Frequent migraine attacks: symptoms, causes, how to relieve them?

Fast passage:

• What is epilepsy?
• What causes epilepsy?
• Genetic factors in the development of epilepsy
• Other disorders leading to epilepsy
• Types of epilepsy
• First aid during an epileptic seizure
• Treatment of epilepsy

This is the picture that pops up before most people’s eyes when they hear the word “epilepsy.” However, this type of seizure is only one type of epilepsy. There are many other types, each with specific symptoms.

Epilepsy was the first brain disorder to be described in the literature. The first memory of this disorder is recorded in ancient Babylon over 3,000 years ago. The strange behavior caused by epileptic seizures has contributed to the emergence of many superstitions and prejudices over the centuries.

The word epilepsy comes from the Greek word for attack. It used to be believed that people with epilepsy were under the control of demons or gods. However, in 400 BC, the first physician, Hippocrates, proposed that epilepsy was caused by a disorder of the brain, and we now know that he was right.

Epilepsy: causes

Epilepsy in adults occurs when there is increased neuronal activity, resulting in excessive, abnormal neuronal discharges.

It is believed that the root cause of these pathological discharges (depolarization of neurons) is the cells of injured areas of the brain. In some cases, a seizure stimulates the appearance of new foci of epilepsy.

The main factors contributing to the development of this pathology are meningitis, arachnoiditis, encephalitis, tumors, injuries, and circulatory disorders.

Often the causes of epilepsy in adults remain unclear, and doctors tend to believe that there is a chemical imbalance in the brain. In children, epilepsy is associated with a hereditary factor.

But at any age, the causes of epilepsy can be infection or brain damage. The later the disease manifests itself in people, the higher the risk of developing severe brain complications.

Why does epilepsy occur? This is facilitated by:

• low birth weight, premature birth (congenital epilepsy);
• birth injuries;
• abnormalities in the development of the vascular system;
• traumatic brain injury (blow to the head);
• oxygen deficiency;
• malignant neoplasms;
• infections;
• Alzheimer's disease;
• hereditary metabolic disorders;
• thromboembolism of blood vessels, consequences of stroke;
• mental disorders;
• cerebral paralysis;
• abuse of drugs and alcohol, antidepressants and antibiotics.

Myoclonic epilepsy stands out separately, which is diagnosed in children or adolescents during puberty. The pathology is inherited, but there are also acquired forms.

Causes of epilepsy attacks

Until now, experts are struggling to find out the exact reasons that provoke the occurrence of epileptic seizures.

Epilepsy attacks can periodically occur in people who do not suffer from the disease in question. According to the evidence of most scientists, epileptic signs in humans appear only if a certain area of ​​the brain is damaged. Affected, but retaining some vitality, brain structures turn into sources of pathological discharges, which cause epileptic illness. Sometimes the consequence of an epileptic attack can be new brain damage, leading to the development of new foci of the pathology in question.

Scientists to this day do not know with absolute certainty what epilepsy is, why some patients suffer from its seizures, while others have no manifestations at all. They also cannot find an explanation for why seizures are an isolated incident in some subjects, while in others they are a recurring symptom.

Some experts are convinced that the occurrence of epilepsy attacks is genetic. However, the development of the disease in question may be of a hereditary nature, as well as be a consequence of a number of diseases suffered by the epileptic, exposure to aggressive environmental factors and injuries.

Thus, among the causes of epileptic attacks, the following diseases can be identified: tumor processes in the brain, meningococcal infection and brain abscess, encephalitis, vascular disorders and inflammatory granulomas.

The causes of the occurrence of the pathology in question in early age or puberty are either impossible to establish, or they are genetically determined.

The older the patient, the more likely it is that epilepsy attacks develop against the background of severe brain damage. Often, convulsions can be caused by a feverish state. Approximately four percent of individuals who experience a severe febrile condition subsequently develop epilepsy.

The true cause of the development of this pathology is electrical impulses arising in the neurons of the brain, which cause states of passion, the appearance of convulsions, and the individual performing actions that are unusual for him. The main cerebral areas of the brain do not have time to process electrical impulses sent in large quantities, especially those responsible for cognitive functions, as a result of which epilepsy arises.

