Often with sleep disorders and suspected pathological processes occurring in central nervous system, doctor prescribed procedure Electroencephalography.
Electroencephalography – This is one of the most reliable and frequently prescribed methods of medical diagnostics, aimed at identifying the pathological processes occurring in the brain.
As a rule, the procedure is performed to determine the causes of sleep disorders, identify malignant and benign tumors in the brain, as well as to monitor the condition of patients who have recently undergone stroke.
In addition, electroencephalography sleep has proven itself in diagnosing the initial stage epilepsy, vascular diseases, inflammatory processes in the brain.
Using the indications of electroencephalography, it is possible to make adjustments to the main treatment, to follow the dynamics of the disease, to track changes in the brain structure, as well as to determine whether a particular drug affects the patient positively or negatively.
Important! Electroencephalography of sleep and wakefulness can be carried out as long as you wish. The procedure is absolutely safe and has no contraindications. In addition, the study is often prescribed to children, including infants.
To date, 4 electroencephalography recording systems are used :
- Long in time electroencephalogram, which is carried out during wakefulness. The procedure is not more than 15 minutes. Sometimes in the process, doctors use provocative methods to determine brain activity (asking the patient to blink, breathe often, look at bright lights, etc.).
- Encephalography with deprivation. This method is used if the previous method did not provide sufficient state information brain. In this case, the patient is advised not to sleep at all at night (or he should be awakened a few hours before the expected waking time).
- Electroencephalography during daytime sleep.
- Electroencephalography during the night rest.
During the procedure, a cap with many sensors attached to it is put on the patient’s head. It is the electrodes that pick up the smallest electromagnetic bursts and provide information about them in the form of a curve that is displayed on a computer monitor. According to this curve, the doctor determines the activity of the brain and makes diagnoses.
Who is the procedure usually assigned to?
Doctors consider electroencephalography to be obligatory in case of suspicion of many diseases developing in central nervous system.
So, here are the main indications for the implementation of this manipulation:
- The patient observed epileptic seizures and cramps.
- There are difficulties with sleep, insomnia.
- Children held to identify the degree of immaturity of the brain. Babies and younger children Electroencephalography is always performed during daytime or nighttime sleep. More senior – on a situation.
- Suspected vascular disease.
- Concussion, head injury, bruise.
- Suspicion inflammatory process in the brain, the presence of tumors.
- Mental disorders .
For patients who are in a coma, electroencephalography is performed to assess the state of the central nervous system.
Elderly patients are prescribed for suspected Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s
Renal, hepatic, hypoxic encephalopathy.
Children Electroencephalography is carried out with hyperactivity , lack of attention, difficulties in pronunciation, motor activity disorders, mental disorders, excessive emotionality, irascibility, ticks, frequent fainting, aggressiveness, fears, dizziness, etc.
In addition, Electroencephalography is necessarily assigned when recruiting a medical board to recruits and drivers.
What is Electroencephalography for – monitoring during a night rest?
One of the most accurate and often recommended for research techniques. Usually the procedure is assigned to children. Parents have the opportunity throughout the entire manipulation to be close to the baby.
On the day of electroencephalography, the patient should be awakened 2 hours before the intended awakening. If this is a child, then it is recommended to take his games, in general, to do everything so that he does not fall asleep again. Later in the evening – after six hours – it is necessary to limit the use of water, and also to exclude reception of salty, sweet and spicy foods.
The setting should be as calm as possible. Better a few hours before the procedure, walk in the fresh air. No mobile activities, watching TV, computer games – just quiet entertainment.
Doctors recommend to come to the hospital in the evening so that the patient can adapt to new conditions, especially when it comes to children.
After the preparatory stage, a cap with electrodes is put on the head. Further, the process of entering the patient into sleep is expected. Sometimes, to make sleep easier, doctors give it light. sleeping pills that do not affect the course and quality of the procedure.
The study continues throughout the night until the patient wakes up. The next day, you can get the result Electroencephalography on the hands.
How is electroencephalography performed during daytime sleep?
Electroencephalography during the daytime sleep is mainly assigned to young children. The duration of the procedure takes much less time than other types of electroencephalography. It is carried out if the doctor suspects that changes in the work of the brain occur precisely during the “quiet hour”.
It is prescribed when children experience convulsions, sleep disorders, speech, motor activity, frequent awakenings, signs autism, stuttering, mental disorders, hyperactivity, sleepwalking, conversations in the process of night or day rest, epilepsy.
General preparation for electroencephalography
Despite the fact that the study is absolutely harmless and does not require careful preparation from itself, doctors still recommend adhering to some recommendations that will facilitate the procedure and will not lead to unpleasant moments.
On the eve of the study you need to wash your hair with shampoo.
Important! Do not apply to the hair and scalp any cosmetics.
In addition, all metal objects – earrings, piercings, hairpins – are removed. Not recommended before the implementation of Electroencephalography – for 2 days – to drink alcohol. As you know, alcohol affects nervous system, therefore it is better to refuse it for this period.
Also, doctors insist on giving up sleeping pills, strong sedatives. In addition, the procedure is better not to conduct in the period of exacerbation of chronic diseases.
As can be seen, Electroencephalography is an absolutely safe procedure that can reveal the slightest disturbance in the functioning of the brain.