[Info] Acupuncture for Epilepsy

[Cinnabar]

Even before my first episode with Epilepsy, acupunture has been on my wish list for my overall well-being. My friend goes for treatments on a regular basis for his back problems and feels the remarkable results.

Since my first episode, acupuncture has crossed my mind even more as being a possible effective treatment for Epilepsy. I thought I would share some information here.

Bob Clarke, L.Ac., an acupuncturist at the Open Gate Acupuncture & Herbal Medicine Clinic in Eugene, Oregon, says, "Acupuncture can be quite useful for epilepsy, depending upon the type and extent of a person's epilepsy." He's treated several people with epilepsy and says that treatment helped reduce the frequency and severity of their seizures. "Acupuncture targets the cause of an illness," he says, "although it may take some time for the effects to be felt. People who expect a quick fix will be disappointed. Those who stick with the treatment, though, have a better chance for success." Like many acupuncturists, he includes herbal treatments and dietary

Two success stories...

Barbara Drake, a New York artist, was diagnosed with Temporal Lobe Epilepsy at age 21. Several years later, she started acupuncture treatments for several years, spaced at weekly, then monthly, intervals. During that time she was able to lower her medications. "It hasn't entirely controlled my seizures, but I've had fewer seizures and I've gained a greater awareness of my body," she says. "I always felt immensely relaxed after each treatment, with a renewed feeling of well-being. My acupuncturist had, I thought, a far better understanding of my body than my neurologist. Her powers of observations were acute, too. One day when I went for a treatment, I told her I'd had a seizure the day before. 'I thought so,' she said. 'The spleen spot on your leg is swollen.'"

One man who had experienced several grand mal seizures while asleep was diagnosed with Partial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and his physician prescribed Dilantin. "But," he says, "I was afraid of the side effects of medication. I have instead decided to try acupuncture and Chinese herbal mixtures. I feel there is some control. I've had one seizure since I began treatment. At this point," he says, "the treatment I have chosen seems much preferable to the mind-numbing and toxic effect of the usual prescription drugs.

Especially in the field of holistics it's important to know if your dealing with a accredited practioner.

Seek a licensed practitioner who has trained at an accredited school; the typical licensed acupuncturist has 2,000 to 3,000 hours of training. Be advised that in 30 states, physicians can practice acupuncture without any training. States that do require doctors to study before practicing demand only 200 or 300 hours of work;

About cost...

Generally fees range from $60-120 per session. The initial treatment is usually longer and more comprehensive and usually costs more.

While most practitioners have a set price per treatment, some offer a package price. This is common for treatments for smoking cessation and weight loss which require a commitment to multiple appointments.

If the treatment is billed to your insurance, you might notice that each technique used within a treatment is charged for in an ala carte fashion. These techniques could include massage therapy, cupping, electro stimulation and moxibustion.

http://www.healingwell.com/library/epilepsy/article.asp?author=murphy&id=3

 

[occb]

I never even thought about checking out acupuncture for E, or any other chromic illness. Partner and I have been discussing trying it out for non-invasive pain management before back surgery. That's really interesting stuff Laurie. Thanks for posting it up. I'll be looking into that more deeply.

 

[Cinnabar]

My friend with the severe back problems goes once a month. It's expensive but he feels it's worth it, actually to keep surgery at bay. He's now able to lift weights.

 

[occb]

Wow -- that's great! So your friend has to have surgery? Or is was it back surgery if he wasn't able to work it out with physio and exercise? I'm asking becaause Scott definitely needs surgery -- there's no two ways about that, but he would like to have the pain go away enough to be able to work out, and function more normally before getting it repaired.

 

[Nakamova]

I've also heard that acupuncture can help ease the side effects of meds. It would be great to have acupuncture keep the seizures at bay too, but it would be a real leap of faith (for me) to go off meds to try it. Same with homepathic treatments.

 

[Cinnabar]

Elle, No Steve didn't need surgery but was afraid he was going to go down that road because the pain was just too great to manage, to live a normal life.

Nak, I didn't know it could ease the side effects of medications.

I believe with acupuncture you can wean yourself off meds while going through the treatments. And then be off them completely. I too would be nervous about abandoning meds instantly. I'll be asking mu neurologist about this but can predict what he might say...to stay away from homeopathic treatments.

