Understanding Epilepsy

Epilepsy is a neurological (nur-oh-LOJ’-eh-cull) condition that affects how electrical signals in the brain work. Epilepsy causes seizures and also can impact memory, thinking and mood. Although all epilepsy causes at least one seizure, not all seizures mean you have epilepsy.

It is important to find a comprehensive epilepsy center with the experience, tools and techniques to build a custom treatment plan for you. Living with epilepsy means understanding your condition, including how severe and how frequent your seizures are and what your seizure triggers may be. Many aspects of epilepsy can affect your day-to-day life, including driving ability, job status and financial status. While epilepsy does change your life, living a full life is a realistic goal for most people.

The Importance of Epilepsy Support

Epilepsy, seizures and medication side effects can affect people in different ways. Support can mean learning more about your condition, finding understanding form people going through the same thing, developing ways to cope or feeling more in control about living with epilepsy.

It can feel overwhelming when you get an epilepsy diagnosis. Norton Neuroscience Institute Comprehensive Epilepsy Center and Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Centers are dedicated to patient support, including classes, support group meetings and other ways to help you navigate your world with epilepsy.

Patient navigators also can help you through your epilepsy care journey at Norton Healthcare. Patient navigators consult with you and your caregivers about medical and personal matters. Their services are offered at no cost and available as often as you need them.

We also have on-demand epilepsy education.

The Epilepsy Foundation is national nonprofit group dedicated to promoting epilepsy awareness and understanding, advocating for laws that matter to people with epilepsy and funding epilepsy research. It offers local programs and services both in-person and online for patients and their caregivers.

How to Support Someone With Epilepsy

If you have epilepsy, it is key to share with your friends and family what to do if you have a seizure. If you have a loved one with this condition, learn how to support that person — it could be a matter of life and death. Learn more about epilepsy through books, media, classes or whatever method you prefer.

The Epilepsy Foundation offers a wide variety of classes including:

• Seizure First Aid
• Epilepsy 101
• Take Charge of the Facts: Seizures and You

Some other practical tips for caring for someone with epilepsy include:

• Keeping them safe during a seizure
• Calling for medical help, or giving first aid or emergency medication
• Staying with them or seeing them home safely after a seizure
• Noting any pattern or trigger to their seizures, which may help if they can’t remember their seizures
• Helping with their routine of taking anti-seizure medication
• Going with them to appointments, helping to take notes or providing descriptions of seizures to the person with epilepsy and/or their doctor
• Acting as a representative or advocate for the person, with their doctors or others involved in their care
• Joining in with leisure activities that might pose a safety risk if they were to have a seizure, such as swimming
• Providing transport if they can’t drive
• Helping them adapt their home or lifestyle to provide a safe living environment

Though there is no cure for epilepsy, advances in medication and treatment continue to move forward. In the meantime, look for ways to support your loved one, starting with Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Centers.

Care That’s Focused on You

It’s part of Norton Neuroscience Institute’s goal to care for the whole person, not just the condition.

• Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Centers offer ways to improve your access to care, provide valuable information on managing your disease and address your quality-of-life issues. The Norton Healthcare Foundation funds this important service, so patients don’t need to pay.
• Dedicated patient navigators can help schedule follow-up appointments, coordinate prescription assistance, create customized diet plans and provide guidance on disability benefits, housing, financial and employment concerns, and more.
• Patients can access support groups, exercise classes and other educational events to connect with others and learn how to make the most of life while managing a neurologic condition. 
• Access an on-demand video library of educational content across a variety of condition-related topics.
• We want to help prevent illness. Get help quitting smoking and learn the signs of stroke.
• Communicate with your provider, manage appointments, refill prescriptions and more anytime from a computer or mobile device with a free Norton MyChart account.

A Louisville Leader in Neurologic Care

More patients from Louisville and Southern Indiana seek their neurology and neurosurgery care from Norton Neuroscience Institute’s nationally recognized specialists than any other providers in the area.

Your Norton Neuroscience Institute medical provider has the expertise, experience, diagnostic tools and sophisticated treatments to provide care tailored to your needs.

• More than 75 medical, surgical and research specialists are dedicated to providing innovative care to those with brain, spine and nervous system conditions.
• Advanced, minimally invasive neurosurgery equipment can speed your recovery and minimize pain.
• Multidisciplinary clinics provide easy access to care in one convenient appointment for your neurologic condition, with specialists in oncology, cardiology, orthopedics and behavioral health.
• Norton Healthcare’s four adult-service hospitals in Louisville are certified by DNV, recognizing excellence and expertise in stroke care.
  • Norton Brownsboro Hospital is recognized as a Comprehensive Stroke Center.
  • Norton Audubon Hospital and Norton Hospital are Primary Stroke Centers.
  • Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital is an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital.
• Norton Neuroscience Institute is at the forefront of neuroscientific research. As investigators on numerous trials, our physicians contribute to groundbreaking studies and publications in peer-reviewed journals. Also, patients may be eligible to take part in these experimental treatments. Learn more about current neuroscience clinical trials and studies.
• The American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines stroke care program has recognized Norton Hospital and Norton Brownsboro Hospital in Louisville for exceeding national averages in getting patients in the door and administering lifesaving treatment to restore blood flow to the brain.
• Norton Neuroscience Institute’s multiple sclerosis (MS) program has been designated a Center for Comprehensive MS Care by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
• The National Association of Epilepsy Centers has recognized Norton Neuroscience Institute Comprehensive Epilepsy Center as a Level 4 center, providing the highest level of medical and surgical evaluation and treatment for patients with complex epilepsy.
• Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Center navigators help educate patients and their families about new diagnoses, available treatments and ways to manage their disease.
• We are listed by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of 100 great neurosurgery and spine programs.