Be sure that you have read carefully the Cayce philosophy page. One of the most important principles outlined by Cayce and others where people are suffering from any condition is to do everything they can to help others in whatever capacity they can. Cayce frequently mentioned that this would bring faster results. This is a great ingredient in helping all people to transmute their own karma. See other pages on this particularly important treatment.
Conventional treatment
Epilepsy is a disorder, which takes the form of recurring seizures. Seizures can be sudden uncontrolled episodes of electrochemical activity in the brain. Brain cells normally communicate with each other in a coordinated way to control our conscious state and body movements. During a seizure this communication is temporarily disturbed and becomes uncoordinated. Many factors can contribute to the development of epilepsy including brain infections, head injuries, cerebral tumors and strokes. It is also now recognized that some types of epilepsy may be inherited. 60 - 75% of people with epilepsy can have their seizures reduced or completely controlled with medications known as anti-epileptic drugs These do not cure epilepsy but they can usually improve seizure control and thereby enhance the quality of life for the majority of people. They are not without their side effects, some of which can be severe. Some of the known side effects of certain drugs include fatigue, dizziness, irritability, double vision, nausea, rashes, tremors and gum swelling.
First aid for seizures
Firstly, make sure that the person is not near anything that could harm them; hard or sharp objects should be removed or the person should be gently moved away from danger.
You should not attempt to restrain the person or try to stop the jerking.
You should never try to put anything in a person's mouth while they are having a seizure. Although they may bite their tongue, they cannot actually swallow it (an old myth). Attempting to force the mouth open may break their teeth and damage the tissues inside their mouth and throat.
If possible, roll the person onto their side during the seizure and keep the head supported with a small pillow or cushion. This will ensure that the excessive saliva and any vomit or blood, which builds up in the mouth during a seizure, drains out of the mouth. It also helps to make breathing easier.
If you don't have help, keep the person's head supported during the seizure - use a pillow or cushion if available. This is to prevent the person from injuring their head and to help saliva drain out of their mouth.
As soon as the seizure is over, turn them onto one side to enable the contents of the mouth to readily drain out and to help clear the airway to make breathing easier.
Stay with the person until they have fully recovered. They may remain confused or drowsy for some time after the seizure. Try to reassure them, it is not usually necessary to call an ambulance. However, if a seizure lasts more than 5 minutes or one seizure follows another without the person regaining consciousness, call an ambulance immediately.
Remember protect the person from injury, ensure they are breathing, help make breathing easier and stay with the person until the seizure is over.
There are many different types of seizures and may appear as any of the following:
- confusion and disorientation
- unusual, sudden body movements such as stiffening and jerking
- a convulsion with total loss of consciousness
- temporarily altered behavior
- staring and blinking
- a frightened look or lack of response
- a strange feeling or unusual taste
- lip smacking and chewing
- walking around without any purpose
- fiddling with clothes/objects nearby
- speaking in an unintelligible way
Common seizure triggers include:
- forgetting or failing to take prescribed medication
- illness with a high temperature
- diarrhea and vomiting (which is known to prevent the absorption of any medication)
- fatigue
- over-excitement
- hysteria
- stress
- fear
- Loud noises and bright lights
- General anesthetics can also bring on a seizure for some people
Alternative Treatment
Edgar Cayce gave over 250 readings for epilepsy and associated disorders. In Reba Ann Karp’s book, a study was made of about 84 readings for 37 people with an age range of 20 months to 62 yrs old. There are quite a few files at the A.R.E. which members can research further and anyone contemplating treatment would be well advised to consult with them.
Causes
1. Most frequently mentioned was glandular imbalances, which implied adhesions and lesions in the lacteal area of the intestines.
2. Other glands were mentioned particularly the pineal.
3. In 16 cases spinal sublaxations and lesions were found to be a direct cause with mention of other vertebrae out of alignment in any part of the spine. These misalignments would interfere with the proper supply of nutrients and or nerve impulses which were needed in other parts of the body the lack of which would result in seizures.
