Best Epilepsy Treatment in Hyderabad

Epilepsy is a specific brain disorder in which nerve cells do not signal properly, producing seizures. This article will give you complete information about epilepsy, its symptoms, causes, and treatment. You can read below to learn everything about epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a neurological problem producing recurrent seizures due to abnormal electrical activities in your brain produced by damaged brain cells. Seizures include twitching and jerking of muscles, emotions, changes to surrounding awareness, and behaviour. People may experience different types of seizures. Gleneagles Hospital offers the best epilepsy treatment in Hyderabad based on the severity, type, and frequency of seizures.

Seizures are divided into two main types based on where and how they begin in the brain:

1. Focal (Partial) Seizures: Focal or partial seizures are a type of seizures that begin in one part of the brain and can spread. Symptoms depend on the area affected. It is further divided into two categories:

• Focal aware seizures (Simple Partial): In this type of seizure, the person remains conscious but may experience strange sensations such as flashing of lights, tingling, or trembling.
• Focal impaired awareness seizures (Complex Partial): In this type of seizure, the person loses awareness, has repeated movements such as lip-smacking or hand movements, may stare blankly, and may not remember the episode. 

2. Generalised Seizures: Generalised seizures are characterised when both sides of the brain are affected. Different types of generalised seizures include:

• Tonic-clonic seizures (Grand Mal): In this, the person has loss of consciousness and stiffening of extremities (tonic phase), followed by jerking movements (clonic phase). It may involve loss of bladder control and tongue biting.
• Myoclonic seizures: This type includes sudden and quick muscle jerks that are often in clusters.
• Absence seizures (Petit Mal): This type of seizure has brief staring spells and lasts for a few seconds. These seizures mainly occur in children.
• Atonic seizures (Drop attacks): In this type, the person might have a sudden loss of muscle tone, which may cause falls.
• Tonic seizures: In this type, the person experiences muscle stiffness without jerking.

In most cases, the cause of seizures is not known. Some known causes of seizures include the following:

• Genetics: Some types of epilepsy, such as childhood absence epilepsy, may run in families and are inherited. Some genes can increase the risk of epilepsy. Some epilepsies are caused by abnormalities that may affect how your brain cells communicate with each other and can cause seizures.
• Head injuries: Some people may suffer from head injuries during vehicular accidents, blows to the head, or falls, which may cause epileptic seizures.
• Mesial temporal sclerosis: It is a scar that forms in the inner part of the brain and can give rise to focal seizures.
• Brain infections: Infections such as meningitis, brain abscess, neurocysticercosis, and encephalitis can cause epileptic seizures.
• Metabolic disorders: People suffering from metabolic disorders may suffer from epilepsy. People with low sodium and low calcium may suffer from epileptic seizures.
• Immune disorders: Autoimmune diseases can cause epilepsy as the immune system starts attacking the brain cells.
• Developmental disorders: Some infants suffer from brain abnormalities at the time of birth, which may cause epilepsy. Birth abnormalities include tuberous sclerosis, cortical dysplasia, and polymicrogyria. Many other brain disorders can cause epilepsy.
• Brain conditions and vessel diseases: Brain tumours, strokes, dementia, and abnormal blood vessels in the brain can cause epilepsy.

The most important symptom of epilepsy is recurring seizures. Symptoms of seizures could vary depending on the type of seizure. Some symptoms of seizures include:

• Changes in hearing, taste, smell, vision, and feelings of numbness or tingling.
• Temporary loss of awareness or consciousness.
• Uncontrolled muscle movements, twitching, jerking, and loss of muscular tone.
• The problem in talking and understanding anything
• Blank stare or look
• Biting of tongue
• Chewing motion, lip smacking, finger motions, and rubbing of hands.
• Waves of heat or cold, goosebumps, and upset stomach
• Faster breathing and heart rate.

If you experience more than two seizures caused by an unknown medical condition, then you may have epilepsy. Your concerned doctor should perform a physical examination, understand your medical history, and order some tests. The doctor will also ask about symptoms during the seizure from a family member who has observed you during a seizure. You can have epilepsy If you experience any of the following symptoms during a seizure:

• Skin color turned pale
• Muscle jerks and twitching
• Muscle stiffness
• Tongue biting
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Had a blank look
• Lost consciousness
• Change in breathing and heart rate
• Had problems in talking and understanding

The tests for diagnosing epilepsy include:

• EEG (Electroencephalography): It helps to measure the electrical activity of your brain. Abnormal electrical patterns in the EEG help to diagnose epilepsy.
• Brain scans: MRIs may be done to look for infections, blood vessel abnormalities, or tumours. 

Treatment of epilepsy depends on the type of seizure, severity, and underlying cause. Generally, treatment includes anti-seizure medications, special diet, and surgery.

• Anti-seizure medications: Anti-seizure medications are the first line of treatment recommended for patients suffering from epilepsy. The doctor may try one or another medication, a combination of medications, or change doses to give you relief. The choice of medication depends on the seizure type, your response to previous medications, age, general health, cost, and side effects.
• Special diets: Doctors recommend special diets for patients with epilepsy. Generally, a ketogenic diet and a modified Atkins diet are recommended. You must include more fats, moderate protein intake, and low carbohydrates. Diet modifications are mostly recommended for children who are not suitable for surgery.
• Surgery: Surgery is recommended when anti-seizure medications fail to give results and if a person suffers from severe and debilitating epileptic seizures.  It is a safe and effective treatment option. Surgery options include removing abnormal tissue, cutting fibre bundles connecting your brain areas, or implanting neuromodulation devices. These devices send electrical impulses to your brain to reduce seizures. 

Gleneagles Hospital is a renowned hospital for its best epilepsy care. It is the best hospital that offers epilepsy treatment in Hyderabad. It offers a multidisciplinary approach to diagnose and treat patients suffering from epilepsy. Some reasons to choose Gleneagles Hospital are:

• Expert team: The hospital has a team of experienced doctors who offer the best treatment to the patients. A team of specialised doctors, including neurologists, neuro-anaesthetists, neurosurgeons, nurses, and helping staff work together to treat patients.
• Advanced facilities: The hospital is equipped with advanced diagnostic and treatment facilities. It includes advanced neuroimaging and other diagnostic procedures that help to diagnose the seizure cause and offer the best treatment. If you are looking for the best hospital for epilepsy treatment surgery in Hyderabad, then you must visit the Gleneagles Hospital.
• Patient-centric approach: The hospital uses a patient-centric approach and offers individualised treatment to patients. Doctors evaluate the cause and severity of the epileptic attacks to make a tailored treatment plan for patients.
• Comprehensive treatment options: Patients can receive different treatments for epilepsy. Gleneagles Hospital offers all types of treatments, including medications, diet therapy, and surgery. The doctors have specialisation in performing surgery effectively if medications and diet therapy fail to work.

Epilepsy is a complex neurological disorder, but it can be managed. There is no cure for it, but medications, lifestyle changes, and surgery can help to manage the symptoms effectively and help people to live normal lives. You must visit the best hospital for epilepsy treatment in Hyderabad.