Epilepsy later in life

There is no rule when the age of suffering from epilepsy is considered. Epilepsy is known to happen at any age to any person. However, it is a lot more common in people older than 60 years of age.

People need to know that there are a lot of causes why someone might be affected by epilepsy that late in life. It is important that people do not think that it is epilepsy immediately because there are other conditions that look like epileptic seizures. A person who is diagnosed with epilepsy will most likely be prescribed with anti-epileptic drugs.

People need to know that when they are diagnosed with epilepsy, their life can be affected in many ways but it is not uncommon that it may not be affected at all.

What is epilepsy?

There are not that many people who do not know that epilepsy is a neurological condition, which affects the brain and nervous system. There is a lot more understanding of epilepsy nowadays and that is why people do not believe all the things that are being said about it. For instance, for a long time people thought that they can catch it from another person. Epilepsy is not a mental health and it does not cause dementia.

Different types of seizures

A lot of people believe that there is only one type of seizure and that is convulsive. It is when a person collapses and the body jerks. However, people need to know that there are other types of seizures.

What to do if someone has a seizure

People need to know that seizures occur without a warning and all of a sudden. However, seizures also last for a short period of time and there is no need to call the ambulance. A person who had a seizure will not recover immediately after the seizure has occurred and it will take some time. Most people experience a headache and fatigue after the seizure and just want to sleep. It is not uncommon that they feel confused for a while.

How is epilepsy diagnosed?

A person who suffered from one seizure is not usually classified as someone who has epilepsy. Tendency to have seizures is considered to be epilepsy. However, a person who experiences even a single seizure should go to the hospital in order for the doctor to investigate the possibility of epilepsy. A person will need to describe what occurred what happened before, during and after the event in detail.