In some people, the following approaches have helped reduce the frequency of seizures as well as their intensity.

 Acupuncture. The authors of a meta-analysis published in 2008 studied the results of 11 clinical studies carried out with a total of 914 subjects.⁷. These studies were of low methodological quality, according to the researchers. Two studies indicate that acupuncture treatments reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures by 75%. However, the authors did not observe any difference between the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment and that of placebo treatment. Placebo acupuncture involves inserting needles into the skin at points that do not correspond to the points traditionally used.

 Chiropractic. No randomized clinical studies have been published to date. On the other hand, 17 case studies of patients receiving chiropractic treatment in addition to anticonvulsants were identified in a review of the scientific literature.⁹. According to the author, 15 of these patients reported a reduction in the frequency and severity of their seizures following this treatment. More in-depth studies will be necessary before making a decision with more certainty.

 Relaxation response. Both stress and anxiety are linked to seizures. There are several approaches that people with epilepsy can take on their own to help them feel calmer, relax their muscles, and sleep better. They can help reduce seizures and help manage seizures. A preliminary clinical study measured the effect of a meditation technique (almost identical to the relaxation response), on people with drug-resistant seizures¹⁰. Twenty participants with epilepsy were randomly divided into 2 groups: daily meditation and control. All of the patients continued to take their medication. After 1 year, compared to the control group, the “meditators” demonstrated a significant decrease in the frequency of seizures and their intensity.

 Yoga. Only one well-controlled clinical trial investigating the effects of yoga on the frequency of epileptic seizures has been published^11,12. The results of this study with placebo (simulated yoga sessions) and control group (without treatment) with 32 people indicate that the subjects who practiced the real yoga sessions had a lower number of seizures than the others. However, the small number of subjects in each of the 3 groups precludes drawing clear conclusions about the therapeutic efficacy of this intervention.

 biofeedback. This method allows you to learn to modulate certain biological functions: heartbeat, brain waves, blood pressure, etc. It could benefit people with epilepsy, says Dr.^r Andrew Weil¹⁷. With the use of a machine that detects electrical activity in the brain, the technique teaches individuals to recognize the warning signs of seizures and train their brains to avoid an attack. After some training, a person might increase the frequency of brain waves in certain areas of the cortex, specifically targeting areas that play a role in reducing seizures, animal research shows.¹³. This therapy can also be used to reduce stress, which can reduce the frequency of seizures when it is a trigger, according to Epilepsy Canada.¹⁸.

Biofeedback, however, requires training from a specialized therapist. Consult our Biofeedback sheet.

 Bacopa (bacopa monnieri). Bacopa is used in Ayurvedic medicine (traditional medicine from India). Ayurvedic writings recommend it to treat various conditions affecting the intellect or the central nervous system, such as anxiety, disturbances in attention and epileptic seizures. During the 1960s, researchers who conducted open trials on a few dozen subjects reported that a bacopa extract could help reduce the frequency of epileptic seizures in some patients.¹⁵. No other clinical trial has been conducted since.

Notes. Do not consume natural health products without first talking to your doctor.