UNITED STATES – Nearly three million U.S. adults live with epilepsy, a chronic brain disorder that causes recurring, unprovoked seizures, according to the CDC. Despite its prevalence, many people remain uninformed about the condition and its effects.
Dr. Dileep Nair, a clinical neurophysiologist at Cleveland Clinic, emphasized the mystery surrounding epilepsy. “It still carries quite a lot of mystery amongst the general public,” he said.
Epilepsy can affect anyone at any stage of life, and the severity varies from person to person. “People who aren’t really aware of the disease. It can look scary,” Nair added.
In honor of Epilepsy Awareness Month, Nair shared crucial steps to take when someone is experiencing a seizure. First, ensure the person’s safety by making sure they are not bumping into anything. Do not restrain them or put any objects in their mouth.
Next, turn the person onto their side. “So that if there is vomit or saliva that’s coming out, it comes out of the body rather than back into the lungs,” Nair explained.
It is also important to stay with the person and time the seizure. If it lasts more than five minutes, if the person is injured, has difficulty breathing, or experiences repeated seizures, call 911 immediately.
“Many people who have epilepsy have rescue medications that are prescribed. And um if you’re a caregiver or, or a family member and uh you have those medicines, you can, you can use them as prescribed by your doctor,” Nair stated.
