What Treatment Options Are Available for an Epileptic Seizure?

Epilepsy Research

Approximately three million adults and almost a half-million children in the United States have an active form of epilepsy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Epilepsy is a chronic central nervous system disorder which is most notably characterized by seizures of various kinds and severities.

If you have been diagnosed with epilepsy and want to find reliable treatment options for seizures, it is in your best interest to partner with an experienced neurologist. Let’s talk about epilepsy, its treatment options, and where you can go in Farmington Hills for outstanding neurological treatment.

What Is Epilepsy?

Often beginning before the age of 10 or after the age of 60, epilepsy reveals itself by one or more of the following:

  • Odd, uncontrolled behaviors
  • Sudden convulsions
  • Unusual bodily sensations
  • Muscular contractions and jerking
  • Staring (loss of awareness but not of consciousness)
  • Fear and anxiety
  • Depression
  • Confusion
  • Fainting and loss of consciousness

Despite this imposing list of possible symptoms, not all epileptic seizures are severe or even noticeable. That said, some seizures can be quite dangerous, such as if your airways are obstructed – so your neurologist will explain how to prevent this from happening.

All of this is why having a proper diagnosis and treatment by a skilled neurologist is critical to long-term management of the symptoms of epilepsy. In order to reach an accurate diagnosis, your neurologist may order one or more of the following tests:

  • Blood work
  • Spinal tap
  • CAT scan (i.e., CT scan)
  • PET scan
  • MRI
  • EEG

What Epilepsy Seizure Treatment Options Are There?

Just as every person is different, each person who has epilepsy experiences different types of seizures. Over time, your seizures may worsen, improve, change in frequency, or even cease to occur altogether. Accordingly, your treatment plan will be customized and adjusted to your particular needs.

Every patient who has epilepsy is advised to:

  • Keep stress levels low
  • Abstain from drinking alcohol
  • Get sufficient sleep

In addition to those lifestyle standards, medical treatments include the following:

  • Medication
  • A ketogenic (high-fat, low-carbohydrate, moderate-protein) diet, which is especially helpful in epileptic children
  • Vagus nerve stimulation via a small, implanted electrical device in your chest beneath the skin
  • Craniotomy to remove a small portion of the affected part of the brain
  • Gamma knife radiation to reduce the activity of the part of the brain causing the seizures

Epilepsy and Seizure Treatments in Greater Detroit

Here at Associates in Neurology and AIN Imaging, our medical team includes experienced neurologists who can give you or your child an efficient diagnosis and effective treatment to keep your epilepsy under control. We have convenient locations in Farmington Hills, Novi, Southfield, Howell, and Brighton.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, contact our caring staff today by calling us at (248) 478-5512 or by filling out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to serving you!