Epilepsy affects over 50 million people worldwide, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Around 80% of them live in low- or middle-income nations.
Seizures are the most common sign of epilepsy in most people. These are electrical activity surges in the brain. According to Dr. Mohana Rao, one of the most excellent neurosurgeons in Andhra Pradesh, where seizures occur, the brain might determine how they affect the rest of the body.
Dr. Mohana Rao Patibandla is one of Andhra Pradesh’s greatest neurosurgeons. He holds several degrees and is well-versed in all aspects of neuroscience.
After earning his MBBS from Andhra Medical College in Visakhapatnam in 2002, he went to Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad to pursue his specialization in Neurosurgery in 2013. He completed his Fellow in Skull Base and Epilepsy Surgery at Hyderabad in 2014.
Dr. Mohana Rao Patibandla has also participated in several workshops and seminars to further his education, making him a renowned neurosurgeon in Guntur.
People with epilepsy often have to deal with stigma in addition to controlling their seizures. As one study’s authors put it:
“Epilepsy’s stigmatizing aspect and associated psychological anguish have been reported to have a major influence on epilepsy patients’ quality of life.”
Giving people information about epilepsy is one method to reduce stigma. We debunk 13 epilepsy myths below. Dr. Mohana Rao’s expertise has been enlisted to assist us.
13 myths about epilepsy
Epilepsy affects anyone who has seizures.
While epilepsy is the most well-known seizure disorder, it is far from the only one. Other conditions may have different mechanisms than epilepsy, caused by aberrant electrical activity in the brain.
Non-epileptic seizures can be caused by low blood sugar or difficulties with the heart’s function.
Dissociative seizures, also known as psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, are the most prevalent non-epileptic seizures (PNES).
Epileptics are unable to work.
This is a fabrication. People with epilepsy or seizures, as Dr. Mohana Rao put it, “can work when drugs control their seizures.”
Epilepsy is a contagious disease.
This is an old misconception that still exists, especially in some parts of the world, but it is untrue: epilepsy is not contagious.
Even though epilepsy cannot be passed from person to person, determining the etiology is difficult. “The source of the sickness is still unclear in around 50% of cases globally,” the specialist says.
Epilepsy can be caused by a variety of factors, including the following:
- birth-related or soon-after-birth brain injury
- genetically based brain malformations
- traumatic brain injuries
- stroke
- infections of the brain, such as meningitis or encephalitis
- a few genetic disorders
- malignancies of the brain
Epilepsy patients are emotionally unstable.
Epilepsy has a lot of negative connotations linked to it. The belief that people with the disease are more prone to be “emotionally unstable” is part of the stigma. This isn’t correct.
Dr. Rao told, “Patients with epilepsy are not emotionally unstable.”
“Having a seizure disorder and knowing that a seizure can happen at any time is disturbing, but most epilepsy patients are content, most epileptic cases can be readily treated with monotherapy or just one seizure medicine.”
Epilepsy is a psychological condition.
This is likewise inaccurate, as it is related to the myth above — epilepsy is not a mental condition. According to the Epilepsy Foundation:
“The great majority of epilepsy patients have no cognitive or psychological issues.” Psychological difficulties in epilepsy are mostly limited to patients who have severe, uncontrolled seizures.”
During seizures, all persons with epilepsy lose consciousness and convulse.
During a seizure, not everyone with epilepsy loses consciousness and convulses.
“Jerking or shaking movements aren’t present in all seizures. Seizures come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Seizures can take several forms. For example, someone could go ‘blank’ for a few seconds, or they could roam around and be completely perplexed.”
Force anything into someone’s mouth if they’re experiencing a seizure.
This is a harmful misconception. “This can injure teeth or the jaw,” Dr. Rao, the top neurosurgeon in Andhra Pradesh, explains.
If someone is suffering a seizure, it is best to restrain them.
This is yet another popular misconception. Dr. Rao added, “Most seizures span 30–90 seconds, and there is no reason to detain a patient who is having a seizure.”
An epileptiform seizure is distinguishable by the fact that it is not suppressible, meaning it does not cease when a person is held down.
He did say though that “it is fair to lay someone on their side.” He also mentioned that photographing the seizure with a cell phone could aid a doctor in modifying the person’s seizure treatment.
In epileptic patients, strobe lights always cause seizures.
When seeing strobing lights, only persons with photosensitive epilepsy are in danger of having a seizure.
Only 5% of people with epilepsy have photosensitive epilepsy. Strobe lighting isn’t the only thing that can cause a seizure in these persons. They may also be triggered by other visual stimuli, such as moving patterns and forms.
Epileptics should not become pregnant.
Even though this is not the case, Dr. Rao noted that doctors consider pregnancies among persons who suffer from seizures high-risk. This implies they’ll see their obstetrician a few times more than folks who don’t have seizures.
“During this time, their neurologists would be watching them more closely,” the finest neurosurgeon in Andhra Pradesh added.
“While some seizure drugs are not safe to take while pregnant, there will be many more in 2021 that are safe for both the mother and the developing baby.”
During a seizure, people frequently swallow their tongues.
This is a misconception that goes beyond epilepsy. In truth, swallowing one’s tongue is impossible under any conditions.
During a seizure, though, the person’s teeth may fracture or be damaged in some way. They may also bite their tongue or lips.
There are no effective therapies for epilepsy.
Thankfully, this is only another urban legend. Although there is no cure for epilepsy, there are several therapies that can help.
Anti-epileptic medicines are effective in preventing seizures in many persons. Once on the correct medication, 7 out of 10 persons with epilepsy may cease having seizures.
Other treatments for people who don’t react to medicines include surgery, vagus nerve stimulation, and even dietary modifications.
**All the information provided in the content belongs to the writer. Never do Self-diagnosis of any medical condition**
**SP**