4. Injuries which were mentioned in 16 cases whether the injuries were caused at birth or later in life these were again interfering with the proper flow of nutrients and or nerve pathways.
5. Poor eliminations which tended to increase the severity of the disorder in 11 cases. A sluggish excretory system would lead to a build up of toxins which were very injurious to the nerves and glands.
6. Karma, the meeting of selves actions whether done in this life or the past ones.
7. Prenatal factors was also mentioned in 8 cases, a mothers poor diet
Treatment
1. Dietary changes were outlined in 25 cases with the emphasis placed on light alkaline reacting foods, which were high in minerals and would be easily assimilated. (See general health & Cayce philosophy). Fried foods and heavy meats were to be avoided.
2. Spinal manipulation in the form of osteopathic adjustments, frequent areas for consideration was the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cervical vertebrae which directly control impulses to the brain. Cayce saw that these adjustments would eventually break up the lesions and restore proper alignment; a lengthy series was often prescribed.
3. To help break up the lesions in the lacteal are castor oil packs were generally recommended, which were made up from flannel soaked in warm castor oil which were applied daily over the abdomen for 1 hr and were kept warm with an electric heating pad. Internal doses of olive oil often went with the packs. After the packs had been on for an hour, a rinse with bicarb of soda in water followed.
5. Internal doses of a tonic or tea made from the passionflower herb sometimes called maypops or may blossom. This was used to strengthen the nerve, restore nervous coordination and also act as a sedative. The dosage recommended was to be three tablespoons daily taken at meal times.
6. Massages were recommended to 15 people over the spine and other areas to relax the body and help remove the lesions. Peanut oil, olive oil or cocoa butter was to be used with the massage.
7. To cleanse the system and reduce pressures on the spine: enemas and colonics or mild laxatives such as castor and olive oil.
8. Two unusual treatments which were used with considerable success involved salt and ice. The first was to place a pinch of salt on the persons tongue to relax the body and to help prevent the occurrence of seizures .The ice was to applied at the base of the brain to reduce the severity of the seizures. Apply a small piece of ice rubbed along the base of the brain, at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cervical, this will cause an IMMEDIATE reaction; which will stop the attacks
9. Of course spiritual healing as ever can be of considerable benefit in all types of maladies. I would encourage everyone to add this to their healing protocol.
Of note abdominal adhesions in most cases of epilepsy are in the lacteal ducts. These are part of the lymphatic system. Their purpose is to absorb nutrients from the small intestine as digested food passes through the intestine. Any obstructions or adhesions in the lacteal ducts can interfere with absorption of nutrients (particularly fats and proteins). Also, adhesions can interfere with the circulation of blood and lymph and cause the nervous system and organs to be thrown out of balance or "coordination". Nervous system coordination was a primary factor cited in the Cayce readings on epilepsy. Treatment is directed at breaking up adhesions in the lacteal duct area, which is located along the right side of the abdomen.
One therapy recommended by Cayce for breaking up these adhesions was castor oil packs. When a piece of flannel cloth is saturated with hot castor oil and placed on the abdomen, the combination of the heat and oil will break up the adhesions associated with epilepsy. The hot castor oil pack is placed over the right side of the abdomen in the area of the lacteal ducts for about an hour. Three sessions per week were typically recommended. Each session followed by an abdominal massage, which assists in breaking up adhesions.
Edgar Cayce found involvement in the lacteals in all the cases except where a brain scar or tumor was the etiological factor. He found lesions in the cervical or neck segments in all these cases, and in the coccyx, adjacent to the chorda-equinus (the great sympathetic nerve plexus at the tip of the tailbone). Then he found lesions in the dorsal (thoracic) segments and lumbars, next in frequency, while involvement of the caecum, pineal glands; ovaries and gall bladder were infrequent.
