Carbon Dioxide – Oxygen Enrichment Treatment
According to Dr. Coralee Thompson, medical director of the Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential in Pennsylvania, recurrent seizures can be considered symptoms of brain injury. Using this approach, brain injury is treated by using carbon dioxide, the main regulator of cerebral blood flow, to enhance oxygen delivery to the brain. This, in turn, improves lung function, blood oxygenation, and oxygen delivery to the brain. This physiological support for the brain is said to facilitate neurological development, and lessen, or sometimes eliminate seizures. Warning: do not try this at home—professional instruction is needed, and there are contraindications for those with cardiac defects, asthma, and obstructive pulmonary disease. The Institutes can be reached at (215) 223-2050 or www.iahp.org.

THE BODY ROUTE

Hormone therapy
Much has been written about the influence of hormones on seizure activity, but surprisingly, it isn’t well known in the general medical community. Dr. Alan Jacobs, a neuroendocrinologist from New York, presented information about the roles of estrogen and progesterone in catamenial epilepsy (seizures related to women’s menstrual cycles). Generally, estrogen provokes seizures, while progesterone acts to inhibit them. Catamenial epilepsy can be treated with progesterone, given at specific times in the menstrual cycle. Men with epilepsy can also be affected by reproductive hormones, and can be treated with testosterone. Dr. Jacobs can be reached at arjacobs@downstate.edu.

Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been a part of traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years, and there are many accounts of its use in the treatment of epilepsy. The strategic insertion of needles in designated areas of the body is believed to stimulate the release of inhibitory neurochemicals, but there are no conclusive results on acupuncture’s effectiveness for seizure control in the existing case-control studies in the medical literature. Dr. Weidong Lu, professor of Chinese medicine at the New England School of Acupuncture, stressed persistence—at least 20-40 treatment sessions are needed to feel any real results. Dr. Lu can be reached at luweidong@mediaone.net.

Osteopathy
This discipline emphasizes the structural and functional integrity of the whole body from the head to the feet, and recognizes the effects of injury, whether at birth or later, in the origin of many diseases and disabilities, including epilepsy. An osteopathic physician is trained to look for subtle changes in the musculoskeletal system, and apply gentle manipulative skill to correct them. They maintain that, in many instances, neurological problems can be relieved. The earlier these treatments are given, the better the results. Dr. Viola Frymann is director of Osteopathic Center for Children in San Diego, California. The center can be found at www.osteopathiccenter.org.

Craniosacral therapy/massage/chiropractic
These treatments all involve direct body manipulation, but differ in how the manipulation is applied. Craniosacral therapy (CST) says that the functioning of the craniosacral system - the head and spine – creates a rhythm. CST monitors this rhythm and uses gentle, hands-on manipulations to correct abnormalities and enhance well-being. According to Bernhard Mueller, a German expert in epilepsy, all seizure types can be influenced by massage, and he’s found it effective in reducing seizure frequency for some people with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Bernhard Mueller can be reached at bmueller@mail.uni-mainz.de. Chiropractors practice spinal manipulation, primarily directed to the upper cervical spine, although other techniques may be employed. In some cases, patients have reported improvement. Dr. Brian Gleberzon, a professor at the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto, suggests that people with epilepsy may try augmenting their pharmacological therapy with chiropractic care, but cautions you to be wary of any health care provider who makes improbable claims. Dr. Gleberzon can be reached at bgleberzon@cmcc.ca.