Neurologist raises alarm on Epilepsy risk among injured Israeli soldiers

"We have more and more soldiers with head injuries who come to my clinic, or who I see in the rehabilitation clinic after having epileptic seizures. Now I suddenly got involved much more with having to see soldiers after their head injuries, even two or three months after their initial injury," Dr Felix Benninger explained to The Press Service of Israel.

Benninger is the Deputy Director of the Neurology Department at Beilinson Hospital in Petah Tikvah and an epilepsy specialist. Hundreds of soldiers injured fighting Hamas in Gaza have been treated at the medical center.

"We're trying to raise a little awareness that there might be soldiers with head injuries who didn't have any seizures yet, but they can happen months, or even years after the head injury," he explained.

Epilepsy, a neurological disorder affecting the central nervous system, disrupts the brain's electrical activity. Its hallmark convulsions, lasting from seconds to minutes, often strike without warning, potentially leading to injuries. Seizures can be unpredictable and debilitating, affecting a person's employment, social interactions, and overall quality of life.

As time passes after the original head trauma, "something suddenly happens in the brain, some change of a scar or inflammation which causes them later on to get the epilepsy," Benninger explained. Around 15-30 percent of head injuries could precipitate epileptic seizures.

"The general idea that head trauma can lead to epilepsy has always been around. That's not new. It's the same with car accidents and young people having any kind of accident in general," he noted.

But if a clinical study conclusively finds a higher rate of epilepsy, "We'd have to look at the type of warfare and the type of injuries the soldiers had, and we'd have to think about how to prevent that," Benninger said.

Asked what soldiers can do to minimize the risk of head trauma, "protective gear is the most important thing," Benninger stressed.

"There are discussions on improving helmets in the American army especially to prevent blunt force trauma," he said. But even explosions at further distances without shrapnel entering the skull "can still cause problems if the helmet isn't adequately shielded."

Epileptic individuals may face restrictions or limitations on certain activities due to the potential risks associated with seizures, which vary in severity and frequency among individuals. Common activities that epileptics may be advised to avoid or proceed with caution include swimming, climbing, driving, extreme sports, operating heavy machinery or watercraft and working at heights.

"Since the seizures may not manifest immediately, we anticipate a continued influx of soldiers presenting with epileptic symptoms for years to come," Benninger said. (ANI/TPS)