National Epilepsy Awareness Month

By Elizabeth Moore — News & Updates

American Health Council is honoring Epilepsy Awareness Month, by answering questions such as “What is Epilepsy?” “What are the symptoms?” and how to properly respond in an emergency. Epilepsy is a disorder that affects the brain. This disorder can cause seizures at random, that can last anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes, as CURE Epilepsy organization explains.

There are also some other facts about Epilepsy that everyone should be aware of.

1. Epilepsy is NOT contagious.
2. Only 1 out of 3 patients know how they became Epileptic.
3. Epilepsy can be treated, in multiple ways such as medication, surgical procedures, or a strict diet plan.
4. 150,000 people are diagnosed as Epileptic each year.
5. Over 3.4 million Americans have Epilepsy.

So, what can we do if we see someone having a seizure?

Here is a step-by-step procedure from Epilepsy Action on how to perform First Aid and explains the proper procedure on what the next steps would be in getting professional help:

https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/firstaid

Epilepsy, is one of the most common neurological diseases in the nation and it has the potential to be fatal. A seizure may happen at any time, so it is imperative to know what to do or how to prevent one when it happens. The EFEPA is on a mission, called Aim for Zero, and what their campaign is aiming to do is to lower the number of people who fall victim to Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy or SUDEP. Their foundation is dedicated to educating more people who currently have Epilepsy and those who don’t, so that the chance of fatality can be diminished.

Find options on how to get involved and ways to give, click this link below:

https://www.cureepilepsy.org/get-involved/ways-to-give

If you have had an experience involving Epilepsy that you would like to share, contact us at media@americanhealthcouncil.org.

About the American Health Council:

The American Health Council is the nation’s only organization with a constituency representative of all sectors of the healthcare industry. From the coasts to the heartland, the American Health Council has drawn Affiliates from major metropolitan hubs and small communities. These Affiliates span generations and have reached different stages of their careers — from recent graduates to retirees. More information about the American Health Council and its mission can be found at: http://americanhealthcouncil.org.

Additionally, the American Health Council strives to provide recognition and support for those individuals and institutions making the difference in patients’ lives day in and day out. Throughout 2017, the AHC is honoring “America’s Best Doctors and Nurses,” as well as the nation’s best medical universities and hospitals. The American Health Council’s “Best in Medicine” and “Best in Nursing” awards programs honor the individuals and institutions that have contributed significantly to medicine and nursing, as well as the training and education of physicians and nurses. The most current selections for these honors may be viewed here: http://bestinmedicine.org and http://bestinnursing.org.

For media inquriries: media@americanhealthcouncil.org