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By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

Epilepsy explained

Epilepsy is a neurological condition that affects the nervous system. There are many different types of epilepsy. Each epileptic syndrome is characterized by a specific set of symptoms. Epilepsy is known to be hereditary in some cases. Epilepsy is classified by symptoms or by the position in the brain where the symptoms originate.

Some common types of epilepsy are absence epilepsy, psychomotor epilepsy, temporal lobe epilepsy, frontal lobe epilepsy, occipital lobe epilepsy and parietal lobe epilepsy. There are many other types of epilepsy, each with its own characteristic set of symptoms.

Epilepsy statistics

It is estimated that over two million people in the U.S have been diagnosed with epilepsy. In the majority of patients, epilepsy can be controlled with modern medicines and surgical techniques. However, about twenty percent of the patients experience seizures even after treatment. These cases are called "Intractable epilepsy."

Epilepsy in Shih Tzu

Epilepsy can affect any breed of dog, which includes our beloved Shih Tzu. There is a higher incidence of epilepsy in pure breed dogs of any size than in mixed breed dogs. For this reason the condition is likely to be inherited.

What is the main sign of epilepsy in the Shih Tzu or any dog? Seizures will be your main sign. Seizures can be categorized in three ways:
• Intracranial
• Extracranial
• Seizures of unknown cause

How is more likely to get epilepsy

Although statistics show that more men are afflicted with epilepsy than women, everybody is susceptible to having epilepsy. It can happen to any body, of any race and at any age. However, people with certain conditions are at greater risk of acquiring epilepsy.

It can be remembered that in the twentieth century, some states in America banned people from marrying for fear of passing on the disease to their children.

CONCLUSION

Amongst the diseases that have frequently gripped Americans, Epilepsy is also the one. Though epilepsy allows its patients to lead a normal life yet the disease can be fatal due to the unexpected occurrence of seizures.