The following are typical risk factors for epileptic seizures:

- birth injuries (for example, hypoxia) or premature birth and associated low birth weight of the newborn;

- abnormalities of brain structures or cerebral vessels at birth;

- presence of epilepsy in family members;

- abuse of alcoholic beverages or use of narcotic substances;

Symptoms

The peculiarity of the disease is that the patient cannot fully understand what is happening. People around you are not always able to provide proper assistance when an attack occurs.

The main symptoms of epilepsy in adults and children are periodic seizures, during which the following are noted:

• convulsive movements;
• lack of response to external influences;
• loss of consciousness;
• jerky convulsions of the whole body;
• the head is thrown back;
• profuse salivation.

Sometimes it can happen that with epilepsy, intellectual capabilities suffer and ability to work decreases. In some patients, on the contrary, sociability, attention and hard work increase.

In epileptics, thought processes are slowed down, which affects behavior and speech. Even clear speech is laconic, but rich in diminutive phrases. People begin to detail and explain the obvious. They find it difficult to change topics of conversation.

Forms of epilepsy

Its division is based on the genesis and category of attacks:

1. Local (partial, focal) - epileptic disease of the frontal, temporal, parietal or occipital zone.
2. Generalized:

• idiopathic – the root cause remains unidentified in 70-80% of cases;
• symptomatic – due to organic brain damage;
• cryptogenic - the etiology of epileptic syndromes is unknown, the form is considered intermediate between the previous two.

Epilepsy can be primary or secondary (acquired). Secondary epilepsy occurs under the influence of external agents: pregnancy, infections, etc.

Post-traumatic epilepsy is the occurrence of seizures in patients after physical damage to the brain or loss of consciousness.

In children, myoclonic epilepsy is characterized by seizures with massive symmetrical manifestations and does not provoke psychological abnormalities.

Alcoholic epilepsy is associated with alcohol abuse.

Nocturnal epilepsy - seizures occur during sleep due to decreased brain activity. People with epilepsy may bite their tongue while sleeping; the attack is accompanied by uncontrolled urination.

Treatment of epilepsy

Researchers have invented a new device that is implanted into a person's brain, monitors brain activity and predicts the likelihood of another seizure in people with uncontrolled epilepsy.

The findings, published May 2 in the journal Lancet Neurology, are based on results from just 15 patients, but experts say the results are very promising, although further research is needed.

The possibility that patients will one day be able to predict their own attacks sounds very encouraging, especially since the unpredictability of this disease prevents people from living a normal life.

If a person is aware of the upcoming attack, he will know that on that day he should refrain from, for example, driving or swimming. It will also be possible to regulate your medication intake.

Seizures

An epileptic seizure is a brain reaction that disappears after the root causes are eliminated. At this time, a large focus of neural activity is formed, which is surrounded by a containment zone, like the insulation of an electrical cable.

The extreme nerve cells do not allow the discharge to go throughout the brain as long as their power is sufficient. When it breaks through, it begins to circulate throughout the surface of the cortex, causing a “blackout” or “absence seizure.”

Experienced doctors know how to recognize epilepsy. In a state of absence seizure, the epileptic withdraws from the surrounding world: he becomes abruptly silent, concentrates his gaze on the spot and does not react to the environment.

Absence lasts a couple of seconds. When a discharge hits the motor zone, a convulsive syndrome appears.

The epileptic learns about the absence form of the disease from eyewitnesses, since he himself does not feel anything.

Types of seizures

Epileptic seizures are classified according to several criteria.

Knowing the exact type of disease allows you to choose the most effective treatment.

The classification is based on the causes, flow scenario and location of the source.

For root reasons:

• primary;
• secondary;

According to the development scenario:

• preservation of consciousness;
• lack of consciousness;

According to the location of the outbreak:

• left hemisphere cortex;
• right hemisphere cortex;
• deep sections.

All epilepsy attacks are divided into 2 large groups: generalized and focal (partial). In generalized seizures, pathological activity involves both cerebral hemispheres.

In focal seizures, the focus of excitation is localized in any one area of ​​the brain.

