What You Should Know About Eplepsy

AN ACQUAINTANCE falls the to the ground, unconscious.  His body stiffens, and his head and limbs begin to convulse.  If you know that the person suffers from epilepsy,  you can provide adequate assistance while waiting for help.  Let us explore some basic facts about this this often misunderstood disorder.

What is epilepsy? Epilepsy is a brain disorder that produces brief attacks called seizures. The entire seizure usually last less then five minutes.  The situation described a the outset  of this article is typically of what is called a grand mall seizure. 

What causes seizures? Researchers believe that  seizures occur when here is an abnormal surge of electrical activity between brain cells.  Just why this happens remains unclear.

If I see someone with epilepsy having a grand mall seizure, what should I do? "Bystanders should let the attack run its course and not interfere with the patient, beyond checking to make sure the person is in no physical danger and can breathe," says the Encyclopedia Brain and Brain Disorders.  On the other hand, the book says:  "An ambulance should be called if the seizure continues for more than five minutes, if another seizure immediately follows the first, or if the person does not regain consciousness a few minutes after the seizure ends." 

Next time: What You Should Know About Epilepsy, Continued.

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