Treatment for Epilepsy in LA
Epilepsy refers to a chronic disorder that causes recurrent seizures or a loss of awareness and unusual sensations and behaviors. Epilepsy affects females and males as well as people of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds.
Seizures occur when the brain’s electrical impulses surpass their normal limits. This causes them to spread to surrounding areas and results in a surge of uncontrollable electrical activity. If these impulses are transmitted to the muscles, they result in convulsions or twitches.
According to the Epilepsy Foundation, the disorder affects 3 million people in the United States with around 30% of those affecting being children. The condition is also common in older adults and for the majority of cases, the cause cannot be identified.
Because epilepsy occurs due to abnormal brain activity, seizure symptoms can vary and generally include loss of awareness or consciousness, temporary confusion, uncontrollable jerking in the arms and legs, staring blankly, and psychic symptoms like anxiety, déjà vu, and fear.
Seizures are further classified as being focal or general. Focal seizures result from abnormal activity limited to one region of the brain whereas generalized seizures affect all areas of the brain.
In nearly half of all cases, there is no identifiable cause for the disorder. For the other half, common factors include head trauma, genetic influence, prenatal injury, development disorders, brain conditions, and infectious diseases.
Numerous factors that increase the risk of epilepsy include seizures in childhood, vascular diseases, dementia, brain infections, family history, head injuries, and most importantly, age.
Epilepsy is manageable in most cases. Common treatment options include anti-epileptic drugs, a vagus nerve stimulator, adhering to a ketogenic diet, and brain surgery.
Dr.Farzin Pedouim is a board certified neurologist based in Huntington Beach and Los Angeles. He has years of experience dealing with epileptic patients and utilizes the latest tools and medical practices to bring relief to those affected.