Epilepsy Specialist
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes recurring seizures and can affect people of all ages. The medical team at Texas Brain & Spine Center provides comprehensive evaluation and treatment options for patients living with seizures and epilepsy.
If seizures are interfering with your health, safety, or quality of life, proper diagnosis can help determine the cause and identify treatment options for managing your symptoms.
Epilepsy Q & A
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that causes recurring seizures. A seizure occurs when there is a sudden change in the brain’s normal electrical activity, which can temporarily affect movement, awareness, behavior, or sensation.
Not every seizure means that a person has epilepsy. Epilepsy is generally diagnosed when a person has experienced recurrent unprovoked seizures or is considered at increased risk of having additional seizures.
The way epilepsy affects you can vary depending on where abnormal electrical activity begins in the brain and how it spreads.
What are the symptoms of epilepsy?
Epileptic seizures can look very different from one person to another. Some cause noticeable movements throughout the body, while others may result in only a brief change in awareness.
Common signs and symptoms can include:
Staring spells or brief periods of lost awareness
Uncontrolled jerking or shaking of the arms or legs
Sudden muscle stiffness
Temporary confusion
Difficulty responding during a seizure
Unusual sensations, emotions, smells, or other sensory changes
Some people may experience warning symptoms before a seizure or feel confused, tired, or disoriented afterward.
How is epilepsy diagnosed?
Diagnosing epilepsy starts with a detailed review of your symptoms and medical history. Your doctor may ask you or someone who witnessed the event to describe what happened before, during, and after a suspected seizure.
Diagnostic testing may include an electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure electrical activity in your brain and identify patterns associated with seizures.
Your doctor may also recommend an MRI or CT scan to look for structural changes or abnormalities in the brain that could contribute to seizures. Blood testing can help identify certain infections, metabolic problems, or other medical conditions that may cause seizure-like symptoms.
In some cases, additional testing, such as PET or SPECT imaging or neuropsychological testing, may be used to better understand where seizures originate and how they affect brain function.
How is epilepsy treated?
Treatment for epilepsy focuses on preventing or reducing seizures while helping you maintain your quality of life. Your treatment plan depends on the type of seizures you experience, their frequency, their underlying cause, and how you respond to treatment.
Anti-seizure medications are commonly the first treatment used for epilepsy. These medications help regulate abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Your doctor may adjust the medication or dosage to find an option that controls seizures while minimizing side effects.
When seizures continue despite medication, additional treatment may be considered. For certain types of epilepsy, surgery can be used to remove or treat the area of the brain responsible for triggering seizures.
Neuromodulation therapies may also be an option for some patients. These treatments use implanted devices to deliver controlled electrical stimulation to the brain or nervous system. Options can include vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), and responsive neurostimulation (RNS).
Your doctor can determine which treatment options are appropriate based on your diagnosis, seizure patterns, and individual health needs.