What treatments are available for epilepsy?

  There are 7 types of treatment for epilepsy as follows: (1) Drug therapy: This refers exclusively to the treatment of western drugs. Rational use of medication can result in satisfactory control of seizures in 80% of epilepsy patients. It is the most important treatment method at present.  (2) Surgical treatment: surgical treatment of the brain. It generally includes craniotomy and stereotactic surgery. It is suitable for refractory epilepsy (about 20% of epilepsy patients).  (3) Physical therapy (also called electrical stimulation therapy): including cerebellar electrical stimulation and vagus nerve stimulation. It is suitable for adolescents with refractory partial epilepsy and is an adjunctive treatment.  (4) Stereotactic radiation therapy: i.e. gamma knife (γ-knife), X-knife, proton knife, etc. It is suitable for refractory epilepsy, especially when the epileptogenic foci are deep or located in functional areas.  (5) Gene therapy: the exploration stage, not yet entered the actual clinical application.  (6) Traditional Chinese medicine treatment: including prescriptions, single prescriptions and experimental prescriptions (partial prescriptions) of traditional Chinese medicine; acupuncture; tui na massage; hanging threads, etc. Unfortunately, due to various reasons including the special theoretical system of TCM, there is not yet a universally recognized, globally widely used and effective herbal formula or single medicine.  (7) Psychotherapy and diet therapy: as an adjunctive treatment for epileptic patients. Each treatment method has its own characteristics and indications. Currently, the main treatments are medication and surgery.