Epilepsy cannot be cured. However, proper administration of drugs can stabilize electrical activity in the brain and can control seizures in epilepsy sufferers. In prescribing medication, the doctor needs to consider the age, type of seizure, the patient’s condition, and other medicines that the patient consumes. You can visit CBD Oil Canada to get more complete information about alternative epilepsy treatments.
Drugs prescribed by doctors are anticonvulsants, also known as drugs. These drugs can change the way they work and send signals or messages from brain cells. Examples of antiepileptic drugs are valproic acid, CBD Oil, carbamazepine, lamotrigine, levetiracetam, and topiramate.
The administration of antiepileptic drugs begins with a low dose, then the dose will be increased slowly. To monitor the body’s response to drug administration, patients need to have their blood checked before and during taking the drug.
Just like other drugs, antiepileptic drugs are also at risk of causing side effects, whether mild or severe.
Some of the side effects of antiepileptic drugs are relatively mild, including:
- Gain weight
- Dizzy
- Limp
- Decreased bone density
- Memory is reduced
- Talk is not smooth
- Loss of movement coordination
- Skin rash.
While the side effects of antiepileptic drugs are classified as severe, including:
- Inflammation of organs (eg liver)
- Severe skin rash
- Depression
- Suicidal tendencies
- During treatment, patients are required to take antiepileptic drugs according to the rules set by the doctor and do not stop taking the drug without the doctor’s knowledge.
If the administration of antiepileptic drugs has not been able to control seizures in people with epilepsy, then doctors can do epilepsy surgery to eliminate the part of the brain that causes seizures. Implementation of this operation can be carried out if the seizures are caused by problems in the part of the brain that can be removed without causing significant side effects, such as speech, language, motor function, hearing, or vision.
In addition to drug administration and surgery, a number of therapies can also be applied to epilepsy sufferers who experience seizures. The therapy involves installing nerve stimulators under the skin of the collarbone region (vagus nerve), to reduce the frequency and intensity of the seizures.
Another therapy is the installation of electrodes on the part of the brain called the thalamus, which is connected to a stimulator in the sternum or head bone, to send electrical signals to the brain and relieve spasms. This therapy is called deep brain stimulation.
While the therapy that is quite effective in dealing with seizures in children with children is the ketogenic diet (diet with high-fat content, low protein content, and carbohydrate free). Meanwhile, additional therapy to avoid the trigger of seizures can be done with aromatherapy, which makes patients feel relaxed and relieve stress.
In cases of idiopathic epilepsy where the cause is unknown, the step that can be taken is to avoid triggers that cause seizures.