Epilepsy

There as a time when the word “epilepsy” was spoken in hushed tones ignorant of its causes and helpless to prevent it, people reacted to this condition with fear and hostility. Today epilepsy has emerged from the shadows. We now know that it is no more than a tendency to have recurrent seizures, and people with epilepsy are the same as anyone else in every other respect. And these days, medication to control seizures is widely available, so that most people with epilepsy are able to live full and active lives.

In simple terms, epileptic seizures happen when changes in brain chemistry cause the complex electrical messages travelling between our billions of nerve cells to become scrambled. Some people lose consciousness, others show hardly any symptoms. But after a matter of minutes or even seconds, the brain cells are back to normal and seizure is over.

There are over 40 different types of seizure, affecting different individuals in very different ways. They fall into two categories; “generalized” (involving the whole brain) or “partial” (originating in one part of the brain).

“Tonic-clonic” seizures (once known as “grand mal”) are the most common of the generalized types. In this kind of epileptic “fit”, you may fall down unconscious, your body stiffening (the tonic phase) and then jerking uncontrollably (the clonic phase). During the seizure you may make strange sounds, dribble, bit your tongue or be incontinent. It only lasts for a few minutes but, while the person having the seizure can’t remember what has happened, it can be distressing to witness.

Another kind of generalized attack is the “absence seizure”. Once known as “petit mal”, this is a lapse in awareness in which you may stop what you are doing, stare or look as if you are daydreaming for a few seconds – before carrying on as usual. It is more common in children (especially girls) and in teenagers than in adults. Although some people may have many “absences“ a day; they can be hard to spot and diagnose. Generalized seizures also include “atonic” seizures or “drop attacks”, in which the person suddenly falls down; and “myoclonic” seizures, in which the muscles jerk briefly.

“Partial” seizures may be “simple”, with a range of symptoms including jerking, pins and needles, dizziness and strange distortions of sensation – such as déjà vu, or things seeming abnormally large or small. These symptoms are sometimes known as an “aura” and may be warning of a more generalized seizure to come.

Alternatively, “partial” seizures may be “complex”, causing people to act oddly – for instance swallowing repeatedly or appearing drunk. These behaviours are called “automatisms” and the person having the seizure is unaware of what is going on.

One in every 60 people in the U.S. has epilepsy, making it the most common serious neurological (i.e. to do with the brain and nervous system) disorder in the country. It can affect anyone, and at any age. For most people there is no clear cause, but for the minority some kind of damage to the brain following a stroke, a blow to the head, an infection (such as meningitis) or a difficult birth may be to blame. Sometimes a tendency to seizures can be inherited. There are also common “trigger factors” – alcohol, stress, fever, lack of sleep and (in women) changing hormones, for example. And although it remains a controversial point, some people believe that certain foods can trigger seizures.

THE ORTHODOX APPROACH

Conventional medical treatments consist of anti-epilepsy drugs which act by calming the nerve cells in the brain, or by raising the seizure threshold. Drugs can control seizures for 80 percent of people with epilepsy, but there may be unpleasant side-effects, ranging from drowsiness and rashes in the short term to poor concentration, irritability, acne and weight gain in the long term.

THE HALE APPROACH

Allopathic medicines can stabilise epilipsey but cannot cure it. Complementary medicine can give support but not cure epilepsy. The risk of falling downstairs or of fitting when driving a car or using potentially dangerous tools requires that epilepsy be controlled and therefore orthodox treatment is essential. Any fit should be reviewed by a physician, referred to a neurological specialist if required, and the condition should then be monitored by the medical profession and anti-epileptic drugs used until the physician recommends withdrawal.

It is particularly important for people suffering from epilepsy to strengthen their constitution and reduce stress levels. Epileptic attacks may be triggered by many different factors, so treatment should not focus on a single aspect – such as diet – but aim to make the whole system function at the optimum level.

We would recommend that epileptics check they are following a good nutritional program and that no allergies are aggravating the problem. Acupuncture, homeopathy and Ayurveda can also be used to strengthen a patient’s general constitution. Healing can play an important supportive role.

Self-hypnosis and stress management can help limit the ability stress has to trigger an attack, and yoga, Chi Kung and T’ai Chi will help harmonize the patient’s mental and physical state, further reducing the risk of an attack.

AYURVEDA

According to this traditional Indian system of medicine, epilepsy is vata-oriented problem affecting the head. Vata is the force in the body that controls the central nervous system and it is associated with air and ether. Treatment takes a number of forms, starting with oral herbal preparations in liquid and/or tablet form.

