Epilepsy is prevalent in developing countries like India. More than 1 crore people in India suffer from epilepsy. It is a neurological disease and the reasons are not well known. There may be a genetic predisposition and several triggering factors that incite the bouts of seizers.
It is a nonfatal disease that may be manifested in childhood. Patients may faint for short periods. Seizures occur and memory is distorted during the episodes. The frequency of epileptic attacks and symptoms may disappear in adolescent age. In Ayurveda, this disease is named Apasmara because the consciousness is clouded for short periods of time during the attack. Modern medicine has classified epilepsy into grand mal and petit mal basing on the duration of seizures. This is caused by frequent bursts of electrical impulses from the whole of the brain or part of the brain that affects the muscles with spasms.
Ayurveda identifies few causes for epilepsy like:
- Unwholesome food
- Unhealthy regimen
- Suppression of natural urges (urination, yawning, thirst, etc.)
- Unwholesome sexual activities (viz. during menstruation)
- Head injuries
- Psychological stress.
During the attacks the patients lose consciousness and exhibit the following symptoms:
- Salivation (Saliva leaks from the mouth)
- Tremors (shivering)
- Burning sensation in the hands and feet
- Faints momentarily and comes back to consciousness. These episodes will last more than 10-15 seconds or sometimes for upto a minute.
