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1. Is epilepsy the only condition that causes seizures, and is there more than one type of seizure?

   There are more than 20 kinds of seizures and numerous syndromes and other conditions that involve recurring seizures, so epilepsy is not the only condition that causes seizures. When a person has a seizure, health care professionals perform tests to determine what has caused the seizure and how the condition can best be treated.

2. My sister suffers from seizures, but I haven't seen her having convulsions. Are there other symptoms of epilepsy besides convulsions?

   The symptoms of epilepsy are complex. A seizure can be as subtle as staring off into space for a few moments. Other types of seizures cause more dramatic symptoms, including uncontrollable movements, loss of consciousness and loss of some bodily functions, among other symptoms. These symptoms can be as brief as a few seconds or as long as several minutes.

3. What causes epilepsy?

   There is no single cause of epilepsy, and this question remains an active area of research. Many people with the disorder have no known cause for it. Some of the causes include:

   • injury to the brain before, during or after birth

   • infections that damage the brain

   • toxic substances that affect the brain

   • injury and lack of oxygen to the brain

   • disturbance in blood circulation to the brain (stroke and other vascular problems)

   • metabolism or nutrition imbalance

   • tumors of the brain

   • genetic abnormalities

   • high fever

   • other degenerative diseases

   • hereditary diseases that affect the brain

4. I seem to have more seizures around the time of my period. Why?

   Hormonal fluctuations affect seizures, and seizures disrupt regions of the brain that regulate hormones. Seizures may become more severe and more frequent at puberty, at ovulation, during pregnancy and even at menopause—all times when hormone levels fluctuate. Women who have seizures also are more likely to have reproductive health problems such as polycystic ovarian disease, early menopause and irregular ovulation.

5. What are the standard treatments for epilepsy?

   Antiepileptic medication is the standard treatment. If medication does not reduce seizure occurrence and frequency, surgery or the vagus nerve stimulator may be an option for certain types of epilepsy.

6. What are some of the common side effects of medications used to treat epilepsy?

   While many people experience side effects from antiepileptic medications, others do not. Common side effects include memory and thinking impairment, fatigue, dizziness and weight gain. Severe side effects include allergic reactions, including rash and difficulty breathing. Other side effects include nausea, slurred speech and bone loss, which can lead to osteoporosis over the long term. Some antiepileptic medication makes hormonal birth control less effective, so be sure to discuss this drug interaction with your health care professional if you use or want to use hormonal contraceptives such as birth control pills, an IUD that releases hormones or long-acting progestin shots or implants.

7. I want to become pregnant, but I'm worried that my epilepsy will affect my child.

   There is some increased risk that your child may have a birth defect such as cleft lip or palate, heart abnormalities or neurological problems. However, with proper care, women with epilepsy have more than a 90 percent chance of having a normal pregnancy and a healthy child.

8. I've heard that a special diet might help with epilepsy. Does it work?

   This high-fat, low carbohydrate diet, called the ketogenic diet, has been and remains controversial. This diet causes the body to break down fats instead of carbohydrates to survive. It creates a condition in your body called ketosis, and some researchers believe that byproducts of ketosis inhibit seizures. The ketogenic diet is not easy to maintain, and possible side effects include retarded growth due to nutritional deficiency and kidney stones due to build up of uric acid in the blood. If it's not strictly followed—even a few cookie crumbs or toothpaste can negate the effects—it won't work.

9. What is vagus nerve stimulation treatment, and why is it used?

   When medication fails to stop seizures, adults and children 12 and older may try this therapy in which small pulses of electrical energy are delivered to the brain via a battery-powered device that is implanted in the chest like a pacemaker. Thin wires are threaded under the skin and attached to the vagus nerve in the lower neck. If a person feels a seizure coming on, he or she can activate the discharge by passing a magnet over the device. Complete seizure control is rarely achieved, so antiepileptic medication is usually prescribed with the therapy. Side effects of vagus nerve stimulation therapy may include hoarseness or discomfort in the throat.