Table of contents:
- Not all exercise is good for epilepsy
- So, can epilepsy patients swim?
- 1. Do not swim alone
- 2. Do not swim when you are not in prime condition
- 3. Do not swim in open water
People who have epilepsy are said to be prohibited from doing strenuous physical activity. This is thought to trigger seizures in people with epilepsy. Even people with epilepsy shouldn't swim. Why is that?
Not all exercise is good for epilepsy
Epilepsy is a disease that attacks the central nervous system that occurs due to abnormal electrical currents in the brain. People who experience this can experience seizures, abnormal behavior and loss of self-awareness.
Because of these conditions, many think that epilepsy patients should not do heavy-intensity exercise. This ban is further elaborated on in a study published in the journal Epilepsia.
In the study, experts revealed that strenuous exercise can make patients exhausted which eventually triggers seizures.
However, this does not mean that epileptic patients should avoid all exercise and physical activity. Of course this is also not good for the health of the body.
The reason is, in general body movements will not worsen the condition of people with epilepsy. In fact, in certain cases, physical activity can keep the body healthy and prevent seizures from occurring.
The recommended sports are sports that involve physical contact with other people, such as soccer, basketball and futsal. While sports that must be avoided, namelyfree climbing, scuba-diving, motor racing, and other types of extreme sports.
So, what about swimming? Should people with epilepsy not swim?
So, can epilepsy patients swim?
The statement that people with epilepsy should not swim is not entirely true. Why is that? People with epilepsy may do this one water sport, as long as they meet the following requirements:
1. Do not swim alone
People with epilepsy should not swim alone. This means that he can only swim if someone is watching. Even though swimming in public swimming pools, sufferers still need to be accompanied when they are swimming.
It is better if the patient is accompanied by someone who knows their health condition and knows how to help the sufferer if the seizure symptoms appear while swimming.
First aid that can be given to people with epilepsy if the seizure symptoms appear in the water:
- Position the patient's head and face above the water surface
- Remove the person from the water as quickly as possible
- Check if the person is still breathing. If not, give CPR immediately.
- Call an ambulance and take it to the nearest hospital. Even though the patient appears to have recovered from the seizure, he must undergo a thorough medical examination.
2. Do not swim when you are not in prime condition
If you are not feeling well, feel tired, and your body is not in good shape, it is better for people with epilepsy to get rid of the desire to swim. Because if forced, this will only endanger him.
If a seizure occurs while in the water, the patient can swallow large amounts of water and enter the lungs. When that happens, other serious health problems will arise, such as pulmonary edema, for example.
3. Do not swim in open water
For people with epilepsy, swimming in a pool is less risky than swimming in open water such as the sea or lake. In addition, this makes it easier for the supervisor to supervise them.
Swimming in open water is allowed if people with epilepsy use a float to minimize the danger and are always closely monitored. Swimming too far into the middle of the ocean is not recommended, because the deeper it is, the deeper the sea will be.
Therefore, people with epilepsy should not swim only if these requirements are not met. They are still allowed to swim to meet the conditions as mentioned.
