines. A recent study found the average availability of generic antiseizure medicines in the public sector of low- and middle-income countries to be less than 50%. This may act as a barrier to accessing treatment.
It is possible to diagnose and treat most people with epilepsy at the primary health-care level without the use of sophisticated equipment.
WHO pilot projects have indicated that training primary health-care providers to diagnose and treat epilepsy can effectively reduce the epilepsy treatment gap.
Surgery might be beneficial to patients who respond poorly to drug treatments.