Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain. People are diagnosed with epilepsy when they have had two or more seizures.

There are many types of seizures. A person with epilepsy can have more than one type of seizure. The signs of a seizure depend on the type of seizure.

By classifying the type of seizure, a patient may get help about the healthcare and can choose the right therapy for the patient.

Types of epilepsy and their symptoms

There are two basic types of epilepsy:

1. Generalized epilepsy
2. Focal (partial) epilepsy

The difference between these two types of epilepsy is how and where they begin in the brain.

Generalized seizures affect both sides of the brain and cause loss of consciousness. Approximately 23% to 35% of epilepsy are generalized.

It includes the following seizures:
• Absence seizures (Petit Mal seizures) can cause rapid blinking, a few seconds of staring into space, lack of awareness, confusion, or slight muscle twitching.
• Tonic-clonic seizures (Grand Mal seizures) can make a person cry out, lose consciousness, fall to the ground, or have muscle jerks or spasms. The person may feel tired after a tonic-clonic seizure.
• Myoclonic seizures are brief, lasting a few seconds or less. Symptoms include staying fully or partially conscious, increase in muscle tone of some muscles, or possible altered sensations, such as a sensation of an electric shock

Focal seizures are located in just one area of the brain. These seizures are also called partial seizures. About 60% of all types of epilepsy are focal.

Seizures in this category include:
• Simple focal seizures affect a small part of the brain. These seizures can cause twitching or a change in sensation, such as a strange taste or smell or feeling of déjà vu.
• Complex focal seizures can make a person with epilepsy confused or stunned. The person will be unable to respond to questions or directions for up to a few minutes.

Combined generalized and focal epilepsy-
This type of seizure begins in one part of the brain, but then spreads to both sides of the brain. In other words, the person first has a focal seizure, followed by a generalized seizure. Seizures may last as long as a few minutes.

The seizures can occur together or separately. One type of seizure can occur more frequently than others. The exact symptoms depend on the seizures involved.

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Epilepsy is a central nervous system (neurological) disorder in which brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations, and sometimes loss of awareness.

Anyone can develop epilepsy. Epilepsy affects both males and females of all races, ethnic backgrounds, and ages.

Seizures are the basic indicator of epilepsy. Seizure symptoms can vary widely.

• Because epilepsy is caused by abnormal activity in the brain, seizures can affect any process your brain coordinates. Seizure signs and symptoms may include:
• Staring
• Jerking movements of the arms and legs
• Stiffening of the body
• Loss of consciousness
• Breathing problems
• Loss of bowel or bladder control
• Falling suddenly for no apparent reason
• Not responding to noise or words for brief periods
• Appearing confused
• Nodding the head rhythmically
• Periods of rapid eye blinking and staring

Symptoms vary depending on the type of seizure. In most cases, a person with epilepsy will tend to have the same type of seizure each time, so the symptoms will be similar from episode to episode.

Seizure triggers

Some things make seizures more likely for some people with epilepsy. These are often called ‘triggers’. Triggers don’t cause epilepsy, but they make seizures more likely.

Not all people with epilepsy have seizure triggers. And the things that trigger one person’s seizures might not affect other people with epilepsy in the same way.

• Here are some of the seizure triggers that have been reported by people with epilepsy:
• Not taking epilepsy medicine as prescribed
• Feeling tired and not sleeping well
• Stress
• Alcohol and recreational drugs
• Flashing or flickering lights
• Monthly periods
• Missing meals
• Having an illness that causes a high temperature

Keeping a seizure diary is a good way to try and find out what might trigger your seizures. Every time you have a seizure, record it and make a note of what you were doing and how you were feeling. If you do this over time, you might see a pattern emerging.

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Headaches are a very common condition that most people will experience many times during their lives. The main symptom of a headache is a pain in your head or face.

There are more than 150 types of headaches. They fall into two main categories:
primary and secondary headaches.

Primary headaches

Primary headaches are those that aren’t due to another medical condition. The category includes:

• Cluster headaches.

Cluster headaches are named such because they tend to recur over a period of several weeks. They usually present with pain limited to one side of the head, typically around one eye. In most cases, medication will need to be prescribed to manage the condition and make symptoms more bearable.

