Alternative approaches to epilepsy treatment springerlink. In those whose seizures do not respond to medication, surgery. Despite the advent of antiepileptic drugs aeds and surgical management of epilepsy, 30 40 % of patients do not become seizure free, develop resistance to their aeds, or experience major aedrelated adverse events nagai et al. For a more comprehensive evaluation of each treatment, readers are directed towards epilepsy. Use of complementary and alternative medicine in epilepsy. Alternative therapy epilepsy treatment intractable. Dietary therapies for epilepsy johns hopkins university. Approximately half of the children have at least half their seizures. Epilepsy natural ways to treat, alternative therapy. Epilepsy action is a charity that improves the lives of everyone affected by epilepsy. The trend of using cam for treating epilepsy does not differ from that in other medical conditions, with nearly one half of patients. Although the most commonly used therapeutic approach to control seizures is pharmacological, nonpharmacological therapies, including complementary and alternative medicine, are often used by people with epilepsy. The ketogenic diet was developed for controlling seizures, particularly in children with poorly controlled epilepsy.
You should talk to your doctor if you are considering trying any alternative treatments for your epilepsy, no matter how simple or basic the alternative treatment seems. Other alternative treatments that some people with epilepsy have tried include stress reduction techniques, yoga, herbs, and vitamin supplements. Epilepsy is a group of neurological disorders characterized by recurrent epileptic seizures. A ketogenic diet kd and epilepsy surgery are alternative treatments for people with. Cam is generally used as an umbrella term to refer to any treatment that.
Finally, many people with epilepsy, and their families, are compromised or disabled by the psychological and social consequences of epilepsy. Cat therapies for epilepsy include specialized diets, nutritional and herbal supplements, massage, mindbody practices, medical marijuana, energy therapies, hormones, and acupuncture. Nurses have a unique opportunity to provide services that facilitate wholeness. Parental knowledge and attitudes towards epilepsy a study from. Aeds are the most commonly used treatment for epilepsy. New research into epilepsy and complementary treatments. We feel that we have to try out new ways becouse time is pasing by and the brain develops its most important high ways the. In all cases, however, it results from electrical activity in the brain. The trend of using cam for treating epilepsy does not differ from that in other medical conditions, with nearly one half of patients using cam. Although there are many pharmacological treatments for epilepsy, some patients. Are there alternative treatments for seizure disorders. Read about the treatments for epilepsy, including the different types of medicines and. Summary people with epilepsy may consider complementary and alternative medicine cam for many reasons.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Acupuncture, traditional chinese herbal medicine, flower remedies, color therapy, homeopathy, reflexology, yoga and meditation are some of therapies that may help those who suffer epilepsy. Unlike antiepileptic drugs aeds, many cat therapies have not been rigorously tested for. Feeney adds that patients react to medications in different and sometimes unpredictable ways. Epilepsy action is the working name of british epilepsy association, a registered charity in england and wales no. In some cases, seizures cause only a loss of consciousness, a period of. Complementary, alternative therapies for neurological. Although initially very popular, as new anticonvulsants such as phenytoin became introduced, the popularity of the dietary therapies for epilepsy eric h. Use of alternative medicine by patients with epilepsy. In a previous study on factors affecting the use of complementary and alternative therapies in adults with epilepsy, 31% of patients were receiving such therapies and 19. I know from experience that the disorder of epileptic seizures can be cured. Others are based on the idea that the person with epilepsy has less of some vitamin or mineral in his body than is normal. Complementary and alternative medicine cam has become much in vogue, and cam practitioners have increased in tandem with this. Still others focus on avoiding certain types of food.
We evaluated the use of alternative treatment methods, in various forms, by epileptic patients who had used these forms of treatment before seeking hospital treatment. Factors contributing to the use of complementary and. Publications of the pan american health organization are available on the. The use of complementary and alternative medicine in children with. Perception and use of complementary and alternative medicine. This book provides really useful information for people who suffer from epilepsy exploring alternative therapies within a medical context. Epilepsy alternative treatment, diet, vitamins, supplements june 15 2019 by ray sahelian, m. We give advice, improve healthcare, fund research and campaign for change. Epilepsy is a difficult illness to control up to 35% of patients do not respond fully to traditional medical treatments. This information explains what some of the most used complementary treatments are, and whether there is any evidence about their usefulness in treating epilepsy. There are many varied symptoms and widely differing degrees of severity. N2 complementary and alternative medicine cam is increasingly being used for a multitude of medical problems, one of them being seizures. Other people with epilepsy want to try complementary treatments for things not related to epilepsy. Holistic alternative medicine acupuncture epilepsy.