Types of seizures in children and adults

A febrile attack of epilepsy can appear in children under 3-4 years of age when the temperature rises.

Epilepsy was recorded in 5% of children. There are two types of epilepsy in children:

• benign – seizures stop independently or with minimal treatment (myoclonic epilepsy);
• malignant - any prescription does not lead to improvement, the disease progresses.

Seizures in children are vague and occur atypically, without specific symptoms. Parents sometimes do not notice the onset of attacks.

Modern medications are highly effective - in 70-80% of cases the seizure focus in the brain is blocked.

Myoclonic epilepsy is accompanied by several types of seizures:

• A tonic-clonic epileptic seizure is first accompanied by tension in the extensor muscles (the body is arched), and then in the flexor muscles (the epileptic hits his head on the floor and may bite his tongue).
• Absence seizures are characterized by a cessation of activity and often occur in childhood. The child “freezes,” and sometimes twitching of the facial muscles may occur.

Focal (partial) seizures occur in 80% of elderly people and 60% in children.

They begin when the focus of excitation is localized in one area of ​​the cerebral cortex. There are attacks:

• vegetative;
• motor;
• sensitive;
• mental.

In difficult cases, consciousness is partially lost, but the patient does not make contact and is not aware of his actions. After any attack, generalization may occur.

In adults, after such attacks, organic brain damage progresses. For this reason, it is important to get tested after a seizure.

The epileptic attack lasts up to 3 minutes, after which confusion and drowsiness sets in. During a blackout, a person cannot remember what happened.

Symptoms of epilepsy attacks

The appearance of epileptic seizures depends on a combination of two factors: the activity of the epileptic (convulsive) focus and the general convulsive readiness of the brain.

An attack of epilepsy can often be preceded by an aura (“breeze” or “breath” translated from Greek). Its manifestations are quite varied and are determined by the localization of the brain area whose functioning is impaired. In other words, the manifestations of the aura depend on the location of the epileptic focus.

In addition, some conditions of the body can become “provocateurs” that cause an epileptic seizure. For example, an attack may occur due to the onset of menstruation. There are also seizures that occur only during dreams.

In addition to physiological conditions, epileptic seizures can be triggered by a number of external factors (for example, flickering light).

Seizures in epilepsy are characterized by a variety of manifestations, which depend on the location of the lesion, etiology (causes of occurrence), electroencephalographic indicators of the degree of maturity of the patient’s nervous system at the time of the attack.

There are many different classifications of seizures, which are based on the above and other characteristics. There are about thirty types of seizures. The international classification of epileptic seizures distinguishes two groups: partial seizures of epilepsy (focal seizures) and generalized convulsions (spread to all areas of the brain).

A generalized seizure of epilepsy is characterized by bilateral symmetry. At the time of occurrence, no focal manifestations are observed. This category of seizures includes: major and minor tonic-clonic seizures, absences (short periods of loss of consciousness), vegetative-visceral seizures and status epilepticus.

Tonic-clonic convulsions are accompanied by tension in the limbs and torso (tonic convulsions) and twitching (clonic convulsions). In this case, consciousness is lost. It is often possible to hold your breath for a short time without causing suffocation. Usually the seizure lasts no more than five minutes.

After an attack of epilepsy, the patient may fall asleep for a while, feel stunned, lethargic, and, less often, pain in the head.

A grand mal tonic-clonic seizure begins with a sudden loss of consciousness and is characterized by a short tonic phase with muscle tension in the trunk, face, and limbs. The epileptic falls as if knocked down; due to contraction of the muscles of the diaphragm and spasm of the glottis, a groan or cry occurs. The patient's face first becomes deathly pale, and then acquires a bluish tint, the jaws are tightly clenched, the head is thrown back, there is no breathing, the pupils are dilated, there is no reaction to light, the eyeballs are either turned up or to the side. The duration of this phase is usually no more than thirty seconds.