• Migraine.

Migraines are less common than tension headaches but are widely considered to be much more severe in both symptoms and duration, lasting up to multiple days at a time with little to no relief. While they are not as well understood as other types of headaches, there are a number of triggers that can lead to an episode, such as stress or missing meals.
• Tension headaches.
Tension headaches affect approximately 3 out of 4 people at some point in their lives and can be brought on by a number of different reasons. Often, they result following emotional distress, stress or strong emotional distraught, or general tension in the neck and shoulders.

Secondary headaches

Secondary headaches are related to another medical condition, such as:
• Hypnic Headache
A hypnic headache is a rare condition that usually begins when people are in their 50s, but it can start sooner. People also refer to them as “alarm clock” headaches, and they wake individuals during the night. A hypnic headache consists of mild-to-moderate throbbing pain, usually in both sides of the head. It can last for up to 3 hours, while other symptoms may include nausea and sensitivity to light and sound.
• Head injury.
Post-traumatic headaches can develop after any type of head injury. These headaches feel like migraine or tension headaches. They usually last up to 6 to 12 months after your injury occurs. They can become chronic.
• High blood pressure (hypertension).
High blood pressure can cause a headache. This kind of headache signals an emergency. It occurs when your blood pressure becomes dangerously high. A hypertension headache will usually occur on both sides of your head and is typically worse with any activity. It often has a pulsating quality.
• Rebound headaches
Rebound headaches, also known as medication overuse headaches, can feel like a dull, tension-type headache, or they may feel more intensely painful, like a migraine headache. You may be more susceptible to this type of headache if you frequently use over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Overuse of these medications leads to more headaches, rather than fewer.

• Sinus congestion.
Sinus headaches occur when pressure in the sinuses of the head build-up in conjunction with severe congestion. Often, this will occur seasonally as allergies are in full swing. Often, they will present with pain in the front of the head as well as potential earaches.
• Exertional Headaches
Intense physical activity such as running, jumping, heavy weight lifting n may cause exertional headaches. Often, these types of headaches result from a build-up in pressure that occurs while performing activity, causing a strain on the body as a whole but especially the head.

If your headache symptoms get worse or happen more often despite treatment, ask your doctor to refer you to a headache specialist.
Once you get your headaches diagnosed correctly, you can start the right treatment plan for your symptoms.

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If your head is aching, you’re not alone. Headache is one of the most common pain conditions in the world.
Headaches are a major cause of absenteeism from work and school. They also have an adverse effect on social and family life. For some people, continually battling headaches can lead to feeling anxious and depressed.

What causes headaches?

Headache pain results from signals interacting among the brain, blood vessels, and surrounding nerves. During a headache, an unknown mechanism activates specific nerves that affect muscles and blood vessels. These nerves send pain signals to the brain.

What triggers headaches?

• Common triggers of headaches include:
• Alcohol use.
• Changes in eating or sleeping patterns.
• Depression.
• Emotional stress related to family and friends, work, or school.
• Excessive medication use.
• Eye, neck, or back strain caused by poor posture.
• Lighting.
• Noise.
• Weather changes.
• having your period or during menopause.
• eyesight problems

If your headache symptoms get worse or happen more often despite treatment, ask your doctor to refer you to a headache specialist.

Once you get your headaches diagnosed correctly, you can start the right treatment plan for your symptoms.

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Guillain-Barré syndrome is a rare, serious neurological disorder in which a person’s immune system damages the nerves. The syndrome can affect the nerves that control muscle movement as well as those that transmit pain, temperature, and touch sensations. This can result in muscle weakness and loss of sensation in the legs and/or arms. Guillain-Barré syndrome affects people of all ages but it is more common in adults and males.

Causes

The exact cause of Guillain-Barre syndrome is unknown. But patients report symptoms of an infection which includes a respiratory or gastrointestinal infection or Zika virus. In Guillain-Barre syndrome, your immune system, which usually attacks only invading organisms, begins attacking the nerves. The damage in the nerves prevents them from transmitting signals to your brain, causing weakness, numbness, or paralysis.

