Tips to Avoid Breakthrough Seizures: A Comprehensive Guide
By Dr. Nayana Shetty +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Nayana Shetty
Last updated: Apr 22, 2024Click to rate this article!
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By Dr. Nayana Shetty +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Nayana Shetty
Last updated: Apr 22, 2024Table of Contents
Epilepsy affects lots of people. It is a brain disorder that leads to seizures due to abnormal brain activity. Epilepsy can often be controlled with medicines or other management options. Still, some people may experience breakthrough seizures even after long periods without seizures.
In this article, we will discuss breakthrough seizures. We will try to understand what they are, how to recognize them, and most crucially, how to avoid them. If you or a loved one has epilepsy, this guide may help you take steps to reduce the risk and impact of breakthrough seizures on daily life.
Did you know?
Epilepsy is a brain disorder. It can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, or ethnicity. Seizures in epilepsy can vary in how often they occur, how long they last, and how intense they are, which can make diagnosis and management difficult. In many cases, the exact cause of epilepsy is unknown. But, it might be due to genetic factors, head injuries, infections, or developmental problems.
A seizure is called a “breakthrough seizure” if it happens after a person has been seizure-free for at least a year while on medication. This type of seizure can be caused by various things. It could happen as a result of not taking enough medication, forgetting to take medication, feeling stressed, not getting enough sleep, or exposure to known triggers for seizures. Breakthrough seizures can have serious effects, like physical injuries or emotional upset.
There are two main types of seizures: generalized and focal. While generalized seizures affect both sides of the brain, focal seizures occur in specific parts of the brain. Breakthrough seizures usually look like the type of seizures a person typically has. But they happen despite therapy and a period of seizure control.
Knowing what a breakthrough seizure looks like is critical for people with epilepsy. Signs may include the following.
Remember, seizure symptoms can greatly vary from person to person. So, it’s important to know what your seizures typically look like.
If you have a breakthrough seizure, you should see a doctor right away. If you have a seizure after a year of being seizure-free under therapy, you must visit your healthcare provider as soon as you can. This is important because breakthrough seizures might mean that your management plan needs adjusting.
You should also seek medical help if you have frequent seizures, even if you had a period of control before. Regular seizures can lead to risks and complications, like physical injuries and emotional upset.
Often, the exact cause of epilepsy is unknown. Seizures can potentially result from the following.
What triggers a seizure can vary greatly from person to person. Some common triggers are as follows.
If you have epilepsy, it’s crucial to know what your triggers are and try to stay away from them as much as you can.
Some factors may increase your risk of having a breakthrough seizure. These are as follows.
Knowing and handling these risk factors may lower the odds of you having a breakthrough seizure.
Seizures can lead to many different physical complications. These depend on the type and severity of the seizure. Complications may include the following.
Living with epilepsy can greatly affect emotional health as well. You may experience the following.
These mental health issues might relate not just to the difficulty of managing epilepsy, but also to the social stigma that sometimes comes with the condition. So, people with epilepsy and their loved ones must get support from skilled mental health professionals when needed.
To diagnose a breakthrough seizure, the healthcare provider will need a detailed medical history. This includes information about past seizures, recent illnesses, and how well the patient has been taking their medicine. Doctors might also want to talk to family members or others who saw the seizure.
To find any abnormalities in the brain’s function or structure, doctors may order tests. These can include an EEG, CT scan, MRI scan, or blood tests.
Once a breakthrough seizure is diagnosed, changes in the management plan may be recommended by your healthcare provider. Changes may include adjusting the dose of existing anti-epileptic medications or trying different anti-epileptic medications. If you have epilepsy, it’s crucial to follow your healthcare provider’s advice on using and dosing medication. Sometimes, breakthrough seizures can mean that the current management plan needs adjustments.
For some people with epilepsy that is hard to manage with drugs, surgery could be an option. Common surgical procedures to manage epilepsy are listed below.
The choice to have surgery depends on many factors. These can include the type and severity of seizures, overall health, and any other underlying health issues.
