Implication of Ayurveda in the Management of Apasmara (Epilepsy) – Case Study

Abstract

Epilepsy affects 1% of the world’s population a most common serious disorder of the brain, greatly impacting on the quality of life of affected individuals. In Ayurveda, the similar presentation is named as Apasmara has been explained with its aetiology, diagnosis and management. Imbalance in the three Doshas Vata, Pitta, Kapha singly or all of them together can cause Apasmara. Those aggravated Doshas get accumulated in Hridya and produce the features based upon Doshika predominance which cause illusion of the mind and visual hallucination and seizures (tonic spasms and clonic jerks) often it is presented with outwarding tongue, deviation of eyes, dribbling of saliva with froth, tonic and clonic movements of limbs. Even though medical world claims of the advancements in the management of Apasmara drugs don’t work as they expect. The present Anti-epileptic drugs medication has so many drawbacks like adverse drug interaction and teratogenicity, cognitive impairment to an extent is also seen in some patients with epilepsy. An 18-year male patient arrived to the OPD and complained of seizure attack from last 6 years. The patient sought out ayurvedic treatment because he had tried numerous allopathic treatments but did not get significant result. With the Ayurvedic treatment, remarkable changes in the symptoms of Epilepsy were seen.