Epilepsy is a dangerous disease that can kill suddenly. The Neurological Institute has collected data on epilepsy patients in Thailand and found that the rate of epilepsy in the population is 7 per 1,000 people and that up to 57% of patients with epilepsy still drive a vehicle. In addition, of this figure, 30% of cases have experienced episodes that led to an accident and that 13% of all patients hold a life-long driver’s license. This means that they do not have to renew their license and do not have to receive a medical check-up in order to present a medical certificate to accompany their application. Even more alarmingly, 2% of these patients drive a public vehicle. If any of these patients suddenly experience their symptoms while driving, accidents can happen to the people around them on the road.
What are the causes of epilepsy?
Epilepsy is caused by brain cell abnormalities. It can occur due to a genetic disorder or the patient’s own behaviors. Symptoms can appear in the form of seizures, rigidity, twitches, loss of consciousness and loss of awareness or being completely still. If these symptoms occur while a patient is driving a vehicle on the road, it can be extremely dangerous, since when symptoms occur, the patient will not be able to control his or her own body.
Do you know that epilepsy and seizures are not the same thing?
Most people might still misunderstand and think that epilepsy is the same thing as seizures, because they both involve spasms and twitching. However, these two conditions are not the same. Seizures are just part of epilepsy, which displays similar symptoms.
How to Control Epilepsy
To control epilepsy symptoms, it is necessary to continuously take medications until symptoms disappear completely for at least 1 year. Only then will the patient be able to apply for a driver’s permit or license. The patient should also rest sufficiently and avoid alcohol consumption.
How to Provide First Aid to Epilepsy Patients
If you discover an epileptic patient experiencing symptoms, the way to provide first aid is to let the patient experience seizures freely without prying, pulling, spreading or pushing the patient. Do not do any of these things. The seizures will eventually stop on their own. Otherwise, you might cause teeth to fall off or for foreign objects to enter the airways, which can be life-threatening.
In any case, epilepsy is another disease that people should pay attention to, because when symptoms occur when a patient is on the road, there can be impacts on the patient and surrounding people. It is not that people with epilepsy cannot drive. Rather, they have to remain under the supervision of a doctor and receive appropriate treatment in order to fully control and eliminate their symptoms.
