Understanding Epilepsy And

its Homeopathic Answer.....

By Dr. Sandeep Anwane (BHMS)

 Epilepsy
 Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes people to have
recurring seizures. The seizures happen when clusters
of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain send out the
wrong signals. People may have strange sensations
and emotions or behave strangely. They may have
violent muscle spasms or lose consciousness.
 Epilepsy means a tendency to have seizures and is a
symptom of brain disease rather than disease itself.
 However the recurrence rate is about 70% after first
attack.
 Ancient Belief About Epilepsy:
 Epilepsy, the so-called Sacred Disease, was known as the
disease of Hercules because Hercules reportedly suffered from
epilepsy when he went mad. Julius Caesar is believed to have
had epilepsy. Alexander the Great, Socrates, Caligula, and
Saul, king of the Israelites, may also have suffered seizures.
 Derek Collins, in Magic in the Ancient Greek World, devotes
much of his second chapter to the Sacred Disease and its
magical or divine connections. When Hercules suffered an
epileptic seizure, Lussa, a goddess of madness, entered his
body, according to the ancient stories. This made epilepsy a
type of possession. Purification was the preferred method of
treating such defilement as possession, although not all
possessions were considered dirty: Apollo "possessed" the
Pythian priestess when she uttered her predictions; however,
the Pythian priestess was simply enhanced, not defiled.
 In the third chapter of his book on ancient
Greek magic, Collins quotes Plutarch about
infant exposure, the practice of letting an
unwanted infant lie outside in the elements and
so die. Plutarch says the Spartans bathed
infants in wine in order to induce epileptic
convulsions, if the newborns were so inclined.
If they convulsed, they would be exposed at
the foot of a mountain at the Apothetai (the
exposure place).
 Famous Quotes About Epilepsy:
 "There is no evidence... that either epileptic seizures
or a predisposition to epilepsy is capable of
engendering exceptional talents. Rather, the
occasional concurrence of epilepsy and genius most
likely reflects the probability that a common disorder
will at times afflict people with uncommon potential."
 "Sometimes the same things that cause epilepsy result
in giftedness. If you damage an area [of the brain]
early enough in life, the corresponding area on the
other side has a chance to overdevelop."
 "A temporal lobe focus in the superior individual may
spark an extraordinary search for that entity we
alternately call truth or beauty."
 Brief View On Epilepsy

 Epilepsy means a tendency to have seizures

preceded by an AURA(a subjective sensation before
an attack of a disease.)
This disease affects 6-7 individual out of 1000.
 Role/achievements of modern
medicine:
 Modern medicine, scientist, neurologist can do much
for proper diagnosis and treatment of an epilepsy.
Modern imaging technique(MRI, CT scan), scientific
knowledge and dedication can help to diagnose the
proper pathological causes of epilepsy in brain.
Over all they do the good job.........
 On the basis of study epilepsy can be classified as:
Generalized epilepsy
Partial epilepsy
There are many Causes of epilepsy:
 Hereditary
 Psychological
 Injury
 Pathological
 Physiological
 Trigger factors:
 Alcohol
 Diet
 Infection and Illness
 Lack of sleep
 Menstruation
 Photo sensitivity
 Severe change in temperature
 Stress.
 Management:
 Modern medicine can able to deal with the
acute state by giving anticonvulsant drug and
others.
Surgical treatment is one of the solution if any
pathological cause is present.

