What are the triggers of epilepsy? I will briefly explain here a note on which triggers to avoid.
Drinking alcohol
For adults with epilepsy, especially men, drinking alcohol is inevitable when socializing, especially drinking highly alcoholic beverages, and as a result, seizures may be triggered, as well as for women and children, of course, and some exciting drinks and functional drinks, colas, etc. They may also trigger seizures.
Watching TV, using computer, cell phone for a long time
When people watch TV or use computer for a long time, they may feel only dizziness and headache and other visual fatigue, but for epileptic patients, this is a trigger factor that can easily cause seizures. There is a flash stimulation test in EEG examination, which is to use light stimulation to induce seizure foci in the brain and record seizure graphics. Many patients who have stopped having seizures for 3-4 years have had to restart treatment because prolonged computer play and TV viewing has caused seizures again. For some normal people who watch computer games for a long time can also have seizures and
Fever
A high fever of 39°C or higher is a common trigger for epilepsy, especially in children. Children’s nervous systems are not fully developed, and sometimes a moderate fever of 38°C or higher can trigger seizures. In these patients, fever may still be a triggering factor even in adulthood, and thus patients with epilepsy should be aware of the prevention of common, fever-causing diseases. Once a fever develops, it is important to control it in time to avoid triggering epilepsy. Pay attention to sleeping on time, getting up and down sometimes, and strengthening your immune system.
Lack of sleep and overwork
Lack of sleep, staying up late, and overexertion are also common triggering factors. Therefore, people with epilepsy and those who are prone to seizures should get enough rest and sleep, and should not be overworked and stay up late for work or entertainment, which can cause seizures. People with epilepsy should also try to avoid heavy physical labor and heavy exercise, as breathing heavily and hyperventilating due to these activities are also common triggers. Patients with epilepsy can perform light and moderate physical labor and sports, such as walking, tai chi, and other physical exercise programs.
Intense emotional activity
Great sadness, great joy, and shock are common triggers. Stabilizing the emotions of epilepsy patients and avoiding violent mood swings is something that both epilepsy patients and their families should strive to do. Some people with epilepsy are affected by long-term epileptic foci in the brain and antiepileptic drugs, and their personality and character have changed, unlike normal people, which we call epileptic personality, also a symptom caused by epilepsy. These people are not easy to control their emotions and are prone to impatience and impulsiveness, which requires the understanding and care of family members to guide the patients with love and patience, so that the patients can be stimulated as little as possible and maintain a more peaceful state of mind and stable emotions, thus avoiding seizures.
The onset of menstruation in women
In female patients, menstrual flow is a common triggering factor, which is usually triggered before or during menstruation. Female patients should take rest and avoid mood swings during their periods. They can avoid seizures by increasing the dosage of medication appropriately before or after menstruation under the guidance of their doctor.
Taking medications that can induce epilepsy
Drugs that cause epilepsy, there are the following categories.
1. b-lactam antibiotics. Such as penicillin, part of cephalosporin.
2. quinolone antibacterial drugs. Such as haloperidol, levofloxacin
3, other antibiotics. Such as gentamicin, chloramphenicol, erythromycin, etc.
4, central nervous system excitatory drugs and excessive use of brain stimulants such as Ritalin, such as respiratory stimulants doxapram, etc. can also induce seizures
5, tricyclic antidepressants. Such as doxepin, amitriptyline, promethazine, etc.
6, lithium. Antidepressants lithium carbonate
7, theophylline. Anti-asthma drugs aminophylline
8, anti-tumor and immunosuppressants. Such as cyclosporine, methotrexate, vincristine, adriamycin, etc. can cause generalized or limited seizures.
9, antipsychotics. Such as chlorpromazine, trifluoperazine, prochlorperazine, fenpropathrin, chlorproseptone (Teldene), etc. can cause seizures. At low or moderate doses the incidence is less than 0.5%, but at high doses, the incidence is sometimes as high as 10%.
10. Local anesthetics. Cocaine, lidocaine, procaine and other local anesthetics can cause seizures when overdosed, and lidocaine is more likely to cause seizures when injected under sedation.
13, antiepileptic drugs. Such as carbamazepine, phenytoin sodium, phenobarbital, aminocaproic acid, gabapentin, lamotrigine, etc.
13, Oral contraceptives.
13, antihistamines that act on h1 receptors. Such as diphenhydramine, trimethoprim, chlorpheniramine, mepyramine, Antalac, etc.
14.Toxicity and withdrawal of excitatory and neuroleptic agents. Such as benzodiazepines, barbiturates, morphine, cannabis, codeine, mescaline, baclofen, etc. Withdrawal can cause epilepsy.
15. Others: oxytocin IV, pentylenetetrazole, ixorin, methotrexate, quinoline chloride, adipine, etanercept, digitalis, indomethacin, mefenamic acid, pautazone, chloroquine, levodopa, amantadine, penicillamine, etc. have also been reported to cause seizures.
Therefore, when patients with epilepsy visit the doctor for other diseases, they must inform the doctor that they have a history of epilepsy and try to avoid seizure-inducing drugs. Some medications must be used under the guidance of a doctor if they are really needed for the condition.
In addition to the above factors, some habits and things in our lives can also be triggering factors for some patients, such as eating too much, eating irritating and greasy food, and some strong irritating smells can be triggering factors.
There is also a very important, the special nature of epilepsy disease itself, does not allow the patients themselves arbitrarily stop, reduce the medication, must follow the doctor’s orders, on time and according to the amount of medication. The most important trigger for seizures is the discontinuation and reduction of medication.