Epileptology is a branch of neurology that focuses on the study and treatment of epilepsy. Epileptologists work with patients who have difficulty managing their condition, suffer from rare forms of epilepsy, or experience debilitating side effects from medication. They provide monitoring, ongoing care, and treatment options, and may work in hospitals, private clinics, or their own offices. Pediatric epileptologists work specifically with children who have epilepsy. Epileptology researchers further medical knowledge and develop new treatments.
Epileptology is a branch of neurology that focuses specifically on the study and treatment of epilepsy. Practitioners in this specialty have completed a residency in neurology and taken a fellowship in epilepsy to gain additional knowledge in the field. Patients with epilepsy may benefit from the training and specialist skills of an epileptologist if they have difficulty managing their condition, suffer from a rare form of epilepsy, or experience debilitating side effects from epilepsy medications.
Epilepsy is an ancient condition that has been recognized and described historically by a number of human cultures, with various explanations attributed to the condition, including demonic possession. As the workings of the brain and body began to be better understood, the causes of epilepsy were identified, with doctors working on developing treatments. Like many medical subspecialties, epileptology began with a few physicians who were particularly interested in epilepsy and pursued training on their own, and gradually grew into an area of interest complete with recognized scholarship for the epilepsy.
People who work in the field of epileptology can be directly involved in patient care. Epileptologists work exclusively with patients with epilepsy, providing monitoring, ongoing care, and treatment options. They have access to the latest information on epilepsy and can work with patients who want to switch medications, try a new treatment approach, or get more expert advice. Ideally, epilepsy treatment should result in few or no seizures, with few side effects from medications. Sometimes this can require weeks or months of treatment adjustments, supervised by an epileptologist.
In addition to general epileptology, there is also a pediatric focus within this medical specialty. A pediatric epileptologist works specifically with children who have epilepsy. Treating children can be very different from treating adults, as children may require different medications or have unique needs that a general epileptologist cannot address. Both pediatric and general epileptics can be found working in hospitals, private epilepsy clinics and in their own doctor’s offices. Visiting a specialist can be expensive, but the results can be very beneficial for the patient.
Epileptology researchers are also important. These medical researchers further the cause of general medical knowledge, studying epilepsy and conducting controlled trials designed to help develop new treatments. The more the medical community knows about epilepsy, the better treatment options are available. Researchers can work for private foundations that fund epilepsy research, along with pharmaceutical companies working on new drugs.
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