5 epilepsy treatment options

Almost 3 million adults in the United States live with epilepsy, a condition marked by recurrent seizures, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Seizures are caused by sudden increases in electrical activity in the brain.

There are several types of seizures, and healthcare providers (HCPs) need to know which type you experience to determine the best treatment. For many people, the primary treatment is anti-seizure medications, which help prevent seizures from happening.

It’s important to take your medications as prescribed. However, anti-seizure medications aren’t always enough to keep epilepsy under control. Learn more about surgery and other treatments that can be used along with anti-seizure medications. These treatments can help with your epilepsy symptoms.

Anti-seizure medications

Anti-seizure medications are the most common and effective treatment for seizures. Although they don’t cure epilepsy, they help reduce electrical activity in the brain, stopping seizures before they happen.

There are more than 20 different varieties of anti-seizure medications. The medication(s) your HCP prescribes will depend on the type of seizure you experience, and you may require more than one medication. Each medication has different potential benefits and side effects. You may need a few adjustments in medications and/or dosages. Most people try more than one medication before they find what works best for them.

Epilepsy surgery

If medications alone are not effective and the type of seizure you have has been diagnosed, your HCP may suggest surgery. The most common epilepsy surgery is called resective surgery. With this surgery, tissue is cut from the area of the brain where the seizures occur.

Other types of epilepsy surgery include laser thermal therapy, which destroys brain tissue using lasers, and corpus callosotomy, in which the area that connects the nerves on the right side of the brain to the left side of the brain is removed.

Before making the decision to have surgery, it’s important to consult with your HCP and consider the risks and possible outcomes, which vary according to surgery.

Implantable devices

Several implantable devices can be used to help control seizures.

• The vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) is a device implanted in the chest. It helps reduce the number of seizures by sending regular electrical signals to stimulate the vagus nerve, which carries important signals from the body to the brain.
• Deep brain stimulation involves implanting electrodes in the brain. The electrodes send electrical stimulation to areas of the brain that involve seizures, which stops the brain signals that cause the seizures.
• Responsive neurostimulation devices monitor brain waves and stimulate the brain when abnormal activity is detected, stopping a seizure before it starts.

Ketogenic diet

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate plan that forces the body to burn fat instead of glucose for energy. It has been shown to help reduce seizures in some people with epilepsy. HCPs usually prescribe a ketogenic diet to kids who haven’t had success in managing their seizures with medication alone. The ketogenic diet can help reduce seizures in adults, too, but is considered by many people to be difficult to follow. Given its restrictions and specificity, it should only be administered under the guidance of an HCP and/or nutritionist.

Epilepsy lifestyle modifications

While lifestyle changes alone can’t control seizures, they are a tool to help you manage your condition outside of the HCP’s office. Here are a few lifestyle changes to consider:

• Get enough sleep. Fatigue and disrupted sleep are common seizure triggers.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol. Just one drink can trigger seizures.
• Minimize emotional stress. People who maintain lower stress levels report it helps reduce their risk for seizures.
• Exercise. Regular physical activity can help reduce seizure risk, but consult your HCP before starting a workout routine. Though rare, exercise in some cases may cause seizures.