How is epilepsy treated?

Condition analysis:
There are many things a provider and person with epilepsy can do to stop or lessen seizures. The most common treatments for epilepsy are

Medicine. Anti-seizure drugs are medicines that limit the spread of seizures in the brain. A health care provider will change the amount of the medicine or prescribe a new drug if needed to find the best treatment plan. Medicines work for about 2 in 3 people with epilepsy.

Surgery. When seizures come from a single area of the brain (focal seizures), surgery to remove that area may stop future seizures or make them easier to control with medicine. Epilepsy surgery is mostly used when the seizure focus is located in the temporal lobe of the brain.

Other treatments. When medicines do not work and surgery is not possible, other treatments can help. These include vagus nerve stimulation, where an electrical device is placed, or implanted, under the skin on the upper chest to send signals to a large nerve in the neck. Another option is the ketogenic diet, a high fat, low carbohydrate diet with limited calories.

Instructions:
Is it important to eat regularly? Yes, some individuals are sensitive to missing meals. If meals are missed or delayed, seizure frequency may increase. Therefore, regular meals and balanced diets are recommended.