Epilepsy Awareness Day: 70 pc of patients can live normal life with medicines, says expert

New Delhi [India], January 31 : Symptoms like sudden numbness of the body, shaking of hands and legs, fainting, not being able to speak, falling while standing, difficulty breathing, stiffness of the body and sometimes, during this period, the patient passes urine, etc. indicate epilepsy. It is a very old disease. But even today, there is a lack of awareness about this disease among most people.
Even today, when an epilepsy patient is around us and he has a seizure, people get scared. People do not know how to react in such a situation and sometimes people even start looking down on the epilepsy patient.
That patient is discriminated against in society. But epilepsy patients can also live their lives like normal people. Treatment of this disease is possible with medicines. For this, it is very important to raise awareness in society.
In this series, Epilepsy Awareness Day was celebrated at AIIMS Hospital, Delhi.
Dr Manjari Tripathi, Prof. and HOD, Neurology, said, "International Epilepsy Day is celebrated every year on the first Monday of February. But we are celebrating this day in AIIMS on January 31st, even before February so that people can be made more aware. It is very important to increase awareness among people and their patients about diseases like epilepsy. That is why this day is celebrated every year and this year's theme has been kept as 'My Journey with Epilepsy'".
"There is no need to panic about this disease. This disease can happen to anyone at any age. This disease can occur at any time, from newborn children to adults," Dr Tripathi said.
Dr. Tripathi further stated that even today, people have not been able to understand this disease. Due to this disease, the patient has to suffer a lot. When a child has this disease, he does not get support from the people around him. Due to this, a lot of problems arise, from taking admission to school to getting a job. Even a boy or girl suffering from this disease faces a lot of difficulty getting married. Many times, parents marry their daughter or boy by hiding this disease, but after marriage, when this disease is detected, the in-laws come to know about it and the marriage comes at a stake.
Dr Tripathi added that any person can get any disease at any time, whether it is before or after marriage.
"They should also accept it and before getting married, both of them should talk about this disease. Up to 80 percent of marriages break due to this reason. People get married without informing each other about the disease and later get separated when the disease is detected," he added.
The doctor said that after marriage, any disease can occur, like cancer, diabetes, etc.
"Even then, do we leave that person and get separated from them? In such a situation, if epilepsy occurs, then you should get that person proper treatment. He should be given medicines on time. Epilepsy patients can also live a normal life, live like married people, and recover and have children," Dr Tripathi said.
Apart from this, adequate sleep and a nutritious diet are very important for patients suffering from epilepsy, he added.
The doctor said that up to 70 percent of the patients with this disease can live a normal life with medicines. They have to balance their daily routine. One should not be involved in professions like driving a car, loco piloting, piloting, working in a factory manufacturing sharp objects, etc. Any such work that can harm them later.
People suffering from this disease should not engage in such business. The most important thing is to take the dose of your medicine on time every day. So that the disease remains under control and the patient does not suffer from seizures, he said.
The doctor said that patients suffering from this disease can work comfortably in any office. A large number of patients suffering from this disease go into these professions. Today, more than 70 per cent of the people suffering from this disease are living a normal life by controlling their disease with medicines.
Head of the Neurology Department, Dr Manjari, said that there are many reasons for this disease: when a child is born and oxygen does not reach his brain or there is any infection in the brain, deep injury to the head, stroke, and brain worms. There are reasons, like growth patterns, that can cause this disease.
What's more, the doctor said that sometimes there is no reason and even though the MRI is absolutely clear, this disease can occur.
Doctor Tripathi said that the number of patients suffering from this disease in the whole world is 70 to 72 million.
"If we talk about our country, the number of patients suffering from epilepsy in India is 12 to 13 million. That means one out of every 100 people is found to be an epilepsy patient," he said.
The doctor said that many patients suffering from this disease come to AIIMS hospital every day, which also includes those patients who are taking more than two medicines. If the seizures of epilepsy patients do not stop even after taking multiple medicines, then they come to the hospital with this problem. Every day, around 100 patients are seen in different OPDs.
The doctor said that the most important thing is that patients suffering from epilepsy should not consume alcohol; it is fatal for them. Also, whenever a patient has a stroke, most people do not know what to do or how to help the patient. People start doing different kinds of things; some start sniffing. Or they try to put something in their mouth, which is very wrong.
Whenever a person has an epileptic attack, it is important to know what to do first. First of all, the person should be made to lie down on his side; he should not be held tight. His hands and legs start moving; it has to be noted for how long this happens. If this is happening for more than 2 minutes, you should immediately consult a doctor. Not that he should be made to smell anything, or that a spoon or any other object should be put in his mouth.
Along with this, someone must also make a video regarding this so that the video can be shown to the doctor later. If any sharp object is lying near the patient at the time of the attack, it has to be removed. If his clothes are tight, then you can loosen them. Apart from this, there is a nasal puff, which every patient should have. So at that time, you can put it in the nose of the patient. Apart from this, nothing else has to be given to the patient, and fragrance is not given, said Dr Tripathi.