Key Facts about Epilepsy
- Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes repeated seizures.
- Epilepsy affects about 3.4 million Americans.
- About 1 out of 10 people may have a seizure during his or her lifetime, though not all will develop epilepsy.
- There are many different kinds of epilepsy and types of seizures.
- People with epilepsy can have an active and full life.
- There are over 230 epilepsy centers in the United States. Health care providers at these centers specialize in managing epilepsy and provide expert care to both children and adults. For example, an “epileptologist” is a doctor who has advanced training and experience in epilepsy
(CDC, 2019)
Definition of Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a chronic disorder, the hallmark of which is recurrent, unprovoked seizures. A person is diagnosed with epilepsy if they have two unprovoked seizures (or one unprovoked seizure with the likelihood of more) that were not caused by some known and reversible medical condition like alcohol withdrawal or extremely low blood sugar.
The seizures in epilepsy may be related to a brain injury or a family tendency, but often the cause is completely unknown. The word "epilepsy" does not indicate anything about the cause of the person's seizures or their severity.
Many people with epilepsy have more than one type of seizure and may have other symptoms of neurological problems as well. Sometimes EEG (electroencephalogram) testing, clinical history, family history, and outlook are similar among a group of people with epilepsy. In these situations, their condition can be defined as a specific epilepsy syndrome.
(Epilepsy Foundation, 2017)