EPILEPSY

The expression “epileptic attacks” is a collective designation behind which there can be very diverse disorders. However, for many people the cause of seizures is still elusive even with the methods available today. Not every epileptic-like attack is synonymous with epilepsy.

For example, almost every person will experience an epileptic seizure under the following conditions: development of suppuration of the brain (a so-called brain abscess), severe injury to the head, insufficient oxygen supply to the brain, or an overdose of certain medications. Even if the condition persists or recurs leading to repeated seizures, these affected persons do not have epilepsy.

It is not considered to be epilepsy until at least two epileptic seizures have occurred for which there is no recognizable direct triggering cause, that is, they have occurred spontaneously. That doesn’t exclude other alterations in the brain that could be responsible for the seizures such as birth defects or other injuries that occurred in the past.