There was a time when people who suffered seizures were thought to be possessed.
Thankfully, things have changed a lot since then.
But there are still some misconceptions about seizures and epilepsy.
"Epilepsy is a medical condition. It's caused by an abnormal electrical discharge from the brain," said Dr. Kore Liow of Castle Medical Center. "It can be caused by excessive drinking, it can be caused by a tumor, it can be caused by a stroke. And it's a very common condition."
So common, in fact that one in ten people will have a seizure during their lifetime but it's not always associated with epilepsy.
There are a number of tests doctors can perform to determine if epilepsy is the diagnosis.
"An EEG which is a brain wave test where the wires are connected, attached to the brain to look for abnormal electrical activities, those are very useful in making a diagnosis of epilepsy," said Dr. Liow.
If a person has epilepsy, are there things to do to prevent seizures?
"They should always get enough sleep. Any kind of sleep deprivation tends to trigger the seizures. The second thing is always remember not to forget to take their medications. Most of my patients that have epilepsy, they come in with trouble is because they forget to take their medications," said Dr. Liow.
Finally, Dr. Liow says there are important things people with epilepsy or who suffer seizures should know.
"Number one is they should realize that if they have a seizure in Hawaii, they cannot drive for six months. They have to be seizure-free in Hawaii for six months before they can drive. The second thing is I always tell them, if you go swimming or anything, always bring a buddy with them," said Dr. Liow.
