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Informational Videos
What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is defined as the repeated occurrence of unprovoked seizures. It is one of the most common neurological disorders in our country, affecting approximately 2.5 million Americans of all ages and backgrounds.
Caring for patients with epilepsy and providing education is the main concern of Cleveland Clinic’s Epilepsy Team. For both children and adults, this team provides state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment in a caring environment. The goal remains constant – to help patients manage their disease so that they, in turn, can enjoy fuller, more productive lives.
What is a seizure?
A seizure is a temporary loss of control but not always accompanied by convulsions, unconsciousness or both. Most common are epileptic seizures, or seizures caused by sudden abnormal electrical discharges in the brain.
What are non-epileptic seizures?
Non-epileptic seizures are seizures not accompanied by abnormal electrical discharges and have been previously called pseudoseizures, but that term is misleading. These seizures are quite real and people who have them do not have conscious, voluntary control over them. Non-epileptic seizures have no identifiable physical cause, but they are believed to be physical reactions to psychological stress. Find out more about the cause and treatment of the non-epileptic seizures. (PDF)
Diagnosis of epilepsy
Helping you understand your disease (PDF) is a very important part of the Epilepsy Team’s job. The more you know about your diagnosis and treatment, the more you will benefit. Because epilepsy involves great variation among patients, each patient receives individualized treatment. To evaluate you accurately, members of Cleveland Clinic’s Epilepsy Team will take your medical history, perform a physical examination and complete a series of neurological and blood tests
Testing and Treatment
The first phase of formal testing includes outpatient testing to screen for abnormalities within the brain. It also includes inpatient EEG recording to identify where the seizure begins within the brain. Patients are admitted to our Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU) or Pediatric Monitoring Unit (PEMU), where a computerized EEG and simultaneous videotaping can be performed.
After your test results are thoroughly reviewed, your doctor will recommend whether or not you should proceed to the next phase of evaluation. The Epilepsy Team’s objective is to control your seizures. In most cases, this is accomplished by putting you on the right type and dosage of anticonvulsant medication.
In a very specific and limited number of cases, it may involve epilepsy surgery or other treatment option. To be considered for surgery, extensive neurological testing must show that the source of your seizure is in a relatively small, specific area of the brain that can be surgically removed without causing damage to essential functions such as speech or memory. Thousands of patients have been evaluated for and have undergone epilepsy surgery at Cleveland Clinic since 1978. To learn more about epilepsy surgery, email epilepsy@ccf.org.
To make an appointment with the Cleveland Clinic Center Epilepsy Center, please call 216.445.0601 or toll free 800.CCF.CARE (223.2273), ext. 50601 Or, request an online appointment.
