“Epilepsy is one of the most misunderstood medical conditions and has often been confused with ‘magical’ or religious episodes, whereas epileptics have widely been labelled as ‘possessed’,” said Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH) Consultant Neurologist Dr Mughees Sheerani on Wednesday at a seminar held at the AKUH Auditorium.
Sheerani said that a lack of awareness about this disease has led to many misconceptions, often linking epilepsy with mental disability or ‘magic’ and people recount horrifying stories about epileptics being tied up and beaten up to cure them.
“What is little known is that Socrates, Lenin, Alexander the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte and Alfred Nobel were also epileptics,” he said.
Nearly 50 million people worldwide are suffering from epilepsy, of which an overwhelming majority are from the developing world, he added.
Sheerani said that about 1.7 million people in Pakistan are suffering from this condition and are vulnerable to recurring seizures caused by sudden changes in the electrical activity of the brain.
He said that seizures could be brought under control in three-quarters of the cases, but most people are unable to receive proper treatment or medication.
Pinpointing the actual cause of epilepsy has proven to be difficult for doctors, and in most cases, it is believed that the patient’s genes predispose them to the disease, he added.
“An epileptic seizure is thought to be caused by environmental or personal triggers. The most common include lack of sleep, stress, strong emotions, intense exercise, flashing lights (like video games), fever and the menstrual cycle. At times, however, seizures can also occur without any identifiable reason,” Sheerani said.
AKUH Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Farah Khan said that epileptics are not only at risk of seizures, but are also 20-50 percent more susceptible to developing mood disorders.
Khan said that the most common disorders are major depression and dysthymia, a low or irritable mood for extended periods of time.
Seizures and mood disorders often occur at the same time, making it extremely important for epileptic patients to consult a psychiatrist if they feel that they are suffering from constant mood disorders, she said.
In such cases, a neurologist-psychiatrist partnership to treat the patient is extremely important, she added.
AKUH Consultant Neurosurgeon Dr Ehsan Bari said that although medication is the preferred form of treatment, patients suffering from intractable seizures could be treated surgically.
AKUH Senior Neurology Coordinator Nurse-II Haroon Daniel said that family members of the person suffering from epilepsy might need counselling to help them not only understand and work with the epileptic, but also to assist them in activities such as climbing ladders or swimming.
Highlighting the importance of handling epileptic episodes in a calm manner, Daniel stressed that during a seizure, the epileptic should not be restrained and nothing should be forced between the teeth.
Instead, the person should be turned to one side to prevent choking and sharp objects in the vicinity should be removed, he added.
