epilepsy

Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological diseases.

 

For those affected and their families, the diagnosis is often accompanied by uncertainty. As your treating physician in the Neurology and Headache Practice, I would like to give you an overview of the condition, our diagnostic options, and the various forms of epilepsy.

 

 

The diagnosis of epilepsy in our practice

 

An accurate and early diagnosis is crucial for initiating appropriate treatment and improving patients' quality of life. The most important component of our diagnostics is the electroencephalogram (EEG).

 

An EEG is a non-invasive and painless test that measures your brain's electrical activity. Using electrodes placed on your scalp, we record your brain waves. In patients with epilepsy, the EEG often reveals characteristic "epileptic potentials" or abnormal patterns that indicate a predisposition to seizures. The EEG is therefore an essential tool for confirming the diagnosis and determining the type of epilepsy.

 

In addition to the EEG, we also perform a detailed neurological examination and take a detailed medical history, in which we discuss the seizure symptoms, triggers, and medical history in detail.

 

 

Important types of epilepsy

 

Not all epilepsy is the same. The type of seizure and the cause determine the classification. Here are the main types of epilepsy:

• Focal epilepsy: The seizures begin in a limited area (focus) of the brain.

  • Focal seizures without altered consciousness: The patient is conscious during the seizure and can recall it later. Symptoms may include twitching in a body part or sensory perceptions.

  • Focal seizures with impaired consciousness: Consciousness is impaired. Patients often exhibit automatic behaviors such as lip-smacking or fidgeting. They usually cannot remember the seizure.

• Generalized epilepsy: The seizures affect both hemispheres of the brain simultaneously from the beginning.

  • Absence seizures: Brief pauses in consciousness, often lasting only a few seconds. During these periods, those affected stare into space and are temporarily unable to speak. They often occur in childhood.

  • Myoclonic seizures: Short, lightning-like twitches of individual muscle groups or the entire body.

  • Tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal seizures): These are the most common type. The seizure begins with stiffening of the body (tonic phase), followed by rhythmic jerking of the arms and legs (clonic phase).

  • Atonic seizures: Sudden loss of muscle tone, which can lead to sudden collapse.

 

We are available in our practice to provide you with a precise diagnosis and the resulting therapy tailored to your individual needs.