Nocturnal epilepsy is like a typical epilepsy, such that the individual goes through an episode of seizure. But with nocturnal epilepsy, these seizures occur only at night or at sleep. Considering that nocturnal epilepsy doesn’t attack when the individual is conscious, the majority of people having such condition are not aware that there is something creepy happening while their sleep. After having a nocturnal seizure, the patient typically gets into a deep sleep. Also, some individuals who might notice this might mistaken this as usual sleeping movements and wouldn’t reckon that the individual is actually exhibiting a nocturnal seizure..
One method to diagnose this condition is through running a test called Electroencephalogram (EEG), whereby the activity of the brain is evaluated from specialized sensors called electrodes which are fastened in the head. The physician, next, confirms whether a patient is suffering from nocturnal epilepsy or some other sleep problems by examining the EEG test results.
In comparison to daytime seizures, seizures at night are somehow less risky. There will be less probability of accidents given that patients happen to be in a prone position once the nocturnal epilepsy occurs. This is different from the dangers of daytime seizures like individuals can suddenly pass out and fall into the ground, etc. Even so, patients can’t avoid to have minimal concussions if they’re experiencing nighttime seizures as they might hit their head on the headboard, or the wall near the bed.
The seizures linked to nocturnal epilepsy are gran mal or tonic-clonic seizures. A tonic-clonic seizure happens in two stages. The initial period or tonic phase lasts for a couple of seconds only. It occurs if the individual loses his awareness and muscles get to be tense. During the seizure, air will be quickly expelled from the lungs of the patient which in turn produces loud vocal sounds. After that, the second phase or clonic phase takes place when the there is already the presence of convulsions, where the muscles rapidly relax and contract which results in light twitching of the muscles to violent shaking of the body
There is a special kind of nocturnal epilepsy often known as autosomal dominant nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (ADNFLE) which is an unusual disorder which begins in the course of childhood. Parents usually mistaken the quick and severe seizures that the child goes through during sleep as night terrors. This case of ADNFLE is brought on by malfunction in thalamocortical loops, which are fibers between the thalamus and cerebral cortex.
Treatment of nocturnal epilepsy would typically depend on anti-epileptic drugs as maintenance medications. Surgery would be another choice in cases that there is a resistance to the drugs. Still, reducing the incidence of seizures specifically the ones related to nocturnal epilepsy is possible with changes in diet and steering clear of the things that provoke the attack.
On his web site regarding epilepsy symptoms, Rex Cortez has much more information related to what you should do if you need treatment for nocturnal epilepsy.