Columbus, OH,
17
November
2022
|
17:27 PM
Europe/Amsterdam

Medical Minute: Epilepsy Awareness Month

The numbers might surprise you. One in 26 people will have epilepsy in their lifetime. That is about 1 percent of the population.  November is a great time to learn more about this neurological condition, as it is epilepsy awareness month.

Angela Parsons, DO, is an epileptologist with OhioHealth.  She sees patients at different stages of the epilepsy journey. From those who have just started medications, to those who have used 2 different medications and are looking for other options.

“For some, surgery is a very real option,” Dr. Parsons said.  “ In some of those cases we can perform surgery that can actually take out a part of the brain that is causing the seizure.  Of course, that is easier said than done, but very possible and I've have the great opportunity to take patients through that process and they are now seizure free."

In addition to medication and surgery, there are other devices that can be used to control, or in some cases eliminate seizures.

Epilepsy can be a real challenge for patients.  On the surface patients look to be living a normal life, but there can be physical and emotional challenges.

“It can be undetectable, but this is very common so some people might be struggling with a burden of seizures and what is happening in their every-day life.”

There are different types of seizures, there are different lengths of time a seizure can last.

“The way to think about epilepsy is hyper-excitability in the brain,”  Dr. Parsons said.  “For some reason a certain part, or entire brain is misfiring and causing the person to have a seizure.”

To learn more about epilepsy, or to schedule care with OhioHealth, click here.