The Medical Director of Altmed Clinic, Dr. Daniel Owusu Fordjour, has cautioned people with epilepsy to desist from swimming in a pool or in the sea, as that will lead them to their early grave.
According to him, a study has revealed that epileptic patients face 13 times higher risks of drowning when they swim.
Speaking exclusively on the Max Morning show in Accra on Tuesday, the renowned medical practitioner also warned those with epilepsy not to smoke or drink alcohol.
He said the act triggers the seizures associated with the ailments and urged them to study their systems and know the triggers to abstain from them.
Fordjour also established that loud sounds and flashes of light, most especially what Ghanaian termed “dumsor could trigger seizures.
He maintained that those living with the ailments should always have precautionary measures in place and emphasized the need for them to take their medication as prescribed by their doctors so as to stay safe all the time.
Fordjour also advised them to educate themselves to know their conditions and the type of meal they could eat that could keep their system balanced while refraining from stressful activities.
“Epileptic patients who are able to maintain the ailments well marry and give birth. Sometimes, they could live for more than five years without experiencing seizures,” he said.
The doctor also charged Ghanaians to send suspected patients to the hospital for a proper diagnosis since there was a difference between seizures and the epileptic itself.
“Not all seizures mean that the person is an epileptic patient, so you have to send that person for a medical examination for the person to be diagnosed properly to know what is wrong with him or her. This will help you get the right medication to treat that seizure or epilepsy,” he added.
Source: Joyceline Natally Cudjoe