But in spite of the over all study and modern

scientific highly valuable investigation can not
answer the possible or permanent treatment of
an epilepsy.
 Homeopathic Treatment:
 Absinthinum:
Congestion of the cerebral meninges and the medulla
ane even produces a fibrinous exudates under
duramater.
Epilepsy followed by obtuse state of the mind.
Epilepsy after fright and when numerous attacks
follow one another rapidly.
 Argentum nitricum:
For days or hours before an attack the pupils are
dilated.
After the attack, the patient is very restless and has
trembling of the hands.
Epilepsy during menstruation.
 Arsenicum album:
Before the attack the patient has spells of vertigo and
intense aching in the occiput.Great anguish and
restlessness.
Changes place continually. Fears, of death, of being
left alone. Great fear, with cold sweat.
Thinks it useless to take medicine.Its general
symptoms often alone lead to its successful
application.
Among these the all-prevailing debility, exhaustion,
and restlessness, with nightly aggravation, are most
important.
Other medicines are:
 Bufo:Indigo:
 Causticum:
 Cicuta virosa:
 Cuprum metallicum:
 Hydrocyanic acid:
 Hyoscyamus:
 Silicea:
 Oenanthe:
 Repertorial answer to an epilepsy:
Following rubrics found in Kent's
Repertory about epilepsy:
 MIND, DELIRIUM; epilepsy, during : Op.
-after : Arg-m., plb.
MIND, delusions, epilepsy, fancies he has : Atro.
MIND, dullness, epilepsy, before : Caust.
MIND, excitement, epilepsy, before : Art-v.
MIND, fear, epilepsy : Alum., arg-n.
-in the morning : Alum.
MIND ,FOOLISH behavior epilepsy, before : Caust.
MIND,FORGETFUL epilepsy, before : Caust.
MIND,IDIOCY, idiotic actions : epilepsy, before : Caust.
MIND, IMBECILITY, epilepsy, before : Caust.
 MIND, RAGE, epilepsy, after : Arg-m.
-with : Bell., cupr., hyos., nux-v., op., plb.
MIND unconsciousness, epilepsy, after : Bufo., Op., plb.
Vertigo; EPILEPSY, before : Ars., calc-ar., caust.,
Hyos., lach., plb., sulph., tarent
Vertigo; EPILEPTIC : Apis., art-v., bufo., calc-ar.,
calc-s., caust., crot-h., cur., ign.,
nat-m., nux-m., plb., sil., thuj., visc.
Head, congestion, epilepsy, before : Calc-ar.
Head, heat, epilepsy, before : Caust.
Head, pain, epileptic attacks, after : Caust., cina.,
cupr.
Head, perspiration, scalp, epilepsy, before : Caust.
Head, TREMBLING sensation : epilepsy, before :
Caust.
EYE,PROTRUSION; epileptic attack during: hyos.
EYE,TWITCHING lids :epileptic convulsions,
before: agar.
Vision, sparks, epileptic fit, before : Hyos.
Ear, NOISES, epilepsy, after : Caust.
Ear, NOISES, hissing : epilepsy, after : Caust.
Ear, NOISES, buzzing, epilepsy, after : Caust.
Ear, NOISES, ringing, epileptic fit, before : Hyos.
Ear, NOISES, roaring, epilepsy, after : Caust.
FACE; CHEWING motion of the jaw;epilepsy,
before an attack : Calc.
TEETH; GRINDING; epilepsy : Bufo., Hyos.,
sulph., tarent.
Stomach, APPETITE, ravenous, eating, after, soon;
epilepsy, before : Calc., Hyos.
Stomach , emptiness, epilepsy, before : Hyos.
Stomach , RETCHING, epilepsy, before : Cupr.
Abdomen, distension, epileptic attack, before : Cupr., lach.
Urine, copious, epilepsy, after : Cupr.
Larynx and trachea, VOICE, lost, epilepsy, before : Calc-ar.
Chest, anxiety, Heart, epilepsy, with : Lyc.
Chest, constriction, Heart;epilepsy, before : Calc-ar., lach.
Chest, palpitation heart, epilepsy, before : Ars., calc-ar., calc., cupr.,
lach.
Extremities, CLENCHING ;epileptic convulsion : Lach., mag-p.,
oena.
Extremities, coldness, shoulder; epilepsy, in : Caust.
Extremities, contraction, fingers, epilepsy : Lach., mag-p., merc.
Extremities, CONVULSION; Upper limbs : epileptic, starting from :
Sulph.
Extremities, coldness, foot,epileptic attack; before: lach.
Extremities, jerking, Fingers; epilepsy : Cic.
Extremities, MOUSE, upper limbs : before epilepsy : Bell., Sulph.
Extremities, NUMBNESS; Upper limbs; epilepsy, between attacks :
Cupr.
Extremities, NUMBNESS; Fingers; epileptic, during : Cupr.
 Extremities, pain, upper limbs, left : epilepsy, before : Calc-
ar.
Extremities, pain, upper limbs, epileptic, before : Calc-ar.
Extremities, pain, upper limbs, Hand; epileptic fit, before
(left) : Calc-ar.
Extremities, pain, drawing, upper arm, epilepsy, before :
Cupr.
Extremities, stiffness, Upper limbs ;epilepsy, before : Bufo.
-Lower limbs; epilepsy, before : Bufo.
Extremities, STRETCHED OUT; Leg : epilepsy, before :
Bufo.
Extremities, trembling, Upper limbs; epilepsy, before : Sil.
Extremities, twitching, Hand ; epilepsy in: stann.
Chill, EPILEPSY, after : Calc., Cupr., sulph.
Chill, SIDES, one-sided, left; before epilepsy : Sil.
 Generalities, convulsions,epileptic : Arg-m., Arg-n.,
Bar-m., Bufo., Calc-ar,Caust., Cupr., Hyos., Oena.,
Plb.., Sil., Sulph., Visc.
-aura, abdomen to head, with : Indg.
-arms, in : Calc., lach., sulph.
-cold air over spine and body : Agar.
-coldness running down spine : Ars.
-on left side before epilepsy : Sil.
-drawing in limbs : Ars.
-expansion of body, sensation of, before : Arg-n.
-general nervous feeling : Arg-n., nat-m.
-heart, from : Calc-ar., lach., naja.
-heel to occiput, right : Stram.
-jerk in nape : Bufo.
-knees : Cupr.
-mouse, running like a : Bell., Calc., ign., nit-ac., sil.,
sulph.
-numbness of brain : Bufo.
 -solar plexus, from : Art-v., bell., bufo., calc.,
caust., Cic., cupr., indg., Nux-v., sil., Sulph.
-uterus : Bufo.
-uterus to throat : Lach.
-warm air streaming up spine : Ars.
-waving sensation in brain : Cimic.

Epileptiform : Agar., Arg-n., Bell., Calc.,

Caust., Cic., Cina., Cupr., Glon., Hyos., Plb.,.,
Stram.,
Sulph., Visc.
 conclusion:
 From the above repertorial result i am on the
conclusion that the CAUSTICUM is the most
suited medicine for an epilepsy in it associated
with MIND AND HEAD symptoms.
CUPRUM MET. is the medicine for epilepsy
when it is associated with symptoms of an
extremities.