National Epilepsy Day 2021, history and significance

India celebrates the National Epilepsy Day
annually on November 17 with the aim of creating awareness about epilepsy. The chronic
brain disorder is characterized by recurring ‘seizures’ or ‘fits’. The cause of
a seizure is an excessive electrical discharge in the brain cells – neurons. 

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An individual belonging to any age group can
suffer from the problem with every individual facing unique concerns and
problems. As per data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) approximately 50
million people suffer from epilepsy all over the world and 80 percent of this
population resides in developing countries.

In India, the day is
celebrated by the Epilepsy Foundation who conduct a number of seminars, debates
and stage events in order to educate the public about the disease and its methods
of treatment. Several hospitals provide free treatment and organise consultation
camps for the patients.

The WHO describes epilepsy as a “chronic non-communicable disease of the brain which is
characterized by recurrent seizures”. More than 130 countries observe International
Epilepsy Day on the second Monday or February.

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While the disease is treatable barely three-fourth
of the people affected from it in developing countries are devoid of the
required treatment. In India, around 10 million people suffer from seizures due
to epilepsy.

Causes of epilepsy include brain damage
from prenatal and perinatal injury, congenital abnormalities, brain infections,
stroke and brain tumours, head injury or accidents and prolonged high fever
during childhood.

While the symptoms for the same are sudden
twitching (uncontrollable jerking motions of the arms and legs), loss of consciousness,
tingling sensation in arms or legs and stiffness in muscles of arms or legs or
face.

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In order to deal with a person suffering
from a seizure one must not panic and restrain the person during a seizure, any
sharp or harmful objects must be kept out of reach of the person with seizures,
anything restraining the neck from free movement such as jewellery or tight
clothing must be removed or loosened, if any fluid is coming out of the mouth,
then the person should be rolled onto the fear, nothing should be put inside
the person’s mouth and they should be allowed to rest or sleep.

While epilepsy is mostly treatable with medicines,
its treatment should be started as soon as it is diagnosed.