Can Acupuncture Treatments Help Control Seizures

More and more epilepsy patients are finding out the value of acupuncture treatment that can help control their seizures. A vital part of the medical heritage of China for over 4,000 years, acupuncture has become an important form of medical treatment in some western countries since it was introduced there in the early 70’s. It’s one of the most commonly used forms of complementary treatment and a widely used standalone therapy used by practitioners to treat certain types of conditions.

Chinese medicine and acupuncture are often used interchangeably. Acupuncture is a part of traditional Chinese medicine or TCM that includes also herbal remedies, exercises, and diet. Some acupuncturists have had wide experience treating epilepsy. A special form of acupuncture is used depending on the extent and type of a patient’s epilepsy. Acupuncture has led to the lessening of the severity and frequency of patients’ seizures and since it targets the real cause of the sickness, this treatment produces long lasting and really significant results although the results may take a while to be felt due to the its natural approach to healing. So if, you are expecting immediate results for your epilepsy problem, then you might be just disappointed. Patients who stick with the treatment are much more likely to benefit in many ways from this treatment. Acupuncturists often combine dietary therapy and herbal treatments to augment the effect of their acupuncture treatments.

Balancing Energy
Western medicine has a very different approach in treating and preventing illnesses compared to the ancient art of acupuncture. Acupuncturists trained in the traditional school, believe that qi or vital energy circulates via energy channels known as meridians throughout the body. Vital energy (Qi) is the force that gives life and plays a huge part in all bodily functions – from emotions to metabolism. Chinese medicine practitioners believe that people who enjoy good have an energy circulation or flow that runs freely and optimally. If this flow slows down or stagnates because of a blockage arising in the meridians, sickness and/or pain results. Acupuncture is used to restore the proper flow of qi and bring back balance between yin and yang. Just below the skin’s surface (in the meridians), patterns of energy flow. These energy patterns in the meridians are stimulated by inserted acupuncture needles to help the body heal and balance itself.

The needles used in an acupuncture procedure are hair-thin stainless steel sterilized needles. They are inserted into strategic points in the body known as acupoints. Under the surface of these acupoints lie the meridians. The human body is composed of 12 meridians. Acupuncturists treat people with epilepsy by targeting the acupoints that help improve circulation in the head and influencing brain energy. Some acupuncturists manipulate the needle in such a way that the flow of energy runs in a manner they desire and also to help remove the blockages in the meridians. In order to make sure that the correct energy flow is maintained, acupuncturists would prescribe herbs and recommend dietary changes.

Acupuncture treatment aims to address the underlying reason of the illness as well resolve its symptoms. The patient is treated holistically which means his/her spiritual, emotional, and physical balance is restored.

In TCM, the person’s spiritual or inner life is taken into consideration and is very vital in the diagnosis and treatment of a condition.

Acupuncture should always be done by a licensed Chinese medicine practitioner. It is not a treatment that you should do on yourself. Some epileptic individuals who have done so have found that it had the opposite effect and it had actually aggravated the seizures.

Pulses
Similar to a doctor measuring a patient’s pulse to determine blood loss and heart rate, the acupuncturist assesses the pulse of the patient to obtain information about the liver, spleen, stomach, and other organs of the body. The pulse to an acupuncturist indicates the health of the energy systems of qi. This is something that medical doctors do not consider. In TCM, the pulse can be divided into a dozen primary parts, six to a wrist, each associated to one or more organ systems in the body. Each organ is also related to a specific type of energy. In knowing the by which manner energy flows in a person’s body, the acupuncturist can select the proper acupoints to treat.

Research
Acupuncture has shown to be a reliable and safe way to lower or decrease seizure activities based on certain studies done in China. Some studies have recommended a plan of treatment that includes massage therapy, acupuncture, and herbs in epilepsy treatment.

An acupuncture study performed in Germany had 98 participants ranging from the age of two to fifty-two who all were suffering from epilepsy. During the initial weeks of the study all medications were halted. Acupuncture treatments were administered for up to 18 months. After a year, 65 individuals manifested significant health advancements s with no seizures without the use of medications. Later on, the patients were given maintenance acupuncture treatments once in two to three months. In five individuals, relapses occurred. The conclusion gleaned from the study was that acupuncture can definitely alleviate some of the factors that aggravate epilepsy – poor sleep, stress, etc.