Epilepsy Care
At OSF HealthCare, our team of epilepsy specialists focuses on accurate diagnosis, personalized treatment and long-term seizure control. We work closely with you to understand your condition and build a care plan that supports your life, your goals and your peace of mind.
Why Choose OSF for Epilepsy Care
OSF provides expert care to help you manage seizures and get the right epilepsy treatments to live confidently.
- Level IV epilepsy center
- Advanced diagnostics
- Personalized treatments and surgical expertise
- Adult and pediatric care
What is epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a neurological condition that causes recurring seizures from abnormal brain activity. With the right care, many people can manage seizures and live active, fulfilling lives.
When should you see an epilepsy specialist?
Early evaluation can help confirm a diagnosis and guide epilepsy treatments.
You may benefit from seeing an epilepsy specialist if you have:
- New or recurring seizures
- Changes in epilepsy symptoms or seizure patterns
- Side effects from seizure medications
- Seizures that are not controlled with treatment
- Safety concerns that affect driving or daily life
Conditions We Treat
Our team diagnoses and treats a wide range of epilepsy conditions and seizure disorders. We focus on understanding your unique epilepsy symptoms and creating a care plan that fits your needs.
Conditions we treat include:
- Focal epilepsy (partial seizures)
- Generalized epilepsy
- Unknown onset epilepsy
- Epilepsy syndromes
- New or unexplained seizure disorders
Common epilepsy symptoms may include confusion, loss of awareness or uncontrolled movements. Identifying your symptoms helps guide the most effective epilepsy treatments.
Advanced Diagnostic Testing
Getting an accurate diagnosis is the first step in managing epilepsy. Our team uses advanced tools to evaluate epilepsy symptoms and understand how your brain is functioning.
Testing may include:
- Electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure brain activity
- MRI or CT scans to look at brain structure
- Video EEG monitoring to capture seizures as they happen
- Neurological evaluations to assess symptoms and daily impact
In some cases, advanced testing, such as stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG), may be used to identify where seizures begin. This helps your epilepsy specialist recommend the most effective treatments.
Epilepsy Monitoring Unit
An epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) provides continuous brain monitoring in a safe, controlled setting. This specialized care helps your team better understand seizure patterns and develop a precise treatment plan.
During your stay, you’ll be closely monitored with video and EEG technology. This allows specialists to capture and analyze seizures as they happen.
An EMU evaluation can:
- Confirm your diagnosis
- Identify seizure type and triggers
- Guide treatment decisions, including surgery
Advanced Epilepsy Surgery and Treatment Options
Medication Management
Medication is often the first step in epilepsy treatment. Your epilepsy specialist will work with you to find the right medication and dosage to control seizures while minimizing side effects.
Neuromodulation Therapies
If seizures are not controlled with medication, neuromodulation therapies may help. These treatments use targeted electrical signals to help regulate brain activity and reduce seizures. Options may include vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), responsive neurostimulation (RNS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS).
Epilepsy Surgery
For some patients, epilepsy surgery may be recommended when seizures begin in a specific area of the brain, including hemispherectomies, corpus colostomies, temporal or extratemporal lobectomies, and MRI-guided minimally invasive neuroablation. Our team uses advanced evaluation to determine if surgery is the right option. The goal of surgery is to reduce or stop seizures and improve quality of life.
Your Epilepsy Care Journey
Your care starts with a detailed evaluation of your epilepsy symptoms, medical history and seizure patterns. From there, your epilepsy specialist will create a personalized treatment plan.
Your care journey may include:
- Diagnostic testing to confirm epilepsy
- Ongoing monitoring and follow-up care
- Adjustments to epilepsy treatments
- Evaluation for advanced therapies
Loading component...
Loading component...
Take the Next Step in Managing Your Epilepsy
Connect with an epilepsy specialist to explore your treatment options. Schedule an appointment with your primary care provider to get a referral.