Symptoms

The first symptom of Guillain-Barré syndrome is usually a tingling sensation in your toes, feet, and legs. The tingling spreads upward to your arms and fingers. The symptoms can progress very rapidly. The other symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome include tingling or prickling sensations in your fingers and toes, muscle weakness, difficulty walking steadily, severe lower back pain, loss of bladder control, difficulty breathing, and paralysis.

Types

GBS can take many forms. Acute inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP) is the most common type of GBS. In this type, the weakness begins in the lower part of the body and gradually moves upward to affect other areas. Miller Fisher syndrome is an acquired nerve disease and a variant of GBS. Another form of GBS is acute motor axonal neuropathy, which causes sudden weakness in the limbs and sometimes troubles breathing.

Treatment and care

There is no known cure for this disease, but treatments can help improve symptoms of GBS and shorten its duration. Guillain-Barré syndrome is potentially life-threatening. GBS patients should be hospitalized so that they can be monitored closely. Supportive care will include monitoring of breathing, heartbeat, and blood pressure. In cases where muscle weakness persists after the acute phase of the illness, patients may require rehabilitation services to strengthen their muscles and restore movement.

Treatment at home

Most people make a full recovery from GBS, but this can take time. There is currently no cure for GBS, but various treatments can reduce its impact. Physical therapy during recovery can help the patient cope with fatigue and regain strength and proper movement. Training with adaptive devices, such as a wheelchair or braces, can be included to give mobility and self-care skills.

When to seek a neurologist?

Seek a neurologist if you notice any of the early symptoms of Guillain-Barré syndrome, such as numbness or weakness. Call for an ambulance immediately if someone has difficulty breathing, swallowing, or speaking or cannot move their limbs or face. This is a medical emergency and the person needs to be seen in hospital as soon as possible.

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Peripheral neuropathy is a disorder that occurs when nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body, damage or destroyed. This disturbs the normal functioning of nerves and affects the body.

Types

There are two types of peripheral neuropathy. Damage to a single nerve called mononeuropathy usually results from injury or repetitive stress and involvement of multiple nerves called polyneuropathy is far more common. This can be caused by diabetes, systemic diseases, infections, or exposure to toxic substances.

Causes

People who have a family history of peripheral neuropathy are more likely to develop the disorder. Nerve damage caused by diabetes, kidney disorder, any injury, consumption of alcohol or toxins, infections, and certain medications increases the risk of this disorder.

Symptoms

There are three types of nerves present in our body, motor nerves, sensory nerves, and autonomic nerves.
One or all the three types of nerves may be affected and symptoms are specific to each damage to sensory nerves, characteristics of diabetes can lead to numbness in your hand and feet with diminished ability to detect temperature, insensitivity, or oversensitivity to pain. This disorder may also cause damage to our motor nerves which can result in muscle weakness, twitching, and pain and the common signs of autonomic nerves damage include intolerance to heat, loss of bladder control, and impairment of breathing and heart rate.

Treatment

Treatment of peripheral neuropathy is aimed at treating the underlying cause and providing symptomatic relief. If you have mononeuropathy, you may receive pain relief medication, physical therapy to maintain muscle strength or surgery to reduce compressed or entrapped nerves. If you have polyneuropathy, your doctor will treat the underlying disease to prevent further damage to the nerve. The doctor may recommend pain medications to be your symptoms.

Treatment at home

Treatment of peripheral neuropathy depends on the cause. There are some natural treatments that can help in reducing the symptoms and the disorder. A deficiency of Vitamins can cause neuropathy pain, so taking a supplement of Vitamin B and D can reduce the symptoms. Also quitting smoking, taking warm baths, regular exercising, applying essential oils to the affected area, meditation and acupuncture can promote natural healing of the body.

When to see a doctor?

Early diagnosis and treatment for peripheral neuropathy offer the best chance for controlling the symptoms and reducing the risk of increment of further damage. Seek medical care right away, if you observe unusual tingling, weakness, and pain in muscles of hand and feet. For this, you may be referred to a Neurologist who is trained for nervous system disorders.

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An autoimmune encephalitis is a group of conditions that involve inflammation of the brain. Inflammation is one of the ways that our immune system protects the body from infection. But in autoimmune encephalitis, the immune system produces substances called antibodies that mistakenly attack the brain cells.

