FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How common are seizures?
One in ten people experience some type of seizure. Three times as many children experience some type of seizure or spell.
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a neurological condition that can produce brief disturbances in the normal electrical functions of the brain. (Normal brain function is made possible by millions of tiny electrical charges passing between nerve cells in the brain and to all parts of the body.) When someone has epilepsy, this normal pattern may be interrupted by intermittent but more intense bursts of electrical energy. These electrical disturbances may affect a person's consciousness, bodily movements or sensations for a short time in what are known as epileptic seizures.
What causes epilepsy?
Epilepsy affects people of all ages, gender, and race. Conditions in the brain that produce episodes of intense electrical activity, or seizures, can be present since birth. Epilepsy may also develop later in life due to injury, infections, exposure to toxic agents, structural abnormalities in the brain, or for reasons that are still not well understood.
How is epilepsy treated?
Epilepsy may be treated with drugs, surgery, a special diet, or an implanted device programmed to stimulate the vagus nerve, called VNS therapy. Of these treatments, drug therapy is by far the most common, and is usually the first to be tried. A number of medications are currently used in the treatment of epilepsy. These medications control different types of seizures.
What should I do if I experience a spell or seizure?
Having a single seizure does not necessarily mean a person has epilepsy. Reoccurring seizures are a symptom of epilepsy. High fever, severe head injury, lack of oxygen or a number of factors can affect the brain enough to cause a single seizure. Contact your doctor for further clarification.
What should I do if I suspect that I, or someone I know, is having seizures?
If you think you or a loved one might be having seizures, it is important to discuss this with your physician. Keep a record of how often the unusual episode occurs, the time of day it happens and what the physical symptoms look like. Giving the doctor this information will help him or her determine if what you are describing might be a type of epilepsy.
What is an EEG?
An EEG or electro-encephalogram records the electrical activity in the brain through electrodes attached to a patient’s head. It pinpoints the area and frequency of electrical activity related to a seizure. A physician will typically order an extended EEG when a patient experiences a seizure or a spell. EEGs are also helpful when there is an unclear diagnosis or questions regarding the elimination of medications.
What is an Extended Ambulatory EEG?
An extended ambulatory EEG is a study lasting overnight or longer to increase the chances of capturing a seizure or spell. Physicians typically order EEG studies that can run for durations that include overnight, for 24, 48 or 72 hours, for 7 days or Until Event Occurs (UEO).
What is involved in EEG testing and how will it affect my life?
An AER board certified technician will come to your house and apply 23 electrodes to your scalp using special glue. (AER technicians don’t use pins or needles to attach electrodes.) Then your head will be wrapped in loose-fitting gauze to hold the electrodes in place. The other end of the electrodes plug into a lightweight, portable recorder that you will carry around with you in a fanny pack worn around your waist. (For young children, it fits in a backpack.) This recorder monitors and stores your brainwave activity for the duration of the study. Because of its portability, you will be able to participate in your normal, non-strenuous, daily routines for the most part.
Does it hurt to have the electrodes attached, removed or to wear them?
The vast majority of patients report no pain or discomfort during the setup, wearing or removal of the electrodes.
Are there any activities I won’t be able to engage in during the study?
You won’t be able to shower, take a bath or wash your hair throughout the study. In fact, we strongly advise you to avoid contact with a water source while wearing the unit, other than washing your hands or taking a light sponge bath. These activities could damage the recording equipment.
You are free to engage in normal daily functions or routines while wearing the unit. However you should avoid participating in strenuous activities such as running, jogging, brisk walking, playing basketball, etc. Vigorous exercise can cause the recorder to document false readings.
What happens if an electrode(s) accidentally becomes loose and/or falls off?
For EEG studies lasting more than 3 days, an AER technician will schedule a convenient time to come to your home to ensure that the electrodes are still properly attached and recording. In most cases, this eliminates the chance that an electrode detaches.
How do I schedule an appointment for an extended EEG?
Your doctor will send an order for an extended ambulatory EEG to our office. AER scheduling personnel will contact you within one day to establish a convenient time to have the study done. The test can be set up at your residence or your doctor’s office.
How do I prepare for an Extended EEG?
Make sure your hair is clean but don’t apply any conditioners, sprays or gel. We recommend that you wear a blouse or shirt that buttons or zips so you don’t have to pull clothing over your head.
What is an Extended Video EEG?
Sometimes your physician will request that a video camera accompany the brainwave test conducted by an EEG recorder. Videotaping allows the reading physician to visually monitor the patient ‘s physical movements as well as their brain waves to capture any additional evidence of seizures. During an Extended Video EEG, the patient must remain in the home for the duration of the study. For the best diagnostic results, we recommend the patient primarily remain in the same room with the camera. We advise patients to prepare a room prior to the test where they can spend the majority of their waking and sleeping hours.
Can I use the bathroom in private during the test?
The camera is only set up in one room that does not include a bathroom.
Can I go outdoors during an Extended Video EEG?
The majority of the time the patient needs to stay in front of the camera.
Under special circumstances, your doctor may allow this.
What if I have questions during the test?
One of our board-certified EEG technologists will be available to you by phone 24/7 for the duration of the study. Call toll-free: 1-877-378-2307.
How soon will we get the results?
The data from your study will either be sent to your physician to read, be read by another physician or our medical director at your physician’s request. Data typically will be transported to the reading physician within 48 to 72 hours after we receive the equipment back from you. As a rule of thumb, the EEG results should be ready approximately two weeks after the EEG equipment is returned.
How do I know this procedure is covered by my insurance?
Typically extended EEGs are covered by most insurance companies. Either your doctor’s office or AER will pre-authorize all testing with your insurance company prior to performing the study.
How will I, and my insurance company, be billed?
You and your insurance company will receive a bill from Ambulatory EEG Readings (AER) for performing the study. You will also receive a bill from the reading physician. If your physician requests that our medical director read the study, you will only receive one bill for the entire test.
What is the difference between an Overnight Ambulatory EEG and a Sleep Deprived EEG?
In an overnight, ambulatory EEG, the patient is monitored while participating in his or her normal routine, which includes their regular sleeping habits. Sleep-deprived EEGs are conducted after a patient has been deprived of all but four hours of sleep. This is done to detect seizures that occur when the brain is stressed or fatigued, as it is after a night without much sleep.
Overnight Ambulatory EEGs have several advantages over sleep deprived EEGs. One of the biggest is they provide more data and a better quality test result. Another reason these tests are so valuable is that up to 75 percent of seizures or spells occur at night. |