Specific measures were repeated again and again. Manipulation and mobilization to free up lesions in the cervical and coccygeal areas were given. The use of the infusions of passion flower were given in approximately fifty per cent of the cases, while castor oil packs over the lacteals was almost a hundred per cent routine, while the use of Insulin shock, brain surgery, hysterectomies, the use of bromides and luminal or dilantin were most infrequently indicated.
Feed back from the treatment
Cayce reported success rate was very high. Nearly one half noted was either a complete cure or considerable improvement. The rest did not follow Cayce advice completely or did not even report back.
Two worth mentioning is a man, aged 32, who had epilepsy since 24, was taking Phenobarbital and Dilantin. Seizures were about 1-2 every two months but side effects of these drugs left him feeling quite mentally disabled. He then tried the Cayce treatment and went for approximately 2 yrs with no seizures.
Another was a woman, aged 24, who had been to see many medical doctors who put her on several medications and none seemed to help, at the onset of the treatment she was having seizures at the frequency of 10-12 a day which after taking only some of the Cayce treatment was reduced to 1-2 per week.
Both of these responded well but did not have a complete cure in either case.
The Meridian Research Institute had conducted a preliminary study of epilepsy. Three individuals participated in a 6-day live-in instructional treatment program in March of 1996, in which they were taught the elements of the Edgar Cayce therapies for epilepsy. The Cayce perspective is that most epilepsy is a consequence of problems in the digestive system and enteric nervous system rather than the cranial brain. The therapies included dietary changes, colonic irrigations, castor oil packs, and psycho-spiritual modalities such as prayer, meditation, and purposeful living. The participants then returned home to continue these therapies for 6 months, submitting daily logs of compliance with the protocol. Epilepsy symptoms were evaluated at the beginning of the program and after 6 months. One subject followed the protocol consistently and reported improvement in symptoms. There were no adverse effects of treatment reported by any of the subjects in this project.
Although not specifically recommended by Cayce, spiritual healing has the capacity to be very beneficial in all illnesses- see other pages on this fascinating subject.
Useful address
The Association of Research and Enlightenment (A.R.E.)
Phone: 1-800-333-4499
Outside the
There are various Cayce study groups, and practitioners throughout the states. Details can be found at A.R.E. and thousands of other websites.
Also two must have books on the medical side which give the treatments, the causes and the philosophy of the healing of his work are:
The Encyclopedia of Healing
By Reba Ann Karp
ISBN 0-446-30981-8
This is a condensed version of the readings giving causes and cures and some feed back from people using the treatments – Valuable
The Edgar Cayce Handbook for Health through Drugless Therapy
By Hugh Lynn Cayce, Harold Reilly and Ruth Hagy Brod
ISBN 0-02-601960-4
Harold Reilly’s 43 years of experience of working with the readings, the results he got and the treatments he gave - a very valuable book
FOOTNOTE:
(REF) 8. Two unusual treatments which were used with considerable success involved salt and ice. The first was to place a pinch of salt on the persons tongue to relax the body and to help prevent the occurrence of seizures. The ice was applied at the base of the brain to reduce the severity of the seizures. Apply a small piece of ice rubbed along the base of the brain, at the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cervical, this will cause an IMMEDIATE reaction; which will stop the attacks.
The salt on the tongue is not as unusual as some may think. One of the things that can trigger an epileptic seizure in some individuals is if electrolytes in the blood become too diluted. If a person drinks a lot of water and doesn't eat anything, this can trigger a seizure. Actually, drinking a lot of water and not eating something can be dangerous for anyone, but especially for someone with epilepsy. A reminder, that some minerals can be lost through sweat. A typical scenario is the person becomes dehydrated because of exercise or heavy work. The person has lost minerals through sweat, and if the person drinks a large amount of water without eating something, what electrolytes that are left become dilute when that water increases blood volume.
TCM formulas for the Kidneys sometimes will include the instruction to take with a pinch of salt. Salt is what is known as a "guide herb". To make things simple, substances other than plants are referred to as "herbs". A guide herb is one that will direct the formula to a specific organ.