Types

There are two main types of encephalitis. Primary encephalitis- This condition occurs when a virus or other agent directly infects the brain. The infection may be concentrated in one area. And Secondary encephalitis – This condition results from a faulty immune system reaction to an infection elsewhere in the body.

Causes

The exact cause of autoimmune encephalitis is often unknown. But when a cause is known, the most common is a viral infection. Bacterial infections and non-infectious inflammatory conditions also can cause encephalitis. Rarely, some cancers can trigger an autoimmune response (when the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues).

Symptoms

People with autoimmune encephalitis have a wide range of symptoms, and not everyone will have the same symptoms. The early phase of the disease may include flu-like symptoms, such as headache, fever, nausea, and muscle pain. Later symptoms may be more severe, such as a lower level of consciousness and possible coma. Common symptoms include impaired memory and understanding, unusual and involuntary movements, difficulty with balance, speech or vision, insomnia, weakness or numbness, seizures, severe anxiety or panic attacks, hallucinations, and paranoid thoughts.

Treatment

Early treatment of autoimmune encephalitis can greatly reduce symptoms and reduce the chances of long-term complications. Treatments may include surgery, steroids to reduce brain inflammation and the immune system’s response, plasma exchange, or immunosuppressant medications if other treatments are not effective.

Treatment at home

Some common therapies may be very helpful to improve recovery. Physical therapy to improve strength, flexibility, balance, motor coordination, and mobility, Occupational therapy to develop everyday skills and to use adaptive products that help with everyday activities, Speech therapy to relearn muscle control and coordination to produce speech and Psychotherapy to learn coping strategies and new behavioral skills to improve mood disorders or address personality changes.

When to see a doctor

Get immediate care if you are experiencing any of the more severe symptoms associated with autoimmune encephalitis. A severe headache, fever and altered consciousness, seizures, or severe anxiety and panic attacks require urgent care.

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Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which you have trouble falling and/or staying asleep. It can have serious effects, leading to excessive daytime sleepiness, a higher risk of auto accidents, and widespread health effects from sleep deprivation.

Types

Many adults experience short-term (acute) insomnia, which lasts for days or weeks. It’s usually the result of stress or a traumatic event. But some people have long-term (chronic) insomnia that lasts for a month or more. For some people, the primary problem is falling asleep, while others struggle with staying asleep. How a person is affected by insomnia can vary significantly based on its cause, severity, and how it is influenced by underlying health conditions.

Causes

Common causes of insomnia include stress, an irregular sleep schedule, poor sleeping habits, mental health disorders like anxiety and depression, physical illnesses and pain, medications, neurological problems, and specific sleep disorders. For many people, a combination of these factors can initiate and worsen insomnia.

Symptoms of insomnia

Apart from disturbed sleep, insomnia can lead to other issues, such as daytime fatigue, irritability, gastrointestinal symptoms, low motivation or energy, poor concentration and focus, a lack of coordination, tension headaches, difficulty socializing, working, or studying.

Treatment

The best approach can depend on the underlying cause and the type of insomnia, but some options include, counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, prescription medications, or over-the-counter sleep aids.

Treatment at home

A number of remedies at home and tips can help manage insomnia. They involve changes to lifestyle such as sleeping habits, dietary habits, well-being, and relaxation.
Also, warm milk, herbal tea, and valerian are just a few of the natural sleep aids one can try.

When to see a doctor?

You should see a doctor if you experience, difficulty concentrating or memory problems, extreme fatigue, mood problems, such as anxiety, depression, or irritability, or more than three months of sleep problems.

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Dementia is a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking abilities that are severe enough to interfere with daily life. Alzheimer’s is the most common cause of dementia. Many things can cause dementia. It happens when the parts of your brain used for learning, memory, decision making, and language are damaged or diseased.

Causes

Dementia is caused by damage to or loss of nerve cells and their connections in the brain. Depending on the area of the brain that’s damaged, dementia can affect people differently and cause different symptoms. The damage to the brain cells interferes with the ability of brain cells to communicate with each other. When brain cells cannot communicate normally, thinking, behavior, and feelings can be affected and the brain cannot carry out its functions normally.

