Epilepsy Treatment at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Juhu
Epilepsy is a neurological condition in which sudden bursts of abnormal electrical activity in the brain cause recurrent seizures. One seizure alone doesn't establish the diagnosis. Epilepsy is considered when seizures repeat without a clear immediate trigger, or when tests suggest they are likely to. It can begin at any age, from infancy to later life. For those looking for epilepsy treatment in Juhu, Mumbai at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, the first step is working out what type of seizure is occurring and why.
Types of Seizures
Seizures don't always look like the convulsions people picture. Their appearance depends on where in the brain they begin.
- Focal seizures
start in one region. Awareness may be kept or lost, and signs range from a strange rising sensation or a twitching hand to a fixed stare or repetitive movements such as lip-smacking. - Generalised seizures
involve both sides of the brain from the outset. Tonic-clonic seizures bring stiffening, jerking and loss of consciousness, while absence seizures are brief lapses of awareness, often mistaken for daydreaming in children.
Some focal seizures spread and become generalised. Afterwards, confusion, drowsiness or a headache is common.
What Causes Epilepsy
In many people, no cause is found despite thorough testing. Where one is identified, it usually falls into one of these groups:
- Head injury
- Stroke or other damage to the brain's blood supply
- Brain infections such as meningitis, encephalitis or neurocysticercosis
- Tumours or structural abnormalities in the brain
- Injury around birth, or developmental and genetic conditions
Triggers can tip a seizure in someone already prone to them. Missed medication, poor sleep, heavy alcohol use and fever-related illness are the usual ones.
What to Do During a Seizure
Most seizures end by themselves within a couple of minutes. Epilepsy care aims to keep the person safe until then.
- Clear hard or sharp objects and cushion the head
- Turn the person onto their side once the jerking stops
- Note the time the seizure began
- Never restrain them or place anything in their mouth
Call for emergency help if a seizure lasts beyond five minutes, if seizures follow one another without recovery in between, or if it is the person's first.
When to Seek Evaluation
Anyone who has had a first seizure should be assessed, even if they seem entirely well afterwards. Evaluation is also worth arranging for:
- Brief spells of staring or unresponsiveness, especially in a child
- Unexplained falls, or jerks on waking
- Seizures continuing despite regular medication
- Episodes that change in pattern or frequency
Families sometimes hesitate because the episodes are short or rare. A clear description of what was seen, ideally a phone video, helps the epilepsy doctor considerably.
How Is Epilepsy Diagnosed
No single test confirms epilepsy. Diagnosis is built from several sources.
- Clinical history
an account from the patient and anyone who has witnessed the episodes - Neurological examination
- EEG
records the brain's electrical activity. A routine EEG can look normal between seizures, so longer or video-EEG monitoring is sometimes needed - MRI
looks for scarring, tumours or developmental abnormalities - Blood tests
rule out metabolic or infective causes
The seizure type and its likely origin then guide the choice of treatment.
Consult an epilepsy specialist in Juhu, Mumbai at our Centre for Neurosciences for further assistance.
Treatment Options
Anti-seizure medication is the first line of seizure disorder treatment, and many people achieve good control with a single, well-chosen drug. The choice depends on seizure type, age, other health conditions and, for women, pregnancy plans. Doses are adjusted gradually, and stopping suddenly can provoke seizures.
When seizures continue despite two properly chosen and tolerated medicines, the epilepsy is regarded as drug-resistant. Further tablets alone are then less likely to bring control, and a fuller assessment is appropriate. Seizure management options at that stage include a supervised ketogenic diet, sometimes used in children, neuromodulation, and surgery.
Epilepsy Surgery
Surgery is considered when seizures are drug-resistant and arise from a part of the brain that can be treated. It begins with a presurgical evaluation to locate where seizures start and to confirm that the area can be treated without harming functions such as speech, movement, or memory. This usually combines video-EEG monitoring, MRI, PET, and neuropsychological testing. In some patients, electrodes are placed inside the skull for closer recording.
Depending on the findings, options include:
- Resective surgery
removal of the seizure-producing area, most often in the temporal lobe - Disconnection procedures
such as corpus callosotomy or hemispherotomy, which interrupt the pathways seizures travel along - Vagus nerve stimulation
an implanted device that sends regular impulses to the brain, used when removal isn't possible
Surgery doesn't suit everyone and doesn't always end seizures so medication may continue afterwards. Speak to our experts to understand your eligibility for an epilepsy surgery in Juhu, Mumbai at our Centre for Neurosciences.
Living with Epilepsy
Regular sleep, consistent medication timing and limited alcohol matter as much as any prescription. Swimming alone and working at heights carry extra risk, and driving should be discussed with the treating neurologist. For children, a seizure plan shared with the school helps.
Epilepsy Treatment at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Juhu
Managing epilepsy takes more than prescribing a tablet. At CritiCare Asia Hospitals, neurologists assess the seizure type and likely cause, using EEG and imaging to shape the treatment plan. Where medication doesn't bring control, patients are assessed for surgical options through a coordinated process involving neurosurgery and neuropsychology. Follow-up includes practical guidance for families on triggers, safety at home and school, and keeping to medication, and plans are reviewed as needs change. To discuss seizures in yourself or a loved one, speak with the best neurologists in Juhu, Mumbai at CritiCare Asia Hospitals.