Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by recurrent seizures. An individual is diagnosed with epilepsy if he has two or more unprovoked seizures. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, almost 3 million people in the U.S. have epilepsy, and around 200,000 new cases of epilepsy and seizure disorders are diagnosed every year. In 70 percent of new cases there is no apparent cause. Epilepsy can be classified according to seizure type.
Generalized Seizures
There are four types of generalized seizures. These are: atonic, tonic-clonic, myoclonic and absence. Tonic-clonic seizures are the most common type of generalized seizure and are characterized by stiffening and jerking of the limbs. Absence seizures mainly occur in childhood. When a child is experiencing an absence seizure she will appear to be in a daydream from which she cannot be woken. Absence seizures are brief, and the child is unaware she is experiencing a seizure. Atonic seizures are characterized by immediate and sudden loss of muscle tone. As such, a patient suffering from an atonic seizure will often fall and injure herself. Myoclonic seizures involve rapid, brief contractions of the muscles, which occur on both sides of the body at the same time.
Partial Seizures
As the name suggests, partial seizures involve epileptic activity in one part of the brain. There are two types of partial seizures: simple partial and complex partial. An individual suffering from a partial seizure will be fully conscious and aware of his surroundings. In contrast, a person who has a complex partial seizure will lose some degree of consciousness and will not be aware of what is happening.
Status Epilepticus
Most seizures only last for a short period of time. However, in status epilepticus, an individual experiences a continuous state of seizure. The Epilepsy Foundation defines status epilepticus as 30 minutes of uninterrupted seizure activity. Status epilepticus may be convulsive or nonconvulsive. Status epilepticus can, in rare cases, be fatal. This is because during a convulsive seizure, blood circulation is restricted, which means that the brain does not get an adequate supply of oxygen. This in turn can lead to brain damage. According to the Epilepsy Foundation, there are 42,000 deaths and thousands more instances of brain damage per year resulting from episodes of status epilepticus.