When the symptoms of a full-blown grand mal tonic-clonic seizure escalate, the tonic phase is followed by a clonic phase, lasting from one to three minutes. It begins with a convulsive sigh, followed by clonic convulsions that appear and gradually intensify. In this case, breathing is rapid, hyperemia replaces cyanosis of the facial skin, and there is no consciousness. During this phase, the patient may bite the tongue, involuntary urination and defecation.

An epileptic attack ends with muscle relaxation and deep sleep. In almost all cases of such attacks, amnesia is noted.

After convulsions, weakness, headaches, decreased performance, muscle aches, and disturbances in mood and speech may occur for several hours. In some cases, confusion of consciousness, a state of stunned state, and, less often, a twilight darkening of the field of consciousness remain for a short time.

A grand mal seizure may have warning signs that herald the onset of a seizure. These include:

Usually, the precursors are characterized by stereotypicality and individuality, that is, each epileptic has his own precursors. In some cases, the type of attack in question may begin with an aura. It happens:

- auditory, for example, pseudohallucinations;

— vegetative, for example, vasomotor disorders;

- visceral, for example, discomfort inside the body;

- visual (either in the form of simple visual sensations, or in the form of complex hallucinatory pictures);

- psychosensory, for example, sensations of changes in the shape of one’s own body;

- mental, manifested in changes in mood, inexplicable anxiety;

- motor, characterized by convulsive oscillatory contractions of individual muscles.

Absences are short-term periods of loss of consciousness (lasting from one to thirty seconds). With minor absence seizures, the convulsive component is absent or weakly expressed. At the same time, they, as well as other epileptic paroxysms, are characterized by a sudden onset, a short duration of the attack (limited in time), a disorder of consciousness, and amnesia.

Absence seizures are considered the first sign of the development of epilepsy in children. Such short-term periods of loss of consciousness can occur several times a day, often reaching up to three hundred seizures. At the same time, they are practically invisible to others, since people often attribute such manifestations to a pensive state. This type of attack is not preceded by an aura. During a seizure, the patient’s movement stops abruptly, the gaze becomes lifeless and empty (as if freezing), and there is no response to the outside world. Sometimes there may be rolling of the eyes and a change in the color of the skin on the face. Following this kind of “pause”, the person continues moving as if nothing had happened.

Simple absence is characterized by a sudden loss of consciousness lasting a few seconds. At the same time, the person seems to freeze in one position with a frozen gaze. Sometimes rhythmic contractions of the eyeballs or twitching of the eyelids, vegetative-vascular dysfunction (dilated pupils, increased heart rate and breathing, pale skin) may be noted. At the end of the attack, the person continues the interrupted work or speech.

Complex absence seizure is characterized by changes in muscle tone, movement disorders with elements of automatism, and autonomic disorders (pallor or flushing of the face, urination, coughing).

Autonomic-visceral attacks are characterized by various vegetative-visceral disorders and vegetative-vascular dysfunction: nausea, pain in the peritoneum, heart, polyuria, changes in blood pressure, increased heart rate, vasovegetative disorders, hyperhidrosis. The end of the attack is as sudden as its debut. Malaise or stupor does not accompany an epileptic attack. Status epilepticus manifests itself as epileptic seizures following each other continuously and is characterized by a rapidly increasing coma with vital dysfunctions. Status epilepticus occurs as a result of irregular or inadequate treatment, abrupt withdrawal of long-term medications, intoxication, and acute somatic diseases. It can be focal (unilateral convulsions, often tonic-clonic) or generalized.

Focal or partial seizures of epilepsy are considered the most common manifestations of the pathology in question. They are caused by damage to neurons in a specific area of ​​one of the cerebral hemispheres. These seizures are divided into simple and complex partial convulsions, as well as secondary generalized seizures. During simple seizures, consciousness is not impaired. They manifest themselves as discomfort or twitching in certain areas of the body. Often simple partial convulsions are similar to an aura. Complex attacks are characterized by a disturbance or change in consciousness, as well as severe motor disturbances. They are caused by areas of overexcitation that are diverse in location. Often complex partial seizures can transform into generalized ones. This type of convulsions occurs in approximately sixty percent of people suffering from epilepsy.

A secondary generalized attack of epilepsy initially has the form of a convulsive or non-convulsive partial seizure or absence seizure, then a bilateral spread of convulsive motor activity develops.

