KARACHI, Feb 27: There are many myths and superstitions about epilepsy, but if diagnosed early and treated properly it is a completely curable disease.

This was stated by Dr Syed Mubin, Managing Director, Karachi Psychiatric Hospital, at a press conference on Tuesday at the Karachi Press Club on the occasion of the ‘Universal Epilepsy Day’.

Most patients suffering from epilepsy start getting convulsions during which they fall unconscious, their limbs and neck becomes stiff and teeth becomes clenched, followed by jerky movement of the body commonly known as fits, he added.

Dr Mubin said that epilepsy was a form of seizure disorder. Generally it is construed as hysteria or illness of some supernatural influences and thus it impedes the proper treatment process, he added.

The expert said that epilepsy was caused by injury or laceration to the head region. Brain is a sensitive organ and seizures are produced due to uncontrolled discharge of electrical activity within the brain, he added saying that the entire body shows abnormal movement leading to different symptoms produced by the seizure, which also includes unconsciousness. He said that in these patients, those areas of brain were affected which controlled movement of limbs and maintain consciousness.

“Epilepsy comprises several types and in tonic-clonic fits usually before the seizure the patients feels restless and apprehensive, in this type of seizure patient feels gas ascending from the stomach to the throat, bad smell, hearing vague sounds and noises, feeling of visualising shadows or picture without any reason etc., after such feeling patients scream, fall down and becomes unconscious, his teeth becomes clenched, sometime tongue is bitten”, he informed.

During seizure episode, patient should not be made to smell a shoe. It is imperative that patient should be counselled for early diagnosis and treatment and either a doctor or a psychiatric should be consulted promptly. Most of the anti-epilepsy medicines are cheap but duration of treatment should last for 2 to 3 years, Dr Mubin concluded.—PPI