Other Names:
Spasms, Seizures, Fits

Symptoms:
Paroxysms of involuntary muscular contractions and relaxations, which occur most frequently in children.


Cause:
Convulsions are uncontrolled body movements set off by an electrical malfunction of the brain.

Convulsions can be caused by epilepsy, meningitis, tetanus, uremia, hysteria, or eclampsia. They can also be induced by poisoning from camphor, cyanide, strychnine, santonin, brucine, or aspidium.

In children the cause is often wrong diet, rickets, syphilis, malaria, toxemias, or acute infectious diseases.

In adults, the cause is often epilepsy, heat cramps, strychnine, or food poisoning.

Convulsions, due to tetanus and hydrophobia, are easily distinguished and, for the most part, involve a small portion of the voluntary muscles. Strychnine poisoning causes spasms which involve the whole body.

High fevers of 104o-105o F. are often a cause of convulsions in children.

Treatment:
• Loosen the clothing and give plenty of fresh air. If the cause is undetermined, keep him from injuring himself. Place a soft pad between his teeth, to avoid biting his tongue or cheeks.

• If an infant, put him in a bath of 95o F. or in mustard and water bath at 85o F. Cold should be applied to the head. The cause must first be found, or injury may result from the bath. If fever is present, it should be a tepid or cool bath.

• Produce vomiting by placing the finger down the throat. If gums are hot and swollen, give cold water and rub gums with a cloth that has been held on ice.

• The bowels should be emptied immediately with an enema. Take some laxative herbs, to clean out the small intestine. Fast on fruit juices, water, or nervine herb teas (listed below) until all symptoms subside. Keep the body warm.

• After this, rest in bed, absolutely quiet; give careful diagnosis without disturbing him.

• One successful method of therapy has been the injection in 1 large dose of 600,000 IU of vitamin D. This helps the utilization of calcium.

• Take calcium (2,000 mg, daily) and magnesium (1,000 mg, daily) supplements. Also B6 (100 mg, twice a day) and chromium (75-100 mcg, 3 times a day).

• Helpful herbs include catnip, skullcap, and peony. Two cups of valerian root may be taken every 2 hours after the convulsions. Antispasmodic tincture (which see) is best and works faster.

• Other useful herbs include rue, black cohosh, valerian, vervain, peppermint, chamomile, wild cherry bark, goldenseal, and a little cayenne.

• One Central American naturopath says that, over the years, he has treated a thousand cases of convulsions—and fully one-half were caused by parasites. Other important causes are constipation and wrong diet. He puts them on a cleansing and building program, discarding all meat eating, and requiring that they never return to it (so they will not again become infested with worms).

• If parasites are the cause, use garlic enemas, plus eat garlic (see "Worms" for more information).

• There is a definite possibility, especially in children, that a food allergy is involved, very possibly accompanied by malnutrition (maybe partially caused by being fed too much junk food and soft drinks). After the convulsion is past, begin testing with pulse tests for food allergies (see "Pulse Test").

• If it should be a spasm of asthma, take 8 drops of antispasmodic tincture (which see) or inhale eucalyptus oil.

• If it is a muscle spasm, wring a towel out of hot water and lay it on the area.

• A coughing spasm can be relieved by the tincture or an emetic.