If medications or surgery do not work well, there are other management options. These are driven by specialists and are as follows.
Changes in diet also play a role in managing epilepsy for some individuals. The ketogenic diet, which is high in fat and low in carbohydrates, is said to help reduce seizures, especially in children. Other dietary approaches, like the modified Atkins diet or the low glycemic index diet, might also help some people with epilepsy. It’s important to ask your healthcare provider and a dietitian before making big changes to your diet.
There are several lifestyle changes that individuals with epilepsy can make to reduce their risk of breakthrough seizures. These are listed below.
Those with epilepsy need to get enough sleep, as lack of sleep can trigger seizures. Tips to improve sleep quality are as follows.
Stress is a common trigger for seizures, so it’s essential to find ways to control stress. This could include deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation. Also, making time for enjoyable hobbies and activities may help relieve stress.
Regular exercise may help overall health and well-being. They may reduce stress and possibly lower the risk of seizures. Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise each week. Also, do muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days per week.
Those with epilepsy must stick to their prescribed medication regimen. This helps control seizures. Always take your medications as directed by your healthcare provider and discuss any concerns or side effects promptly.
While medications and surgery remain the main options for managing epilepsy, some people may find benefit from complementary therapies such as:
Some studies suggest that listening to certain music, like Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major (K448), may reduce the frequency of seizures for some people with epilepsy.
Doing yoga or other relaxation techniques like deep breathing or meditation might help reduce stress levels and lower the risk of seizures.
Biofeedback is a way for individuals to become more aware of and control processes in the body, such as heart rate and muscle tension. Some evidence suggests biofeedback may help lower the frequency of seizures in certain individuals with epilepsy.
Doing art therapy may improve self-esteem and overall quality of life for people with epilepsy. This might reduce the frequency of seizures and lessen emotional distress.
Also Read: Epilepsy Treatment Adherence: Research-Based Guidelines for Effective Management
As epilepsy research continues, new technologies and management options are coming up. These have been described below.
This new management option uses highly focused radiation to target and destroy areas of the brain causing seizures. It offers a less invasive alternative to traditional surgical methods.
Also known as laser interstitial thermal therapy, thermal ablation uses heat to destroy specific brain tissue that causes seizures. It provides a minimally invasive way to manage epilepsy.
Devices like the Monarch eTNS System are being developed to stimulate specific nerves noninvasively to reduce seizures, potentially making therapy less invasive and more flexible for individuals with epilepsy.
This potential new therapy provides continuous electrical stimulation of specific areas of the brain to avoid seizures. This could be an alternative for those who are resistant to drugs and are not candidates for more invasive therapy.
Epilepsy is a complex disorder of the brain that can affect anyone, no matter their age or background. Despite progress in diagnosis and management, breaking through seizures is still a challenge for many. However, by understanding the causes and risks of these seizures, people with epilepsy can partner with their healthcare providers to develop tailor-made management plans. They may also adopt lifestyle changes to reduce the chance of breakthrough seizures occurring.
In looking forward, the future of managing epilepsy seems bright. There are numerous novel therapies and technologies under development. As researchers keep learning more about epilepsy, we can hope for even better management options and strategies to reduce the risk. These will improve the lives of those affected by this tough condition.
To avoid breakthrough seizures, take your medicine as prescribed, address lifestyle factors like sleep and stress, and avoid known seizure triggers. Also, work closely with your healthcare provider to monitor and adjust your management plan if needed.
Several factors can trigger a breakthrough seizure. They might include not taking enough medication, forgetting doses of your medicine, stressful situations, not getting enough sleep, exposure to quickly changing lights or visual things, and other environmental or physical triggers.
While stopping an upcoming seizure might not always be possible, recognizing the early warning signs and taking action, like avoiding known triggers, maintaining good sleep habits, and managing stress through relaxation techniques, may help lower the risk of seizures.
Even though you might not always be able to avoid an oncoming seizure, sticking to your prescribed medication regimen, addressing lifestyle factors like sleep and stress, and avoiding known seizure triggers may help lower the likelihood of seizures and improve overall control of seizures.
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