LAHORE: People suffering from epilepsy have more psychological problems and suicidal tendencies are also seen more commonly. The medicine taken to control epilepsy during pregnancy may result in neonatal abnormalities, said President General Cadre Doctors Association (GCDA)Punjab and Public Health Consultant Dr Masood Shaikh while addressing a public seminar organized at City Hospital Lahore regarding the prevention of epilepsy.
Dr Masood Sheikh said that some call it an attack by jinn, while some say that demons are embedded in the human body. He added that our society is riddled with superstitions, as we are not ready to come out of these outdated ideas. During an epileptic seizure, lay the patient on his side, remove any objects in the mouth, unbutton the shirt and collar, and put a pencil or a spoon in the mouth, to protect the tongue from injury. He said that sometimes this disease can run in families, and some people are genetically predisposed to epilepsy. Children who have febrile seizures before the age of five are more likely to develop epilepsy. He added that the patient should be moved to a ventilated place during the fits. The first seizure is not labelled as epilepsy, if a person gets seizures at least twice with an interval of more than 24 hours, then one must think about epilepsy. In some patients, epilepsy disappears after some time, but most patients have to use drugs to control epilepsy for the rest of their lives.
Discussing the reasons for epilepsy he said that a head injury, brain tumours, Meningitis, mental defects, problems in the arteries of the brain, or a stroke in the recent past may increase the risk of epilepsy. Delayed breathing at birth can also lead to epilepsy. Dr Munir Ghauri and Dr Muhammad Shahbaz said that during an epileptic seizure, loosen the patient’s clothes so that breathing can flow easily. A pencil or a spoon should be placed between the teeth so that the tongue does not come into the teeth and get injured. Do not attempt to give water or feed anything to such patients as it may enter their airways and cause respiratory failure, even death. An epileptic seizure lasts for a short period, after which it ends on its own. If the duration of epilepsy is more than five minutes, or the patient does not regain consciousness even after the seizure ends, or another seizure occurs after one seizure, if the patient is pregnant or suffering from diabetes then one should consult a doctor immediately. Epilepsy may be more likely after a head injury, brain tumours, meningitis and stroke.
Dr Asad Abbas Shah and Dr Rana Rafique said that many problems can arise during or after an epileptic seizure, sometimes during an epileptic seizure the patient falls and breaks his bones. If a person with epilepsy continues to swim, they are 31 to 91 times more likely to drown than a normal person. An epileptic should not drive a car as an epileptic seizure while drawing can lead to a car accident. In women suffering from epilepsy, during pregnancy, she and her unborn child may be harmed, and if epilepsy drugs are used during pregnancy, the child may develop mental and mental defects. Mental and psychological problems are also more common in people suffering from epilepsy, so they are more prone to depression and even suicide. Epilepsy can be dangerous if it lasts more than five minutes or if there is no complete consciousness between two seizures, it is called status epilepticus and during this time the patient can suffer further brain damage. Sudden death sometimes occurs in epileptic patients.