While epilepsy itself is not curable, its symptoms can be managed in a number of ways. The different types of epilepsy treatments include prescription therapy, modified diet, nerve stimulation, and brain surgery. The best course of epilepsy treatments depends largely on both the severity and frequency of the epileptic seizures.
Prescription drug therapy is one of the most prevalent forms of epilepsy treatments available, primarily due to the fact that it can be used for nearly all degrees of epilepsy. The majority of medications prescribed to treat epilepsy are categorized as anti-convulsant drugs. They work specifically to regulate the electrical currents in the brain in an attempt to eliminate the likelihood of any over-stimulation that may trigger a seizure. It is said that the various medications on the market approved as epilepsy treatments can help to prevent or minimize the occurrence of epileptic seizures in nearly three quarters of patients suffering from the disease.
Another popular form of epilepsy treatments involves modification to the patient's current dietary practices. The ketogenic diet is the most widely accepted, particularly for use with children and young adults suffering from epilepsy. Relying on foods that are high in fat and protein, but low in carbohydrates and sugars, the ketogenic diet forces the body to increase its production of ketoid bodies. The higher concentrations of ketoid bodies in the blood is said to be able to drastically reduce the frequency and intensity of seizures.
Vagus nerve stimulation is another method used to treat epilepsy. It relies on a small device, which is implanted in the chest, that sends controlled signals to the vagus nerve. By regulating the electrical signals being produced, the chance of over-stimulation is decreased. Vagus nerve stimulation is rarely used as a standalone therapy but is instead used in conjunction with one or more other forms of epilepsy treatments.
The most invasive form of epilepsy treatment involves brain surgery. Surgery is considered a last resort by many people and can only be performed when a doctor is able to accurately pinpoint the exact location of the damaged portion of the brain that is causing the epilepsy. During the procedure, a surgeon will go in and remove the damaged brain cells, which can eliminate or reduce the chance of future seizures. In certain cases involving younger children with specific types of epilepsy, a much larger portion of the brain may be removed, or the connections between the two hemispheres of the brain may be severed.