Epilepsy in American Indians is often, but not always, a direct result of alcohol/drug abuse and/or liver disease. It is estimated that one of twenty American Indians who suffer from one of the above diseases will have an epileptic seizure. SYMPTOMS Seizures episodes of abnormal mental or muscular activity are the basic indicator of epilepsy. They vary widely: Staring straight ahead and lapsing into complete immobility for a few seconds characterize a petit mal seizure. Loss of consciousness, rhythmic jerking motions and incontinence are among the signs of a grand mal seizure, which may last up to 30 minutes. Repetitive lip smacking, aimless fiddling movements, and a sense of detachment from surroundings may indicate a temporal lobe seizure. Rhythmic twitching of a hand, a foot or the face, often followed by a period of weakness or paralysis, indicates a Jacksonian seizure. Convulsions in an already ill child 3 months to 3 years old, resulting from a sudden climb in fever, indicate a febrile seizure. CAUSES Most cases of epilepsy are of unknown origin. Sometimes, however, a genetic basis is indicated, and other cases may be traceable to birth trauma, lead poisoning, congenital brain infection, head injury, alcohol or drug addiction, or the effects of organ disease. Triggers for the attacks also vary widely. Among the factors that can bring on attacks are certain chemicals or foods, sleep deprivation, stress, flashing lights, menstruation, some prescription and over-the-counter medications, and possibly oral contraceptives. DIAGNOSTIC AND TEST PROCEDURES An electroencephalogram (EEG) performed on a sleep-deprived individual can reveal abnormal brain waves characteristic of epilepsy, and imaging tests such as an MRI or CT scan can identify physical trauma that may be causing seizures. TREATMENT Epilepsy can often be well controlled by medication. A recommended precaution for epileptics is to wear a Medic Alert bracelet so that other people can quickly recognize what is happening during a seizure and lend effective assistance. Source: Greater L.A. Epilepsy Foundation   AIHC AIHC Home Health Section Cultural Section AIHC's Links Outreach Webrings Useful Hotlines Win Our Awards! Awards We've Won Health Section Acanthosis Nigricans Ankylosing Spondylitis Asthma Facts Bi-polar Disorder Facts Breast Cancer Facts Cataracts Cervical Cancer Facts Chlamydia Facts Cholesterol Disease Colon Cancer Facts Cystic Fibrosis Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Depression Facts Diabetes Facts Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetic Nephropathy Diabetic Neuropathy Diabetic Retinopathy Diptheria Facts Domestic Violence Eating Disorders Elder Women's Health Facts Elder Abuse Facts FAS/FAE Facts Gallbladder Disease Facts Gestational Diabetes Gonorrhea Facts> Heart Disease Facts Hepatitis Facts HIV/AIDS Facts Hypertension Facts Hypothyroidism Facts Insulin Resistance Syndrome Kidney Disease Lactose Intolerance Lung Cancer Lupus Facts Menopause Facts Metabolic Syndrome Multiple Sclerosis Obesity Facts Oral Clefting Osteoporosis Facts Parkinson's Disease Personality Disorders Phenylketonuria (PKU) Facts Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Pneumonia Facts Pre-Diabetes Proteinuria Facts Rheumatoid Arthritis Reye's Syndrome Schizophrenia Facts Scleroderma Facts Seizure Disorders Stroke Information SIDS Substance Abuse Facts Suicide Prevention Testicular Cancer Tobacco Abuse Traditional Herbal Medicine Tuberculosis Facts  Copyright 1998-2016 American Indian Health Council. All rights reserved.