Dangal girl Fatima Sana Sheikh has recently spoken about her illness epilepsy. He said in an interview that he came to know about his illness during the shooting of the film 'Dangal'. She also said that for a few days at first, she could not accept that she might have epilepsy. So, initially he did not take any medicine for this.
He was afraid that he might have a sudden epileptic attack on the set. This is because people are not aware of epilepsy. People believe that he may have taken drugs or is possessed by a ghost.
Epilepsy is a neurological condition. In this, the nerve cells stop signaling properly, causing repeated attacks. During an attack, electrical activities in the brain become very intense. During this time a person's body bends strangely. He may have convulsions and during this he also becomes unconscious.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 50 million people in the world are suffering from epilepsy. About one crore people in India are facing epilepsy. This means that 20% of the world's epilepsy patients are in India alone.
So, today In 'health water' We will talk about epilepsy. You will also know that-
- What is epilepsy?
- What are the trigger points of epileptic seizures?
- When and why does this disease occur?
- What can be done if someone has an epileptic seizure?
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a brain disease. This affects the signaling power of our nerve cells. This happens due to damage to the brain cells. This causes the brain cells to start producing abnormal electrical signals, hence seizures.
Why does epilepsy occur? Epilepsy can happen to anyone at any time. Dr. Biplab Das says that in 70% of cases the reasons behind it cannot be known precisely.
However, in some cases it has been observed that if one or both the parents have epilepsy, that person also suffers from epilepsy.
In some cases, it has been observed that head trauma leads to epileptic seizures. What other reasons can there be for this, see the graphic:
Dr. Biplab Das says that brain cells are damaged in cases of brain tumor, dementia and stroke. Signaling is affected by this. Therefore, epilepsy can also occur in these medical conditions.
What are the symptoms of epilepsy? Epilepsy usually causes seizures. During this time the person loses his consciousness. His body muscles become uncontrollable and the body may stiffen strangely. During this period, the body may tremble and shiver.
If the epilepsy is mild, short-term confusion may occur. Sometimes it also happens that a person stares at one place for a long time. He feels suddenly very hot or cold. His hair may also stand on end. When epilepsy becomes severe, seizures occur and the condition can become very severe.
What are the trigger points of epilepsy? Dr. Biplab Das says it is possible that one person may have an epileptic seizure once a week, while another person may have seizures several times a day. This happens because another person's lifestyle and diet triggers epileptic seizures.
Epilepsy is a brain disease, so too much stress can trigger it and lead to seizures. If you don't get proper sleep it can cause epilepsy. In addition, many points can trigger an attack of epilepsy. See graphic:
Dr. Biplab Das says that everyone can have their own triggers. We have to discover this ourselves through our own experience. Suppose a person who drinks coffee on a day has more seizures than usual and faces more problems. In such a situation, caffeine is a trigger point for that person. Similarly, all patients can find their own trigger points and by avoiding them, they can control the attacks to some extent.
What to do if someone has an epileptic seizure? Dr. Biplab Das says that in most cases of epilepsy, immediate medical attention is not needed in case of a seizure. This also means that if a person starts to have a seizure, it cannot be stopped. Therefore, it is important that during this time, if you are near someone who has had a stroke, stay close instead of running away.
If the attack is mild, watch out for the following.
- Stay with him until his convulsions end and he regains consciousness.
- When the person regains consciousness, move him to a safe place. If possible, take him safely home.
- During this time you should remain calm and ask others around you to remain calm as well.
- When the person regains consciousness, medicines can be administered by asking about his required medicines or talking to his family members on the phone.
If someone is having a tonic-clonic attack, that is, uncontrollable shaking or convulsions, you can do the following:
- Have the person lie comfortably on the floor.
- To help him breathe, let him lie on his side.
- If he is having seizures, try to normalize him
- Keep any kind of dangerous thing away from it.
- Place something soft under the person's head
- If he wears glasses, take them off
- If he is wearing a tie or any clothing that is too tight, which may make breathing difficult, loosen it.
- If the convulsions continue for more than 5 minutes, take him to the hospital immediately
Common myths and facts about epilepsy
Myth: Epilepsy is insanity
Fact: No. Like other diseases, it is a neurological health condition. Its treatment is in neurology.
Myth: A person's gloves should be sniffed during an epileptic attack
Fact: No. This is wrong and unscientific. Never do this.
Myth: Epilepsy never goes away.
Fact: not true About 75% of patients are relieved by anti-epileptic drugs. However, one should continue taking the medicine.
Myth: In case of an epileptic attack, a spoon should be placed in the patient's mouth.
Fact: No. Nothing should be put in mouth during convulsions. Often the patient presses his tongue with his teeth. In such a situation, a cloth can be put in the patient's mouth. But never put a spoon or hard object.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
