National Epilepsy Day is observed on 17 November annually to raise awareness about the epilepsy disease. The day is celebrated by the Epilepsy Foundation. On this day various seminars, debates, stage events, etc. are organized to educate people about the epilepsy disease and its treatment methods.
Epilepsy is a complex disease with diverse characteristics. One way to gain insight into potential mechanisms is to reduce the features of epilepsy to its essential components: seizures, epileptogenesis, and the state of recurrent unprovoked seizures that defines epilepsy itself.
A general definition for the word “seizure” is a period of abnormal, synchronous excitation of a neuronal population. Seizures typically last seconds or minutes but can be prolonged and continuous in the case of status epilepticus.
How is Epilepsy caused?
– Infection in the brain.
– Congenital abnormalities
– Stroke and brain Tumors
– Damage to the brain due to prenatal and perinatal injury.
– Injury in head or accident.
– During childhood prolonged high fever.
– Infections like encephalitis or meningitis.
– Low oxygen during birth.
– Some genetic conditions like tuberous sclerosis may result in brain injury.
Note: It is seen that 70% of cases of epilepsy do not have any particular cause.
Symptoms of Epilepsy
– Loss of consciousness
– Muscles of arms, legs or face become stiffed.
– Different types of sensations like sort of pricking pins or needles in arms or legs.
– Uncontrollable jerking motions in arms or legs etc.
According to WHO, around 50 million people in the world are suffering from epilepsy disease and out of 80%, people are living in developing couvarious seminars, debates, stage events, etc. are organized to educate people about epilepsy diseasentries. It is a treatable disease but three-fourth people affected by this disease in developing countries do not get proper treatment. Approximately 10 million people in India are suffering from seizures that are associated with epilepsy.
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