Expertise for Epilepsy Treatment in Central California

Epilepsy can cause mild to debilitating seizures. Epilepsy treatments, which aim to reduce the number and severity of seizures, often include anti-seizure medications and treatment for underlying conditions. Sometimes surgery is necessary. 

If you think you’re experiencing seizures, Find a Doctor at Dignity Health Central California for personalized care, including seizure medications.

Visit one of our locations for advanced epilepsy treatment, such as anticonvulsants, in Bakersfield, CA:

• Memorial Hospital
• Mercy Hospitals
• St. Joseph's Medical Center

Treating an Underlying Cause of Epilepsy at Dignity Health Central California

Epilepsy can sometimes be caused by an underlying but treatable issue, such as abnormal blood vessels in the brain, an infection, or a brain tumor. In this case, your doctor will probably first try to treat this condition. You may require surgery to repair blood vessels or remove tumors, medications to cure an infection, or another appropriate intervention.

Curing an underlying condition can cause seizures to go away. If that’s the case for you, your doctor may recommend monitoring and follow-up, and you won’t need other treatments.

Seizure (Anticonvulsant) Medications

If treating an underlying condition doesn’t stop seizures, or when the cause of epilepsy is unknown, your doctor may recommend an anticonvulsant medication. There are many anti-seizure medications that treat epilepsy; you may need to try a few before finding one that works for you.

A few important considerations about taking seizure medications for epilepsy:

• You may need routine blood testing to check for side effects.
• You may need to change your dosage periodically.
• Many anti-seizure medications can affect bone health, so talk to your doctor about how you can maintain healthy bones.
• If you’re pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, be sure to discuss anti-seizure medications with your doctor. Some anticonvulsants can cause birth defects.

Surgery for Epilepsy

If anti-seizure medications don’t reduce your epilepsy symptoms, your doctor may recommend  one of two surgeries. One surgery includes removing small areas of brain tissue responsible for causing seizures. The other involves implanting a vagal nerve stimulator (VNS), a device similar in size and function to a heart pacemaker.

Doctors at Dignity Health Central California offer personalized epilepsy treatments to address your physical, mental, and spiritual health. Keep in mind, the treatment that’s best for you might depend on the frequency and severity of your seizures.