🔑 Key Definitions
Epilepsy: Neurological disorder with recurrent seizures due to abnormal brain activity
Seizure: Sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain
Spinal Cord Injury (SCI): Damage to spinal cord causing loss of function
Paraplegia: Paralysis of lower body (legs)
Quadriplegia: Paralysis of all four limbs
Seizure: Sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain
Spinal Cord Injury (SCI): Damage to spinal cord causing loss of function
Paraplegia: Paralysis of lower body (legs)
Quadriplegia: Paralysis of all four limbs
🧠 Types of Seizures
- Generalized Seizures: Affect whole brain
- Tonic-clonic (grand mal): Stiffening then jerking
- Absence (petit mal): Brief "spacing out"
- Partial/Focal Seizures: Affect one brain area
- Simple partial: No loss of consciousness
- Complex partial: Altered consciousness
📊 Spinal Cord Injury Levels
- Cervical (neck): Quadriplegia possible
- Thoracic (mid-back): Paraplegia
- Lumbar (lower back): Leg weakness
- HIGHER injury = MORE function lost
🛠 Psychosocial Challenges
- Epilepsy:
- Stigma and discrimination
- Unpredictability of seizures
- Driving/employment restrictions
- SCI:
- Loss of independence
- Body image changes
- Depression (common)
- Relationship changes
💡 Exam Tips
- Grand mal = tonic-clonic; Petit mal = absence seizures
- Paraplegia = 2 limbs (legs); Quadriplegia = 4 limbs
- HIGHER spinal injury = MORE severe disability
- Both conditions have significant STIGMA issues
- Depression is common in BOTH epilepsy and SCI