Purple Day, the global awareness day for epilepsy, falls on Tuesday, March 26.
According to Epilepsy Action, a charity dedicated to supporting those with the condition, 79 new people are diagnosed with epilepsy every day. This means that three people are diagnosed every hour - one person every 18 minutes. In a week, more than 500 new people will be diagnosed on average. Every month, around 2,500 people are diagnosed, the charity said.
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions in the UK. It can affect anyone, no matter who they are. In fact, nearly one in 100 people in the UK, around 630,000, have epilepsy. Despite this, there is still a lack of understanding about the condition, and too often, stigma, the charity said. With March 26 marking Purple Day, Epilepsy Action is asking everyone to learn more about it and what to do when someone has a seizure, to help people with epilepsy live a life without limits, reports Bristol Live.
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a condition that causes seizures. It affects around one in 100 people in the UK. It can start at any age. A seizure happens when there is a sudden burst of intense electrical activity in the brain. This causes a temporary disruption to the way the brain normally works. The result is an epileptic seizure.
Anyone can have a one-off seizure, but this does not necessarily mean that they have epilepsy. There are around 60 different types of seizures, and each type has different symptoms depending on where it starts in the brain.
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More information about the various types of seizure can be found on the Epilepsy Action website. Epilepsy is a condition that cannot be "cured", but medication is the most common treatment for it. Anti-seizure medication helps to prevent or reduce the number of seizures that a person experiences or makes them less severe.
Some people may need only one medication to stop or reduce seizures while others may require a combination. It is thought that around three out of every ten people with epilepsy in the UK are resistant to medication.
How can you assist someone who is experiencing a seizure?
More than one in three people in the UK wouldn’t know what to do if someone had a seizure in front of them, the charity said. But helping someone having a seizure doesn’t have to be scary.
To help the public remember key steps to take when someone has a tonic-clonic seizure, Epilepsy Action created the CARE acronym.
C – Comfort
Cushion their head with something soft to protect them from injury
A – Action
Start to time the seizure, and clear the area of anything that might be harmful. You could also check if the person has a medical ID or bracelet with more information on how to help
R – Reassure
After the seizure stops, put the person in the recovery position and reassure them
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E – Emergency
Call 999 if the person:
- has a seizure lasting longer than five minutes
- is not regaining consciousness
- goes straight into another seizure
- has trouble breathing after the seizure stops
- has never had a seizure before
There is more information on the charity's website. Not all people with epilepsy have tonic-clonic seizures. First aid can differ for other types of seizure. Epilepsy can affect various areas of life, from work opportunities to mental wellbeing, but with the right treatment and support, people with the condition can live a life without limits, said Epilepsy Action.
Chantal Spittles, from Epilepsy Action, said: "An epilepsy diagnosis can be devastating. It can make people feel as though their independence has all of a sudden been taken away, their work opportunities slashed, their balance shaken.
"Learning how to manage an unpredictable condition such as epilepsy can be tough, with many ups and downs. But with the right treatment and support, things can get better. Every step of the way, Epilepsy Action is here to support. Through our information, our helpline, by connecting people with similar experiences, and by campaigning for better services. In a nutshell, we exist to create a world without limits for people with epilepsy. But we need everyone else’s help to do this.
"This starts with better awareness. We have been told by people with epilepsy that making sure everyone understands what the condition is, and how they can support, is the number one thing we can deliver, because it has such an impact on their wellbeing, and it makes people feel less alone.
"This is why, this Purple Day, we’re asking everyone to take just a small step towards people with epilepsy: learn more about the condition, what to do when someone has a seizure, make them feel like they won’t be judged or stigmatised. Be an ally, as they learn how to manage their epilepsy one step at a time, day by day."
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