Epilepsy Treatment in Ayurveda
It is also known as falling sickness. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that affects central nervous system in which activity of nerve cell in brain is disturbed. In this disorder seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations and sometimes loss of consciousness is occurred.
A seizure is a disturbance in the normal regulation of brain. It is the disturbance of electrical activity in brain. It occurs when nerve cells or neuron send wrong message to brain. The symptoms of seizures can vary from person to person. The common feature is spreading wave of uncontrolled electrical activity.
GENERALIZED SEIZURES::-
It generally begins with sudden abnormal electrical activity throughout the entire brain. It includes: tonic clonic convulsions (grand mal) and absence seizures (petit mal or staring seizures).
PARTIAL SEIZURES:-
It begins with abnormal electrical activity in just one part of brain. This activity can spread to other parts as well. It includes: simple partial seizure, complex partial seizure and secondarily generalized seizure.
AYURVEDIC VIEW OF EPILEPSY
In Ayurveda Epilepsy is known as Apasmara and the epileptic attacks are known as Akshpaka. In Ayurveda, epilepsy is categorizes into four types depending upon which type of Dosha is vitiated.
Such as epilepsy which results due to aggravation of Vata dosha is known as Vataja epilepsy, aggravation of Kapha dosha is known as Kaphaja epilepsy, aggravation of Pitta dosha is known as Pittaja epilepsy and aggravation of all three doshas is known as Sannipataja epilepsy.
SYMPTOMS OF EPILEPSY
Symptoms vary depending upon the type of seizure. In most cases, a person with epilepsy will tend to have same type of seizure each time. So symptoms will be similar from episode to episode. Some common sign and symptoms may include:
- Sudden jerks in arms
- Strange feeling
- Sudden blackout & fainting
- Stiffness in muscles
- Twitching or trembling of muscle
- Psychic symptoms
WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR
If you may have following symptoms occurs then you may seek a medical help:
- Seizure may last for longer duration i.e. more than five minutes
- Breathing or consciousness doesn't recover after seizure attack stops.
- Immediately second seizure follows
- Pregnancy
- High fever
- Any injury due to seizure
CAUSES OF EPILEPSY
The clear cause of epilepsy is not known. Typically the common known cause of seizure is some injury to the brain. Some of the main causes of epilepsy include:
- Low oxygen during birth.
- Brain tumors.
- Infections such as meningitis and encephalitis.
- Stroke
- Any type of brain damage
- Genetic conditions those results in brain injury such as tuberculosis.
- Prenatal injury
