How to Stop a Seizure at Onset Without Drugs

Whether you have one epileptic seizure a month or one every six months, you would rather not have any. Aside from the dangers they pose, they leave you weak and tired, and often with a headache. There are ways to prevent them without taking medication, but you must first become familiar with your body and condition for these methods to be effective.

Instructions

• 1

  Make a list. Write down everything that calms you; this can be soft music, burning incense or simply closing your eyes and visualizing your favorite place. This list may become your source of strength whenever you begin having a seizure or experience the warning signs of an impending seizure. It gives you a variety of calming methods that may stop your seizure before it begins.

• 2

  Make a plan. Once you have had even one seizure, you will be more in tune with your condition and how it reacts to specific triggers. These are incidents or situations that contribute to the occurrence of your seizures. If you know what your triggers are, you can devise a plan to combat them. For instance, if fatigue tends to cause your seizures, determine how many hours your body requires before seizures take place. Then allot enough time at night to ensure you get the right amount of rest.

• 3

  Use relaxation techniques. For many people with seizure disorders, stress plays a major role in the seizure itself, making it worse if the stress is not relieved. However, the seizure itself can be enough to cause you stress. The best way to remove the stress from the situation and stop the seizure at onset is to try different relaxation techniques.

  Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth slowly, keeping your mind as blank as possible. Do not focus on the seizure or stopping it; focus on your breathing and feeling your body relax. The more you think about the seizure, the more upset you become and the greater the risk of a full-blown episode.

  You can also lay down on your bed in a dark, quiet room. This not only helps take the stress out of the seizure, but removes you from any stressful situation that can be adding to it. In addition, moving to your bed helps you relax more effectively; it is a comfortable area where you can lay your head down and close your eyes, visualizing something peaceful.

• 4

  Use a vagus nerve stimulator. This device is implanted just under the skin between your chest and neck. It is the size of a half-dollar, and contains wires connected to the vagus nerve in the neck. The device is programmed by your neurologist to emit electrical impulses in a timed manner (i.e every 30 seconds). These constant flow of impulses help regulate the irregular impulses in the brain that cause your seizures.

  In addition to providing consistent treatment, patients who opt for this device are also given a hand-held magnet. When a seizure begins, they only need to move the magnet closer to the device; in many cases the seizure can either be stopped or its severity reduced. The vagus nerve stimulator is typically used for people who have not had success with seizure management through medication.