Can epilepsy be cured?

In general, epilepsy can be cured in some cases, but not all patients can achieve a complete cure. The details are as follows:

For symptomatic epilepsy—caused by identifiable factors such as brain tumors, sequelae of head trauma, or infections—some patients may achieve clinical remission if the underlying cause is successfully treated, for example, through surgical removal of the lesion, elimination of infection, or repair of damaged tissue, resulting in no further seizures after treatment. For idiopathic epilepsy, where the cause is unknown, most patients require long-term use of anti-epileptic drugs. If a patient remains seizure-free for 2–5 years while on medication and shows normalized electroencephalogram (EEG) results, the medication may be gradually tapered off under medical supervision. Remaining seizure-free after discontinuation is considered clinical cure; however, if seizures recur after stopping medication, treatment must be resumed.

It should be noted that approximately 30% of patients may develop drug-resistant epilepsy, in which seizures cannot be controlled even with appropriate medication. These patients are unlikely to achieve complete cure, but interventions such as surgery or neurostimulation may help reduce seizure frequency and minimize impact on daily life.

After diagnosis, epilepsy patients should seek care from a reputable neurology department to determine the specific cause and type of epilepsy. Strict adherence to medical advice, regular follow-up visits, and scientific disease management enable most patients to achieve good seizure control, and in some cases, even clinical cure.