***Epilepsy.......

[I hate Peugeot]

:undecided: SO i finally have an epileptic client. she is extremely easy going and an ideal client, really, one who wishes to make permanent changes in her lifestyle in order to be more healthy. she understands the trust needed between her therapist and herself in order to get the healing she needs. me on the other hand, i don't feel very educated on the subject, and still want to give her the Ideal treatment that meets her goals.
I have heard that craniosacral therapy is a good modality for epileptic clients, and recently from her i have heard that there are some essential oils that both hurt and help the disorder.
what have YOU heard about massage therapy and epilepsy? do you have any good articles to share, any worthwhile books? i would greatly appreciate any advice or information you could share.
thanks a million, and bless!

 

[? Surfer ? Sarah]

***Epilepsy.......

There's about a gazillion reasons why someone might have a seizure-related disorder. Epilepsy is the most common diagnosis, but don't treat it as conclusive because there are many subcategories and gray areas within that umbrella diagnosis. Seizures resulting from congenital factors may or may not be similar to those experienced after a head injury or brain damage from serious illness...

First, some questions you should explore:

• Is her epilepsy properly controlled with medication?
  What form(s) of seizures is she prone to have?
  How long has she been having them?
  What are her triggers?
  How long has it been since the last one?
  What is the origin of the seizures? (congenital, injury, or other known cause?)

You should know the answers to those questions and have that information in your permanent client notes.

Do you know how to safely care for her if she has a seizure while on your table? It is very important that you DO know.

It is unlikely that any essential oils will have much impact on her epilepsy unless she has an allergy/intolerance. The client may be able to provide you with this information. If she cannot, proceed without essential oils.

In general, your massages are unlikely to have a significant effect on her epilepsy. You can, however, provide her with many of the usual benefits of massage, and these will contribute to greater overall health.

A few thoughts to consider before you decide whether to refer this client for cranial work:
Because epilepsy can be tricky, I strongly recommend that you refer this client to an osteopath (DO) that specializes in cranial osteopathy, rather than to a non-osteopath craniosacral therapist (CST). A DO knows far, far more about neurological assessment, signs and symptoms, and how to safely and effectively assist epileptic patients. They are medical doctors with specialized knowledge appropriate to these types of problems. In contrast, the majority of CSTs are not equipped with equivalent levels of training or medical expertise, though they are trained in an offshoot discipline based on cranial osteopathy.

 

[Linda Lu]

***Epilepsy.......

Jason,
There are oils that can trigger seizures.
Of those, three are commonly used in aromatherapy.

See http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/alternative_oils

I once had seizures from mugwort, but I haven't encountered it in aromatherapy in a pro setting.

Healing faire, learn the first aid and care for a client with seizures.
My mentor learned that the hard way when I went down in a Watsu treatment. Scared us both.
I taught him what I know as a patient, and he has sent on any new info he runs across.

As for CST, if you are not already trained, I wouldn't do more than a few holds, and avoid the cranio holds aside from CV4.
The rest of the holds should be just fine, but be aware at all times.

All of this should be assessed for your own comfort, and is only my personal experience on both sides of the seizure.