Is primary epilepsy easy to treat?

Written by Liu Hong Mei

Neurology

Updated on June 08, 2025

00:00

00:00

Primary epilepsy is treatable. Primary epilepsy may be related to fetal asphyxia, ischemia, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, or psychological stimulation during the fetal period. Primary epilepsy generally excludes intracranial space-occupying lesions, brain tumors, strokes, cerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, encephalitis, meningitis, and other diseases. Primary epilepsy, through lifestyle, diet, and medication, is relatively easy to treat. Compared to secondary epilepsy, the treatment outcomes and prognosis are better. Patients with primary epilepsy can be treated with medications to control seizures and should avoid overexertion in their daily lives.

Other Voices

home-news-image

Written by Tang Bo

Neurology

1min 10sec

home-news-image

What are the clinical manifestations of epilepsy?

Epilepsy is caused by abnormal discharges of brain cells, and the symptoms and clinical manifestations vary depending on the area of discharge. Main symptoms can include sudden loss of consciousness, rigidity followed by clonic convulsions, and may also involve cyanosis or purpling of the face, tongue biting, frothing at the mouth, urinary incontinence, dilated pupils, continuing for several seconds to minutes before stopping. This condition is called a generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Some patients may also experience sudden brief loss of consciousness and interruption of ongoing actions, with a blank stare and unresponsive to calls. They may perform simple automatic actions like swallowing or chewing. Generally, there is no falling, and the patient has no memory of the episode afterwards. This type of seizure is known as an absence seizure. Additionally, some may experience rigidity and clonic convulsions in one limb or a localized area, etc.

home-news-image

Written by Liu Shi Xiang

Neurology

1min 7sec

home-news-image

How is epilepsy caused?

Epilepsy is generally caused by cerebrovascular diseases, brain trauma, intracranial tumors, and central nervous system infections, and some cases of epilepsy are due to congenital genetic factors. Patients with epilepsy need to undergo timely examinations and treatments in the department of neurology. Examination methods mainly include CT, MRI, EEG, transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, cerebral angiography, etc., among which video EEG or ambulatory EEG is the most important basis for diagnosing epilepsy. Once epilepsy is diagnosed, the treatment plan needs to be decided based on the individual condition of the patient. If it is the patient's first episode, medication may not be necessary initially, and regular follow-ups are sufficient. However, if the patient frequently experiences episodes, it is necessary to promptly administer antiepileptic drugs, commonly used drugs include carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, gabapentin, levetiracetam, etc.

home-news-image

Written by Li Jiao Yan

Neonatology

1min 31sec

home-news-image

What are the early symptoms of epilepsy in children?

Epilepsy is a particularly common chronic disease in life. If the brain is underdeveloped and there are neurological disorders, it can cause epilepsy. What are the early symptoms of childhood epilepsy? The manifestations of a child's epileptic seizure are diverse, but all have the characteristics of sudden onset, sudden cessation, and periodic attacks. Common types in children include major seizures, absence minor seizures, and benign childhood epilepsy. During a major seizure, the child suddenly loses consciousness, breathing stops, the complexion turns cyanotic, the pupils dilate, the limbs stiffen, and the hands clench into fists, then switching to paroxysmal convulsions, foaming at the mouth, with the attack generally lasting 1-5 minutes. Children with absence seizures appear to suddenly lose consciousness, stop their activities, and stare upward or roll their eyes, but they do not fall down or convulse, lasting 1-10 seconds, with consciousness quickly recovering after the attack. Benign childhood epilepsy seizures often involve twitching of one side of the face, lips, and tongue, possibly accompanied by abnormal sensations in those areas, inability to speak, and drooling, typically with clear consciousness, and more frequently occurring at night.

home-news-image

Written by Yuan Jun Li

Neurology

59sec

home-news-image

What are the signs before the onset of epilepsy?

Before the onset of epilepsy, most patients do not exhibit any signs and can suddenly experience an epileptic seizure. Different types of epilepsy have different symptoms. For example, during a major seizure, symptoms can include limb twitching, eyes rolling upwards, frothing at the mouth, clenched teeth, loss of consciousness, and abnormal blood pressure, which can lead to severe falls and injuries. During a minor seizure, the patient mainly shows transient loss of consciousness, objects in hand may suddenly drop, unresponsiveness when called, and a vacant stare. Most patients do not fall, and the symptoms generally last for only a few seconds to tens of seconds. If autonomic epileptic seizures are considered, symptoms may include nausea and vomiting. Psychotic symptom seizures can present with hallucinations and delusions.

home-news-image

Written by Yan Xin Liang

Pediatrics

41sec

home-news-image

What is childhood epilepsy?

Epilepsy is a persistent brain disease characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures, abnormal perceptions, and associated neurological, cognitive, psychological, and social issues. An epileptic seizure refers to sudden, brief symptoms and signs caused by excessive and abnormal discharges of brain neurons. Depending on the affected brain functional areas, clinical manifestations can vary, including disturbances in consciousness, motor functions, sensory abnormalities, as well as psychiatric and autonomic nervous system dysfunctions. It is important to note that epileptic seizures and epilepsy are two distinct concepts.