The Effects of Epilepsy on the Body

Epilepsy is more common than many people think. In fact, in the United States, roughly 3 million adults have epilepsy with active symptoms, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While most people know epilepsy causes seizures, they’re less familiar with this brain disorder’s broader effects on health and wellness.

Our neurology team at Advanced Medical Care specializes in treating disorders like epilepsy, using advanced therapies and tailoring every treatment plan to each patient’s needs, symptoms, and risks. Here, learn some key ways epilepsy can affect your body and your overall quality of life.

Brain and neurological effects

Epilepsy is a neurological disease that takes a direct toll on your brain. Your brain is where seizure activity occurs, a burst of electrical activity that interrupts normal brain function. In addition to convulsions and loss of consciousness, seizures can also affect your cognitive activity.

Many people with epilepsy find that they have problems with memory, focus, and problem-solving, symptoms that tend to be worse among people who have frequent seizures. These issues can interfere with your performance at work, in school, and even in personal relationships.

Epilepsy can also interfere with normal nervous system function. Depending on the severity of the electrical activity and other factors, a seizure can interrupt breathing, interfere with heart activity, or cause bladder or bowel incontinence.

Musculoskeletal effects

Some epileptic seizures cause intense muscle spasms that affect your movement and your comfort. Because spasms are so intense and often prolonged, many people experience significant muscle soreness afterward.

Eventually, seizures can lead to muscle weakness or problems with coordination or general motor skills. Without physical therapy or other activities to compensate for muscle weakness, the risk of falls and other accidents also increases.

Digestive effects

Seizures can affect muscles in any part of your body, including your throat. When your throat spasms or stops functioning the way it’s supposed to, it can lead to difficulty swallowing, aspiration, and choking. Throat spasms may also lead to guttural noises when the vocal cords are involved.

Unfortunately, some antiepileptic medications can cause digestive symptoms, too. Depending on the medication and your dose, you may experience stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Some people have appetite changes that may cause nutritional deficiencies or imbalances.

Respiratory effects

In addition to affecting aspiration, seizures can cause breathing irregularities like hyperventilation or hypoventilation. Sometimes, breathing stops temporarily, leading to low oxygen levels and an elevated risk of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).

Cardiovascular effects

Seizures frequently cause an elevation in blood pressure and heart rate, sometimes interrupting the heart’s normal activity. Some people with epilepsy may develop arrhythmias or other heart-related problems that can be life-threatening, even leading to SUDEP.

Emotional health effects

Not surprisingly, the cumulative symptoms of epilepsy can have a major effect on your emotional health. Dealing with the stress of seizures and other symptoms can lead to significant fatigue, frustration, and anxiety in addition to similar symptoms associated with the disease.

Worse, people with epilepsy are also at increased risk of developing depression or other mood disorders. Because seizures are visible to others, many people feel heightened anxiety or embarrassment that can lead to social isolation and additional depression.

Managing epilepsy

Epilepsy requires an ongoing treatment plan to help prevent seizures and manage the effects of the disorder. To learn how we can help, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Advanced Medical Care in Forest Hills, Queens, and Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, New York.