Drs. and health practioners almost always lock horns. I personally would like to be off meds because of the side effects. I don't like all these chemicals in my system. It's an individual choice which requires allot of research.

 

[Rae1889]

I've wanted to try it, but afraid it will hurt.

 

[Cinnabar]

Doesn't hurt at all from what I hear. They use the thinest needles. I watched Steve's treatment and you can barely see them and he said it didn't hurt one bit.

 

[epileric]

I go for regular acupuncture treatments. I normally go once a month but because I've been under a lot of stress & pressure I"ve been going every 2 weeks for for that last 6 weeks. It feels soooooo good and helps me in many ways, but so far it hasn't really controlled my seizures. It has however made a difference in how quickly I recover after the seizure.

When I was in massage college we had to learn acupuncture & I found one point that if I applied a slight pressure stopped the seizure dead in its tracks. It doesn't always work but I was rather surprised. The way acupuncture and acupressure work it could be a different point to stop someone elses seizures. I'm just finishing up at a local acupressure college. I'm pretty excited about it too.

Cinnabar, you're right, it doesn't hurt because The needles are extremely thin. Occasionally the acupuncturist will put a needle in me then ask how that feels & I won't even know that a needle was just inserted. If you're still really uncomfortable about the needles I would recommend acupressure.

 

[Rae1889]

That thumb-thing Nakamova mentioned in the thread i started "Any way to make it stop" does really work to stop my complex partials instant. it kinda puts me to sleep for a moment, and then i'm up. Its slightly disorienting, but it works.

He forgot to try the last 2 seizures I had, so we'll see about the Tonic Clonics.

 

[occb]

My deepest apologies Cinnabar -- a momentary topic-related hijack:

Epileric -- would you recommend massage/acupressure as a career? I've thought about making a drastic change in my edju-muh-cay-shun and going into something along those lines. I hear there's a lot of wear and tear on the hands and most people can't do it for longer than five years -- is that true?

 

[epileric]

In all fairness I can't say if I'd recommend it as a career as I'm just getting out of school. I'd feel better answering that after having it as a career for a while.

I'd love to know what made someone think that there's a lot of wear & tear on the hands. Doing this, practitioners one only uses the tips of their fingers & rather lightly. I've studied massage & massage is much harder on the hands than acupressure is on the fingers yet there are many massage therapists who have been practising for decades.

PM me if you have any more questions. I'll gladly answer them.

And now...........

Back to our Thread.

 

[Cinnabar]

Don't worry about a hijack. This is all interesting stuff and definetly applies to the topic!
You go epileric!

 

[Rae1889]

so on I guess a related topic...

If accupunture can heal, can it also harm?

like if it can reduce someone's seizure, can it also make them worse? or trigger seizures in someone who never had a seizure?

 

[Cinnabar]

Rae, I did a brief search and found no evidence that acupuncture could bring on a seizure. A "very" good question though.

 

[epileric]

I can't see how it can cause harm. Someone asked the teacher a similar question of what happens if we decide to use the "wrong" point.

Acupressure is based on helping the natural flows of energy (chi) through the body. If someone were to put a needle or pressure on a point that would open the flow of chi where it is not needed, despite the gate being open, the energy will not pass through.

Acupressure/acupuncture allows the body do what is needed to balance itself which makes it very safe.

 

[Rae1889]

okay, so if all the energy is routed to the brain, can there not be an "energy overload"? where the person cant handle that?

 

[epileric]

All the energy is not routed to the brain. It is based on the theory that various routes of energy are associated with various organs. The route for one organ (called a meridian) connects at certain points to other meridians but like I said, if the energy is not needed it won't go, even if that acupuncture point is being stimulated.

 

[Rae1889]

hmmm....
I find the concept of Chi a little weird. I mean granted that people have energy, or spirit or soul, whichever someone wants to call it. I find it weird, yet cool that this cna be manipulated.

 

[epileric]

hmmm....
I find the concept of Chi a little weird. I mean granted that people have energy, or spirit or soul, whichever someone wants to call it. I find it weird, yet cool that this cna be manipulated.

:agree: My advice would be try it & see what you think.