Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Epilepsy

The book respects cultural differences that may incorporate alternative medicine into a medical management program, and encourages patients to safely continue receiving necessary medical treatments. Wherever possible, scientific evidence supports the choice of treatment modalities, as well as the effectiveness of a combined traditional and CAM approach. Readers will find incisive discussions in sections on:

• Learning to Reduce Seizures
• Asian, Herbal and Homeopathic Therapies
• Nutritional Therapies
• Alternative Medical Therapies
• Oxygen Therapies
• Manipulation and Osteopathic Therapies
• Music, Art, and Pet Therapies

From stress and epilepsy, to acupuncture, massage, craniosacral therapies, homeopathy, ketogenic diets, aromatherapy, hypnosis, and more, the book is all-inclusive and enlightening. Additional commentary by the editors provides a critical vantage point from which to interpret the data and viewpoints of the contributors, all experts in the therapies presented. This balanced, scientific approach will appeal to even those most skeptical of alternative therapies, making the book essential for every professional who seeks to provide the broadest range of effective patient care.

Aiming to bridge the gap between the traditional medical and complementary and alternative medicine disciplines, Devinsky (neurology, New York U. School of Medicine), Schachter (neurology, Harvard Medical School), and Pacia (neurology, New York U. School of Medicine) present 31 chapters that catalogue and explain the range of complementary and alternative therapies for epilepsy, including Asian, herbal and homeopathic therapies; nutritional approaches; hormonal therapy and transcranial magnetic stimulation; oxygen therapies; manipulation and osteopathic therapies; and music, art, and pet therapies. A section on learning to reduce seizures discusses stress and epilepsy, neurobehavioral approaches, seizure generation, autogenic training, massage and seizure control, aromatherapy and hypnosis, meditation, exercise, and yoga. They also provide introductory essays on the therapies' relation to Western medicine and consideration of proving trials for complementary and alternative therapies. Annotation ©2005 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Doody Review Services

Reviewer:Martha J. Greenberg, PhD, RN(Pace University)
Description:This is a unique contribution to the field of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) concentrating on CAM approaches for people with epilepsy. The authors provide commentary in the chapters interjecting their expert opinion of support, disagreement, and/or skepticism relative to the CAM approach discussed.
Purpose:The authors' primary goal is to "bridge the traditional and CAM worlds" by presenting evidence that can be weighed by clinicians so that people with epilepsy can benefit from both approaches.
Audience:The book is written for clinicians who treat people with epilepsy and/or those interested in pursuing research in the area. It is suitable and useful for all levels of students and practitioners in a wide variety of health disciplines. No information is provided about the credentials of the contributors, only about the three editors who are professors at New York University and Harvard Medical Schools.
Features:A wide array of CAM treatment approaches are presented including cognitive-neurobehavioral approaches, traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture and herbs, ayurveda, aromatherapy, manipulation and osteopathic therapies, nutritional approaches, oxygen therapies, and music, art, and pet therapies.
Assessment:This is a very worthwhile book in the field because it gathers the most current evidence on CAM approaches for epilepsy and presents the information in one place for the clinicians' use.

Dr. Steven C. Schachter is currently Director of Research for the Neurology Department and Vice Chair of the Committee for Clinical Investigations at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. He is a Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and Associate Director of Clinical Research, Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. He serves on the executive committee of the Harvard Medical School Scholars in Clinical Science Program and co-directs its Longitudinal Seminar.

Dr. Steven V. Pacia is the Director of Neurology at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan and is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurology at NYU Schoolof Medicine, where he is also Director of the Clinical NeurophysiologyResidency Program. Dr. Pacia is the principal investigator for the NYU site of the first multicenter NIH-funded project to study epilepsy surgery. He has authored numerouspeer-reviewed articles on the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy.