What is epilepsy?

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If you have epilepsy, it means that you have had repeated seizures

If you have a single seizure, it does not necessarily mean that you have epilepsy. About 1 in 20 people have a seizure at some time in their life. It may be the only one that occurs. The definition of epilepsy is 'more than one seizure'. The frequency of seizures in people with epilepsy varies. In some cases there may be years between seizures. At the other extreme, in some cases the seizures occur every day. For others, the frequency of seizures is somewhere in between these extremes.

Epileptic seizures arise from within the brain. A seizure can also be caused by external factors which may affect the brain. For example, a high fever may cause a 'febrile convulsion'. Other causes of seizures include: lack of oxygen, a low blood sugar level, certain drugs, poisons, and a lot of alcohol. Seizures caused by these external factors are not classed as epilepsy.

What causes epilepsy?

Unknown cause ('idiopathic epilepsy')

In many cases, no cause for the seizures can be found. The abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain occur 'out of the blue'. It is unclear why they start, or continue to occur. Genetic (hereditary) factors may play a part in some cases. People with idiopathic epilepsy usually have no other neurological (brain) condition. Medication to control seizures usually works well.