Epilepsy Care

Count on UC San Diego Health to diagnose and treat epilepsy and seizure disorders in adults.

You'll have access to the highest level of care. This includes expert neuroimaging and tests for an early diagnosis as well as comprehensive treatment to protect brain function.

What is Epilepsy?

Epilepsy causes seizures, which are disturbances in the brain's electrical activity that can begin at any age. Sometimes the onset of seizures is due to injury, infection or genes, but often, there is no known cause or trigger for epilepsy.

When to See an Epilepsy Specialist

Ask your doctor to see an epileptologist for specialized epilepsy care if you:

Have uncontrollable seizures after seeking treatment for three months from your primary care provider
Continue to have seizures after working with a general neurologist for a year

Graphic with U.S. News & World Report “Best Hospitals” badge for top-ranked neurological care and neurosurgery

Epilepsy doctors inject regenerative cells into the patient's brain

Level 4 Epilepsy Center

Our Epilepsy Center is the only nationally designated Level 4 Adult Epilepsy Center in the region. This means our patients benefit from comprehensive care by a team with experience treating the most complex epilepsy cases in Southern California.

Nationally Recognized Expertise & Services

As a National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC) Level 4 Epilepsy Center, we provide advanced services, including:

Neurodiagnostic and monitoring services to reduce seizure frequency

Therapies to control seizures that do not respond to medicine

Surgical procedures to identify areas of the brain causing seizures

Research and clinical trials to improve treatments and results

Related Services

EEG Monitoring

Non-Epileptic Events

Surgery for Epilepsy

UC San Diego Health is recognized for its expertise in performing advanced surgical procedures for treating epilepsy.

Learn More About Epilepsy Surgery

Your First Appointment

At UC San Diego Health, your medical team will create a treatment plan to help you prevent and control seizures. During your first appointment, you will:

Meet your care team of seizure specialists
Receive testing and exam services to help us learn more about your condition
Discuss treatment options, including epilepsy surgery, with your care team

Video: Epilepsy Care with Dr. Jerry Shih

Dr. Jerry Shih, neurologist, shown with a graphic with the words "world-class care here for you"

Research Leads to Groundbreaking Treatment for Seizures

UC San Diego Health is one of the first health systems in the country to inject regenerative cells into the brain to treat epileptic seizures. The new procedure is part of a national clinical trial aimed at eliminating seizures, which could revolutionize the treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Read the News Release

Resources

Make a Gift

Help support advances in epilepsy treatment by making a financial gift to UC San Diego Health's Neurological Institute.

Give Now

Expert Team

Our epilepsy team includes EEG technologists, clinical nurse specialists, clinical trial specialists, neurologists, epileptologists, neuropathologists, neuropsychologists, neuroradiologists, neurosurgeons and psychiatrists.

Epilepsy Providers

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