Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a long-term neurological disease characterized by recurring epileptic seizures. The seizures are caused by a disturbance in the brain's electrical activity and can appear in many different ways: from absence seizures (petit mal) to major convulsive seizures (grand mal). About 60,000 people in Finland have epilepsy.

Diagnosis is based on the seizure description, EEG examination, and brain MRI. The primary treatment is epilepsy medication, which controls seizures in about 70% of patients. In severe epilepsy, neurosurgical treatment or a vagus nerve stimulator may be considered. It is important for a person with epilepsy to receive adequate follow-up from a neurologist.