Types

Types of dementia include – Alzheimer’s disease (This disorder causes the brain to shrink and brain cells to die), vascular dementia (This type of dementia is caused by damage to the vessels that supply blood to your brain), Lewy body dementia (Lewy bodies are abnormal balloon-like clumps of protein that have been found in the brain which is one of the more common types of progressive dementia), which may occur with Parkinson’s disease, frontotemporal dementia (This is characterized by the breakdown of nerve cells and their connections in the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain), and mixed dementia.

Symptoms

Symptoms of dementia can vary widely from person to person. People with dementia have problems with memory, communication, reasoning, problem-solving and visual perception. Early symptoms of dementia include – Short-term memory problems, like forgetting events or information, repeating comments, misplacing things, and experiencing a change in mood, behavior, or interests.

Treatment

Most types of dementia can’t be cured, but there are ways to manage your symptoms as certain medications may help but several dementia symptoms and behavior problems might be treated initially using nondrug approaches. Occupational therapy and modifying the environment can make it easier for someone with dementia to focus and function.

Treatment at home

Researchers suggest that adopting multiple healthy lifestyle choices, including a healthy diet, not smoking, regular exercise, keeping blood vessels clear of cholesterol build-up, maintaining normal blood pressure, controlling blood sugar, staying at a healthy weight may decrease the risk of dementia.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if you have memory problems or other dementia symptoms. Some treatable medical conditions can cause dementia symptoms, so it’s important to determine the cause. Many conditions are progressive, which means that the signs of dementia start out slowly and gradually get worse. If you or someone you know is experiencing memory difficulties or other changes in thinking skills, don’t ignore them. See a doctor soon to determine the cause.

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Spinal infection is a rare, but often serious, form of the disease that occurs when bacteria, fungi, or viruses invade the spinal tissues. These foreign agents can attack the vertebrae, spinal discs, meninges, spinal canal, and even the spinal cord. While rare, infections of the spine are possible and can occur in the intervertebral disc of the spine (referred to as “discitis”) or the vertebral bones of the spine (referred to as “osteomyelitis”) Typically, these infections spread to the spine through the bloodstream. When a spinal infection occurs, the bone can begin to deteriorate and collapse upon itself.

Types

The types of spinal infections include Vertebral Osteomyelitis (These infections most often occur in the lumbar spine and can cause pain in the arm or leg, fever, and problems with walking or using your hands), Discitis (This uncommon infection can occur on its own or after surgery Meningitis (Causing swelling in the tissues around the brain and spine) and Spinal cord abscess (This infection is caused internally in the spine and is very rare. It can cause fever, back pain and a decline in spine function).

Causes

Spinal infections can be caused by either a bacterial or a fungal infection in another part of the body that has been carried into the spine through the bloodstream which weakens the immune system and can lead to a spinal infection. In addition, if the person has recently undergone spine or pelvic surgery, then the risk of contracting a spinal infection rises abruptly. Infections, like pneumonia and tuberculosis, can also spread to the spine from the lungs. Other events that increase the risk include vein drug use, long-term use of steroids, and spinal trauma.

Symptoms

The symptoms may vary depending on the type of spinal infection but, generally, pain is localized initially at the site of the infection. The diseases caused by spine infections include these symptoms like severe back pain, fever, chills, weight loss, muscle spasms, painful or difficult urination, weakness of voluntary muscles and bowel/bladder dysfunction, and paralysis.

Treatment

The biggest challenge is making an early diagnosis before serious illness occurs. Spinal infections often require long-term antibiotics or antifungal therapy. Restriction in movement may be recommended when there is significant pain or the potential for spine instability. The type of medication is determined on a basis depending on the patient’s specific circumstances, including his or her age.

Treatment At Home

Proper and timely follow-up is necessary to ensure that the spinal infection has been controlled and is responding to the treatment protocol. To treat spinal infection, a doctor will prescribe antibiotics and bracing to support the spine as it heals. For that proper rest is required and the medicines will be sufficient to help it recover.

When to seek a neurologist?

Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent the progression of the infection. Delaying care may result in the progression of the infection causing damage to soft tissue structures of and around the spine. A person should seek medical care if symptoms of a spinal infection are present.

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