Epilepsy Diagnosis?

Is their a way to specifically diagnose epilepsy?

Im sure i've heard their is no particular way to diagnose it, so just end up diagnosed is it true?

[MetalMissT]

Hi Andrew

This is also a question I'd like answered! I suffered a sub-arachnoid bleed almost 5 years ago, I am sure I am having fits of some description, I have been taken to A&E on one occasion where the Doctor there said I had suffered an epileptic fit, my rehab consultant referred me for an EEG, the results of this have said there is no evidence of epilepsy. I was very surprised because people I know have witnessed me having 'absence seizures' or what appear to be so. Am now waiting to see my rehab consultant again to discus my results. There is a lot of info on this site, dunno if you've seen it before. epilepsy.org.uk/

[headwayuk Partner Headway]

Hi andrewmullen,

Thank you for your question. Depending on its presentation, diagnosing epilepsy can be difficult. Usually you would undergo an EEG to measure electrical activity in the brain, an ECG to measure heart rhythm and/or an MRI scan to look for areas of damage and scarring on the brain.

A combination of these tests plus a person's medical history can usually build up a fairly accurate diagnosis, but there are certainly exceptions where it is more difficult to diagnose.

We have a basic factsheet on this subject at headway.org.uk/Core/Downloa...

The link to epilepsy.org.uk provided by MetalMissT above is a very good source of information too.

Best wishes,

Headway.