Precursors of an attack

Before major convulsive seizures, precursors (aura) appear a couple of hours or days in advance: irritability, excitability, inappropriate behavior.

The first signs of epilepsy in adults are various types of aura:

• sensory - auditory, visual hallucinations;
• mental – a feeling of fear and bliss appears;
• vegetative – dysfunction of internal organs: nausea, rapid heartbeat;
• motor – motor automatism is manifested;
• speech – meaningless pronunciation of words;
• sensitive – the appearance of a feeling of numbness, coldness.

Epilepsy attack

An epilepsy attack in humans is a sudden, rarely occurring, spontaneous convulsive seizure. Epilepsy is a brain pathology, the main symptom of which is convulsions. The described illness is considered a very common disorder that affects not only human subjects, but also animals. According to statistical monitoring, every twentieth person suffers a single epileptic attack. Five percent of the total population experienced a first seizure of epilepsy, followed by no further seizures. A convulsive attack can be caused by various factors, such as intoxication, high temperature, stress, alcohol, sleep deprivation, metabolic disorders, overwork, long-term computer games, prolonged viewing of TV shows.

First aid

The main thing is to remain calm. How to identify epilepsy? If a person has convulsions and the pupils are dilated, then this is an epileptic seizure.

First aid for an epileptic seizure includes ensuring safety: the epileptic’s head is placed on a soft surface, sharp and cutting objects are removed.

Do not restrain convulsive movements. It is forbidden to put any objects into the patient’s mouth or unclench his teeth.

When vomiting occurs, the person is turned over on his side so that the vomit does not end up in the respiratory tract.

The duration of convulsions is a couple of minutes. If the duration lasts more than 5 minutes or there are injuries, call an ambulance. Afterwards the patient is placed on his side.

Minor attacks do not require outside intervention.

But if the seizure lasts more than 20 minutes, then there is a high probability of status epilepticus, which can only be stopped by intravenous medications. First aid for this type of epilepsy is to call a doctor.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis begins with a detailed interview with the patient and those around him, who will tell you what happened. The doctor must know the patient's general health and the characteristics of the attacks and how often they occur.

It is important to find out whether there is a genetic predisposition.

After collecting anamnesis, they proceed to a neurological examination to identify signs of brain damage.

An MRI is always done to rule out diseases of the nervous system, which can also provoke seizures.

Electroencephalography allows you to study the electrical activity of the brain. The interpretation should be done by an experienced neurologist, since epileptic activity occurs in 15% of healthy people.

Often, between attacks, the EEG picture is normal, then the attending physician provokes pathological impulses before the examination.

During diagnosis, it is important to determine the type of seizures in order to correctly prescribe medications. For example, myoclonic epilepsy can only be differentiated in a hospital setting.

Types of epilepsy

Doctors have described more than 30 different types of epilepsy. Seizures fall into two main categories—focal and generalized seizures. However, there are many different types of seizures within each of these categories.

Focal seizures

Focal seizures, also called partial seizures, occur in only one part of the brain. About 60% of people with epilepsy have focal seizures. These seizures are often described by the areas of the brain in which they occur. For example, a person may be diagnosed with focal frontal seizures.

In a simple focal seizure, the person will remain conscious but experience unusual feelings or sensations that can take different forms. The person may experience sudden and inexplicable feelings of joy, anger, sadness, or nausea. The patient may also hear sounds, smell, taste, see or feel things that do not actually exist.

With a complex focal attack, a person's consciousness may change, or the person may faint. The patient's consciousness may become distorted and create false memories. During a complex focal seizure, people may behave very strangely or repeat the same actions over and over again, such as blinking incessantly, twitching, moving their mouth, or even walking in circles. These repetitive movements are called automatisms. They may also involuntarily produce more complex actions that appear purposeful. Patients may continue to do what they were doing before the attack, such as continuing to wash a dish. These attacks often last only a few seconds.

Some people with focal seizures, especially those with very severe cases, may experience an aura, an unusual sensation that warns of an impending seizure. These auras are actually simple focal attacks in which the person is still conscious.

