Managing Epilepsy after Diagnosis in Louisville, KY

Diagnosing and Managing Epilepsy

Mike Zhang, MD, Neurology
Baptist Health Louisville

Mike Zhang, MD:
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by having a tendency to have seizures that can be repeated or more unpredictable than the general population. A seizure is abnormal electrical activity in the brain that causes clinical symptoms. When the brain's electrical rhythm is abnormal and causes clinical symptoms, which can include passing out, staring and unresponsiveness, or shaking of the arms or legs, that can be what we call an electro-clinical seizure.

There are tests that can be done to help us further diagnose and evaluate the risk for someone to have future seizures. These kinds of tests include MRI scans of the brain, as well as a test called an electroencephalogram, which measures the brain's electrical activity and looks for abnormal sparks of electrical activity. Baptist Health Louisville is a great place for patients to seek neurological care for their seizures. Several of our neurologists are board certified in general neurology as well as neurophysiology or epilepsy, and that allows us to provide patients with care. Epilepsy can be a very scary condition for patients, their families, their caregivers, and their loved ones, and to be able to offer information as well as hopefully improve their quality of life through seizure control is very rewarding.