“When identifiable, the causes of epilepsy usually involve some form of injury to the brain. For most people, though, epilepsy’s causes aren’t known. A seizure occurs when a burst of electrical impulses in the brain escape their normal limits. They spread to neighboring areas and create an uncontrolled storm of electrical activity. The electrical impulses can be transmitted to the muscles, causing twitches or convulsions.”
WebMD (Dr. Matthew Hoffman)
Most people with epilepsy are otherwise healthy; as long seizure occurs there is a decrease in oxygen since the brain isn’t capable to send messages during the seizure. If the seizure continues to repeat one right after another the person is in status epilepticus and if the seizures do not stop the person can lead to a neuronal death; like John Travolta’s son who died of this for example.
The term seizure disorder may refer to any number of conditions that result in such a paroxysmal electrical discharge. These conditions could be metabolic or structural in nature.
For example, if the cause is metabolic this could be “Canavan disease” which is primarily a disease of demyelination. Your myelin sheath that protects and insulates the nerves is being destroyed and can cause a seizure as one of the symptoms.
*Another example of epilepsy being caused by a metabolic reason is thought to be caused by brain acetate deficiency resulting from a defect of N–acetylaspartic acid (NAA) catabolism (meaning breakdown is occurring). Accumulation of NAA, a compound thought to be responsible for maintaining cerebral fluid balance, can lead to cerebral edema and neurological injury, like a seizure as one symptoms of the disease.
*A structural condition to cause a seizure could be a tumor in the brain. Than there is just idiopathic, unknown cause for the epilepsy which if starts in childhood can resolve by the child growing out it, like in petite mal seizures but it not it goes into motor/focal or grand mal that is permanent the individual needs Rx for life.
Remember, etiology (the cause) of Epilepsy can be generally a sign of underlying pathology involving the brain–knowing the cause. To find this out diagnostic tooling be a neurologist who specializes in epilepsy is the best resource to go to. The epilepsy may be the first sign of a nervous system disease (ex. Brain tumor), or it may be a sign of a systemic or metabolic derangement. Where the treatment may be able to resolve the seizure symptom completely where this wasn’t a seizure disorder or epilepsy but just a symptom due to another disorder that may be 100% cured, like a operable tumor removed surgically from the brain.
Metabolic and Systemic Causes of Seizures:
a.) Electrolyte Imbalance=In the blood having acidosis, heavy metal poisoning, Hypocalcemia (low Ca+) , Hypocapnea (low carbon dioxide), Hypoglycemia (low glucose), Hypoxia (low oxygen), Sodium-Potassium imbalance, and than Systemic diseases (liver, renal failure, etc…). Then their is also toxemia of pregnancy, and water intoxication.
b.) Infections like meningitis, encephalitis, brain abcess.
c.) Withdrawal of sedative-hypnotic drugs=Alcohol, Antiepileptic drugs, Barbiturates, Benzodiazepines.
d.) Iatrogenic drug overdose=Theopylline, Penicillin.
Other causes of epilepsy can be Trauma, Heredity.
Structural causes of epilepsy:
Head trauma/Degenerative Disease like Alzheimer’s or Creutfeldz-Jacob or Huntington’s Chorea or Multiple Sclerosis or Pick’s Disease. There is also tumors or genetic disease or Stroke or Infections or Febrile seizures.
Come back tomorrow for Epilepsy going further on etiology factors for the disease of occur.
“Alzheimer’s disease is a type of brain disease, just as coronary artery disease is a type of heart disease. It is also a progressive disease, meaning that it becomes worse with time. Alzheimer’s disease is thought to begin 20 years or more before symptoms arise. It starts with changes in the brain that are unnoticeable to the person affected.
Only after years of brain changes do individuals experience noticeable symptoms such as memory loss and language problems.”
Alzheimer.org
Back in November 1983, President Ronald Reagan designated November as National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. At the time, fewer than 2 million Americans had Alzheimer’s; today, the number of people with the disease has soared to nearly 5.4 million.
During November, National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness month aims at making the general public more aware of the disease and the scale of it among the U.S. population, as well as bring new light potential care options for those affected.
Unicity Healthcare specializes in Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care. In fact, many renowned healthcare providers and elder service providers in New Jersey call on our expertise when dealing with people with Alzheimer’s/Dementia. Our Care Managers dementia experts/practitioners, and they also have significant experience dealing with Alzheimer’s clients and their families.
In this blog, we would like to share information on how to learn more about the Alzheimer’s epidemic and how you can show your support for Alzheimer’s awareness this month.
Although Alzheimer’s affects approximately 1 in every 2 families in the U.S., there’s still quite a bit of information about Alzheimer’s that you might not be aware of.
National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month is a call for Americans to pay attention to the epidemic that is raging throughout the country. Affecting nearly 15 million people, including caregivers and people living with the disease, chances are you most people have been somehow impacted by the Alzheimer’s epidemic.
The Alzheimer’s Association recently related their 2018 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures, which reveal the following statistics about Alzheimer’s in the United States:
“Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex respiratory disorder characterised by chronic airflow limitation and an increased inflammatory response of the lung. COPD is associated with many comorbidities and can be one of multiple chronic or acute diseases and medical conditions present within one person. In particular, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and COPD share similar risk factors such as ageing, history of cigarette smoking (or other exposures) and a sedentary lifestyle, and frequently coexist.”
European Respiratory Journal/The Respiratory Professionals Update on Medicine, Science and Surgery
“Over time, exposure to irritants that damage your lungs and airways can cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The main cause of COPD is smoking, but nonsmokers can get COPD too. Other risk factors for COPD include: Exposure to air pollution, Breathing secondhand smoke, Working with chemicals, dust and fumes, A genetic condition called Alpha-1 deficiency and A history of childhood respiratory infection.”.
American Lung Association (www.lung.org)
“Every year, our communities comes together to ring the alarm on the diabetes epidemic. 1.5 million people will be diagnosed with diabetes this year. If you’re at risk, making small changes to the way you eat, increasing your physical activity levels or getting early treatment can, for some, actually return blood sugar levels to a normal range. So, take a breath—and then take action. “
American Diabetes Association (ADA)