The symptoms of focal seizures can be very easily confused with other disorders. For example, the inappropriate state that focal attacks provoke may be perceived as a symptom of migraine, since this disease causes the same sensations. Strange behavior and sensations caused by a focal seizure can also be mistaken for symptoms of narcolepsy, fainting, or even mental illness. Thus, the doctor needs to conduct a detailed examination to identify the differences between epilepsy and other disorders.

Generalized seizures

Generalized seizures are the result of abnormal activity of neurons on both sides of the brain. These attacks can lead to loss of consciousness, falls, or massive muscle spasms.

There are many types of generalized seizures. In the absence of convulsions, a person can continuously look at one point and/or jerk muscles. These seizures are called petit mal seizures. Petite seizures are caused by tense muscles, often in the back, legs, and arms. Clonic seizures result in constant twitching of muscles on both sides of the body. Myoclonic seizures cause jerking or jerking of the upper body, arms, or legs. Atonic seizures result in loss of normal muscle tone. The victim may fall involuntarily. Tonic-clonic seizures are accompanied by a range of symptoms, including numbness of the body and persistent twitching of the arms or legs, as well as loss of consciousness. Tonic-clonic seizures are sometimes called grand mal seizures.

It is very difficult to distinguish focal seizures from generalized ones. In some cases, it starts with a focal seizure that then spreads to the entire brain. In some cases, both types of seizures occur, but there are no clearly defined differences between them.

Complications and consequences

It is important to understand the dangers of epilepsy. The main complication is status epilepticus, when the patient does not return consciousness between frequent seizures.

Severe epileptic activity leads to cerebral edema, from which the patient can die.

Another complication of epilepsy is injuries due to a person falling on a hard surface, when any parts of the body get into moving objects, or loss of consciousness while driving.

The most common types are biting the tongue and cheeks. When bone mineralization is low, strong muscle contraction causes fractures.

In the last century, it was believed that this disease provoked a mental disorder, and epileptics were sent for treatment to psychiatrists. Today, the fight against the disease is led by neurologists. However, it has been established that some mental changes do occur.

Psychologists note emerging types of deviations:

• characterological (infantilism, pedantry, egocentrism, attachment, vindictiveness);
• formal thinking disorders (detailing, thoroughness, perseveration);
• permanent emotional disorders (impulsivity, softness, viscosity of affect);
• decreased intelligence and memory (dementia, cognitive impairment);
• change in temperament and area of ​​interest (increased instinct of self-preservation, gloomy mood).

Even with the correct selection of medications, children may experience learning difficulties associated with hyperactivity. They suffer the most psychologically, which is why they begin to feel complex, choose loneliness, and are afraid of crowded places.

The attack may occur at school or in another public place. Parents are obliged to explain to the child what kind of disease this is and how to behave in anticipation of an attack.

Adults have restrictions on some activities. For example, driving a car, working with machine guns, swimming in bodies of water. In severe cases of the disease, you should monitor your psychological state.

The epileptic will have to change his lifestyle: eliminate strong physical activity and sports.

Frequent attacks: how dangerous are they for the patient’s health?

A chronic neurological disease that causes headaches every week cannot be caused by other pathologies in the patient’s body. But they can provoke the development of such complications:

• Status migraine – severe migraine attacks alternating one after another. Often this includes prolonged pain that lasts longer than three days. Pain sensations spread to the entire head. They are bursting in nature. Since a severe attack causes vomiting, patients become dehydrated. Severe weakness sometimes leads to convulsions, in which case it requires hospitalization of the patient.
• Migraine stroke is a dangerous form of neurological disease. It is called a catastrophic form of migraine. In this case, patients suffer from symptoms that are not characteristic of a normal migraine attack. Neurological disorders appear, which appear and then disappear.

The consequences of chronic migraine disrupt the patient's life. Studies have shown that those patients who are bothered by frequent attacks are characterized by the presence of the following ailments:

• The presence of chronic diseases, general weakness of the body;
• Depressive states, anxiety;
• Material disadvantage due to disability and, accordingly, all the consequences of low economic security.

