Abstracts

Rationale: A randomized clinical trial was conducted to find out the possibility of using reflexology in the management of medically intractable epilepsy. Methods: Patients (84) were randomly distributed into control (AEDs) and study (AEDs+Reflexology) groups. The reflex areas of VNS were stimulated to reduce the frequency of seizures. The acupressure foot-reflexology was applied to treat the patients holistically. Observation on the different kinds of marks on the reflex areas led to detect abnormal functioning organs and assisted in determining the prognosis of epilepsy, quality assurance of therapy application and treating patients for other clinical symptoms. The serum drug levels were measured at pre- and post-therapy sessions. Results: The study group patients showed approximately 65% more reduction in seizure frequency and a 2.65 times quality of life improvement as compared with control group patients with significant p-values. The sGTCS patients benefited more than CPS and SPS, LGS patients. Eighty four percent of study group patient obtained 'moderate' to 'excellent' response not only in epilepsy but also several other clinical symptoms with significant p-values. Anomaly was observed in post-therapy serum drug levels which were found be less than the therapeutic range among patients with 100% response with adequate doses. Conclusions: Reflexology assists target organs to utilize AEDs more so as to increase their treatment efficacy. More observations need to carry out in concluding the result. It has no side effects and virtually no costs are involved.