9/16/2019 About Epilepsy: The Basics | Epilepsy Foundation

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About Epilepsy: The Basics

CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS
Epilepsy is a condition of the brain causing seizures.
A seizure is a disruption of the electrical communication between neurons.
Someone is said to have epilepsy if they experience two or more unprovoked seizures separated by
at least 24 hours or after one seizure with a high risk for more.

GETTING STARTED ON EPILEPSY.COM

Browse through Epilepsy 101.

Get more details in our Learn section.
Find out how to manage your seizures in our Living with Epilepsy  section. 
Find out how to connect with your local Epilepsy Foundation and get involved in our digital
community. 
Help us make a difference in the lives of people with epilepsy and their families. 

GET THE NEWS!

Join our mailing list to stay to date about programs, events, and news about epilepsy.

SIGNUP

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9/16/2019 About Epilepsy: The Basics | Epilepsy Foundation

Do you know what to do when someone has a seizure?

LEARN SEIZURE FIRST AID

Epilepsy 101 from epilepsy.com

The Epilepsy Foundation is your unwavering ally in the fight against epilepsy and seizures. You don't
walk alone.

What is epilepsy? Will I have seizures forever?

You may have a lot of questions about epilepsy. We will help you understand the basics, answer the
most common questions, and help you find resources and other information you may need. However,
information alone won’t help you manage your epilepsy and find a way to cope with the effects on your
daily life. You’ll need to learn how to use the information and make it work for you.

What Is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a neurological condition which affects the nervous system. Epilepsy is also known as a seizure
disorder. It is usually diagnosed after a person has had at least two seizures (or after one seizure with a
high risk for more) that were not caused by some known medical condition.

What Are Seizures?

Seizures seen in epilepsy are caused by disturbances in the electrical activity of the brain. The seizures in
epilepsy may be related to a brain injury or a family tendency, but most of the time the cause is
unknown…

Seizures are caused by disturbances

in the electrical activity of the brain.

Learn about types of seizures.

More People Living with Epilepsy in the U.S. Than Ever Before

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9/16/2019 About Epilepsy: The Basics | Epilepsy Foundation

Listen to an interview on Georgia Public Broadcasting with Rosemarie Kobau MPH of the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention and Dr. Joe Sirven, epilepsy.com's editor-in-chief, about the number of
people living with epilepsy in the U.S.

Facts About Epilepsy And Seizures

65 MILLION: Number of people around the world who have epilepsy.
3.4 MILLION: Number of people in the United States who have epilepsy.
1 IN 26 people in the United States will develop epilepsy at some point in their lifetime.
BETWEEN 4 AND 10 OUT OF 1,000: Number of people on earth who live with active
seizures at any one time.
150,000: Number of new cases of epilepsy in the United States each year
ONE-THIRD: Number of people with epilepsy who live with uncontrollable seizures because
no available treatment works for them.
6 OUT OF 10: Number of people with epilepsy where the cause is unknown.
Learn More
Managing Your Epilepsy
Healthy Living
First Aid
Staying Safe
2017 Revised Classification of Seizures
Resources
Find an Epilepsy Specialist
Find Tools or Resources
Epilepsy Foundation My Seizure Diary
New to Seizures and Epilepsy Toolkit - English

on 01/2014
on Wednesday, March 19, 2014
Our Mission
The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation is to lead the fight to overcome the
challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures,
find cures, and save lives.

FOLLOW US

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