We can conclude that episodic migraine does not pose a threat to the patient’s life. But complicated forms of the disease significantly reduce its quality.

Epilepsy in pregnant women

Many antiepileptic drugs inhibit the effectiveness of contraceptives, which increases the risk of unwanted pregnancy.

If a woman wants to be a mother, then she should not be persuaded - it is not the disease itself that is inherited, but only a genetic predisposition to it.

In some cases, the first attacks of epilepsy appeared in women while bearing children. An emergency treatment plan was developed for such women.

If you have epilepsy, it is possible to give birth to a healthy child. If the patient is registered with an epileptologist, then when planning a pregnancy, scenarios for its development are prepared in advance.

The expectant mother should know the effect of anticonvulsants on the fetus and undergo timely examinations to identify pathologies in the child’s development.

6 months before the expected pregnancy, drug therapy is reviewed. Often, doctors completely stop anticonvulsants if there have been no seizures in the last 2 years and there are no neurological abnormalities.

Then there is a high probability of pregnancy occurring without seizures in the presence of epilepsy.

Experienced doctors recommend monotherapy, when one drug is selected with a minimum dosage to control attacks.

The greatest danger during pregnancy is hypoxia and hyperthermia caused by status epilepticus. There is a threat to life for the fetus and mother due to disruption of the brain and kidneys - 3-20% of women in labor do not survive in this situation.

In developed countries, this indicator is minimal; modern equipment makes it possible to identify deviations at an early stage.

The most common fetal pathologies are prematurity and congenital anomalies, many of which are corrected by surgical intervention in the first year of the baby’s life.

What is epilepsy

First, let's look at the nature of the disease.

An epileptic seizure begins when the electrical impulses generated in the brain become too intense.

They can affect one part of the brain - then we talk about a partial seizure, and if the electrical storm spreads to both hemispheres, the seizures become generalized (we will discuss them below). Impulses are transmitted to the muscles, hence the characteristic cramps.

The probable causes of the disease are lack of oxygen during fetal development, birth trauma, meningitis or encephalitis, strokes, brain tumors or congenital features of its structure. Usually, during an examination, it is difficult to determine exactly why the disease occurred; more often, this occurs due to the combined effects of several conditions. Epilepsy can occur throughout life, but children and the elderly are at risk.

Although the underlying causes of the disease still remain a mystery, a number of provoking factors have been identified:

• stress,
• excessive drinking of alcohol,
• smoking,
• lack of sleep,
• hormonal fluctuations during the menstrual cycle,
• abuse of antidepressants,
• premature refusal of special therapy, if one was prescribed.

Of course, from a medical point of view, such a story about the course of the disease looks as simplified as possible, but this is basic knowledge that every person should have.

Causes: what contributes to the development of migraines?

Factors influencing the occurrence of a migraine attack can be very different. One of the common reasons that contribute to the development of a severe headache attack is malnutrition over a certain period of time or a long-term diet. It is especially important not to skip breakfast. In adult women, migraines can occur due to hormonal changes, for example, during the menstrual cycle.

Other causes of migraine attacks:

• Consumption of products that cause neurological disorders in a particular person (alcoholic drinks, reduced amount of water, processed foods, avoidance of caffeine, etc.);
• Lack of sleep or changes in sleep patterns (flying to a different time zone, working night shifts);
• Excess sleep;
• Overload of a physical or mental nature;
• Aggressive irritation of external factors - flickering light, strong sounds, strong odors, climate change;
• Psychological disorders associated with stress, hormone intake, menstrual cycle, etc.

There are many factors that cause migraine. But they are individual for each person and it is very important to recognize headache provocateurs in order to prevent their occurrence.

What does it look like

Usually, from the outside it seems that the attack began completely suddenly. The man screams and loses consciousness. During the tonic phase, his muscles are tense and breathing becomes difficult, causing his lips to turn blue. Then the seizures enter the clonic phase: all limbs begin to tense and relax, it looks like random twitching. Sometimes patients bite their tongue or the inside of their cheeks. Possible spontaneous bowel or bladder emptying, excessive salivation or vomiting. After the seizure ends, the victim of the disease often experiences drowsiness, headache and memory problems.