Nonpharmacological treatments for epilepsy epilepsy society. Some people tell us that they find complementary treatments can help their epilepsy. Kossoff1, hueishyong wang 2 since their introduction in 1921, highfat, lowcarbohydrate ketogenic diets have been used worldwide for refractory childhood. Authored by three distinguished epileptologists, this b. Natural treatments for epilepsy, such as herbs, biofeedback, and acupuncture, may complement traditional treatment options. Deep brain stimulation more than 6 partial or secondarily generalized seizures per month seizures refractory to more than 3 aeds 4 phases. Cultural perception and traditional or alternative medicine. Experimental and clinical findings from physical exercise. Alternative therapies in treating epilepsy introduction. Request pdf use of complementary and alternative therapies in epilepsy the use of complementary and alternative medication cam in the united states has skyrocketed in the past decade.
Complementary and alternative treatments for epilepsy the. Treatment epilepsy action australiaepilepsy action. Dietary therapies ketogenic and modified atkins diet. Alternative therapy for partial epilepsy with a twist. The position of the epilepsy foundation landover, md is that alternative therapies are acceptable as long as the patient continues with the traditional therapies, and the alternative and traditional therapies do not conflict. Stress management many adults with epilepsy report they have more seizures at times of increased or prolonged periods of stress. I have tried diverse alternative, but i have never stopped taking my medication. Epilepsy health, alternative complementary treatments and therapy for epileptic seizures. Use of complementary and alternative therapies in epilepsy. Complementary and alternative therapies for epilepsy tuberous sclerosis. Alternative treatments often help a dog without relying on expensive, potentially harmful medications. There have been some studies of alternative treatments for epilepsy including biofeedback, melatonin, or large doses of vitamins biofeedback. In our study in 2014, 19% n398 of children with epilepsy used traditional korean medicine tkm acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine.
The use of cam has increased over the past two decades, and surveys have shown that up to 44% of patients with epilepsy are using some. Other alternative treatments include the ketogenic diet, vagusnerve stimulation, hormonal therapy in women, behavioral therapy, and a number of new and still experimental therapies. Complementary and alternative therapies for epilepsy. Epilepsy, symptoms, causes, natural, complementary and. In people with this condition, brain cells create abnormal electricity that causes seizures. Some complementary and alternative therapies for epilepsy are based on the principle that relaxation may reduce seizures.
The most common reason for inadequate aed therapy and higher dependence on cam was the patients belief that epilepsy had a spiritual or. Use of complementary and alternative medicine and adherence to. The name of one doctor stood out prominently in this regard because he was widely advertised, even in leading newspapers, as a specialist in the treatment of epilepsy, having treated more than 25,000 patients over the last 15 years. For this reason, many sufferers choose to rely on or incorporate complementary and alternative medicine cam into their treatment regimens. The literature describes the use of cam in individuals with neurological diseases such as dementias, multiple sclerosis, neuropathies, spinal cord injury, and epilepsy. Alternative therapies for epilepsy by orrin devinsky. Epilepsy is the repeated occurrence of seizures, which result from uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain. Children with epilepsy may benefit from alternative therapies to control seizures, study finds.
This makes them an attractive alternative for those needing more than one antiseizure medication. Neuroprotective and antiepileptogenic approaches have been extensively explored for preventing and treating epilepsy. Definitions of what constitutes a complementary or alternative medicine cam vary, but. Complementary and alternative treatments by baxendale, sallie isbn. This prompted the patients relatives to consider alternative modes of therapy. Many people with epilepsy find that the use of alternative therapies helps to manage their epilepsy, although comprehensive research has not proven this fact. Complementary and alternative medicine use in a pediatric neurology clinic. It is also important to discuss any alternative therapies with your neurologist as there are some that have been shown to be detrimental when used in conjunction with anticonvulsants.
Acupuncture for epilepsy pros and cons epilepsy talk. Complementary and alternative medicine cam is a diverse group of health care practices and products that fall outside the realm of traditional western medical theory and practice and that are used to complement or replace conventional medical therapies. The modified atkins diet is a less restrictive diet that also seems to help with seizure control. Complementary and alternative medicine is considered and used by many people with.