Koketso Maraba
Imagine suddenly losing control of your body, experiencing strange movements, emotions, or sensations, or even becoming unaware of your surroundings these are just some of the symptoms that can occur during a seizure.
This unpredictable and often frightening experience is linked to a condition called epilepsy, a chronic neurological disorder that affects the brain’s communication network, increasing the likelihood of repeated, unprovoked seizures.
Epilepsy is a long-term neurological disorder affecting the brain, which makes individuals more likely to experience repeated, unprovoked seizures. Seizures occur when the normal communication between nerve cells in the brain is disrupted. During a seizure, a person may temporarily show unusual behaviours, movements, sensations, emotions, or even experience a brief loss of awareness.
In the 2023/24 financial year, the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH) recorded 9 632 emergency medical cases related to epilepsy. According to Epilepsy South Africa, approximately 1 in every 100 South Africans is affected, equating to nearly half a million people across the country. On a global scale, an estimated 50 million individuals live with epilepsy, highlighting its widespread impact.
In the past year, the GDoH has made significant progress in raising awareness about epilepsy, leading to earlier diagnoses and better access to treatment. This is helping reduce the stigma around the condition and ensuring more people receive the care they need. The GDoH is also working to improve healthcare facilities.
These healthcare facilities offer a variety of services to support those with epilepsy, including diagnostic evaluations, medication management, seizure monitoring, and specialised epilepsy clinics. Patients also have access to neurologists and epilepsy specialists, with surgical interventions available in certain cases.
In addition to medical care, individuals with epilepsy are provided extra support, including access to support groups, guidance for families, and lifestyle modification programmes tailored to their needs. These services ensure comprehensive care for managing the condition.
Epilepsy can be managed with consistent medication, lifestyle changes like adequate sleep and stress reduction, and, in severe cases, surgical or medical interventions. Patients are encouraged to create a safety plan, such as wearing a medical alert bracelet and informing loved ones, to be better prepared for seizures.
If you experience recurrent seizures, seizure-like episodes, brief loss of consciousness, unresponsiveness, falls, uncontrolled jerking or twitching, dizziness, sudden sensory changes (such as unusual tastes, smells, or sights), loss of bowel or bladder control, or rapid eye blinking and prolonged staring spells, it’s important to seek medical attention. Early intervention can make a significant difference in managing epilepsy effectively. National Epilepsy Week was observed on 10 – 16 February with the 10th as the International Epilepsy Day.
SOURCED FROM THE GPG WEBSITE.