Panchakarma detoxifying treatments are also considered appropriate for people with epilepsy.

A special herbal treatment called shiro dhara may be prescribed. This involves lying still for about an hour while warm herbal oils are slowly dripped on to your forehead and then massaged into your scalp. This may be followed by a general herbal oil massage to the rest of your body.

Relaxation, meditation, and specific yoga postures are also part of Ayurvedic treatment for epilepsy, while inhalation may be suggested when needed to reduce pressure on the sinuses. More about ayurveda...

ENERGY HEALING

Science has not as yet come up with an explanation for the mechanism of healing, but some healers describe their technique in terms of working with the electromagnetic field, or aura, which surrounds us all. More about bioenergy healing...

ACUPUNCTURE

Contributing factors to this disease include diet, heredity, negative emotions, and other diseases. Anger and fear lead to stagnation of the liver energy, which impairs the function of the spleen, resulting in the formation and accumulation of phlegm.

Treatment programs depend on the individual case, but may include clearing phlegm, strengthening the spleen and stomach to produce blood (in cases of sallow complexion, nausea, loose stools and emaciation), nourishing the heart, liver, and kidney yin (in cases marked by insomnia, dizziness, soreness of the lumbar region and constipation) and normalizing hyperactivity of the liver (in cases of irritability and mental restlessness).

In an emergency when no needles are available, pressure applied by the thumb between the upper lip and the nose should help the patient to regain consciousness.

Epilepsy is a condition whose root causes and symptoms are often treated together. More about acupuncture...

HOMEOPATHY

Homeopathy stimulates the body’s own natural healing reaction and can make epileptic seizures less frequent. Remedies prescribed would depend very much on the individual case. Homeopaths would suggest three or four consultations, with follow-up visits at six-monthly intervals. Dietary changes may complement homeopathic treatment, which can bring significant improvements to the health of people with epilepsy. More about homeopathy...

NUTRITION/ALLERGY TREATMENT

Research has shown that the Keto diet has been very helpful in the treatment of children with epilepsy. Allergy and nutrition may also be helpful as a support treatment.. More about nutrition...

SUPPORTIVE TREATMENTS/SELF-CARE

Self-Hypnosis/Stress Management

As stress is one of the triggers which can spark off epileptic seizures, it makes sense to learn techniques to manage the stresses of daily life. One practitioner teaches self-hypnosis and relaxation as part of a range of techniques aimed at managing stress.

“Relaxation helps prevent the build up of stress”, he explains, “and if you reduce your stress levels then epilepsy may be less frequent and easier to manage”.

Coupled with a healthy diet and exercise regime, this therapist helps you reassess your lifestyle to gain a clearer understanding of – and control over – the problems that give rise to stress in the first place.

Remedial Yoga

Once the symptoms of epilepsy have been stabilized, yoga as taught by a therapist can help to revitalize the body and mind, encouraging blood flow to the brain, rejuvenating and stimulating the brain function.

Yoga also balances the endocrine system and soothes the nervous system, helping you to focus within yourself and bringing a sense of bodily strength and feelings of balance.

The forward bend illustrated here should not be attempted by anyone whose epileptic symptoms have not been stabilized.

Chi Kung

“Heartbeat listening” is a very good exercise for the epileptic patient, restoring a sense of harmony and calm to the disrupted system. Chi Kung exercises allows the client to reclaim a sense of control both before and after a fit. Committed and long-term practice of the Chi Kung exercises (especially in combination with the “third fundamental” T’ai chi exercise) will be a supportive treatment.

In addition to the effect of food and chemicals, emotional upsets can set off seizures. Therapies which can help control the effects of such upsets include autogenic training, mental imagery, meditation and biofeedback, all of which have been shown to reduce the number and severity of epileptic seizures.

RESEARCH

The Hale Clinic is starting a research programe into epilepsy headed by our medical scientist and a GP trained in complementary medicine. Some drugs used for epilepsy, like phenobarbital, influence the gut bacteria dramatically. Their lag time was affected in the presence of high concentrations of phenobarbital. K. Tucker et al (Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease, Vol 18, 2006) proved the ability of Bifidobacterium to metabolize phenobarbital into the potentially toxic metabolite alpha-etyhyl-benezeneacetamide. The consequences of the generated metabolite may affect the surrounding intestinal bacterial population or even the effectiveness of the drug in treating epilepsy.