Abstracts

Traditional healers play a major role in the management of epilepsy, as they have strong social and religious connections in society. As shamanic mode of curing is popular in Himalayan region and people consult traditional healers first because they believe in traditional theory of disease causation. Anthropologic studies have revealed that some form of traditional healing occurs in all cultures. The present study was undertaken to investigate various treatment management practices and other socio-cultural characteristics associated with epilepsy in Northwest India., The addresses of epilepsy patients were retrieved from the records of Neurology OPD of Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India. The patients or parents of the patients were interviewed with the help of a standard interview schedule to gather information about various treatment management strategies adopted by patient[apos]s families to control seizures. Case studies of some of the epilepsy patients who had received the shamanic treatment was done to have an idea of traditional mode of healing., A few families maintained some precautions, like not allowing epilepsy patients to move out of home, or not to allow the patients to work or sit near fire, etc. In 94% cases, the families disclosed the disease to other persons so that they could help in the event of subsequent epileptic seizure. In 94 (23.5%) cases, the patient[apos]s soles and palms were massaged as a home based treatment. Restraining movements during seizures was reported in 20 (5%) cases. Other practices included administration of water into mouth of the patient (10.25%), forcing patients to smell a leather shoe (1.25%), turning patient to one side (0.75%), forced opening of mouth with spoon or key (1.25%), etc. Help from occultists or traditional healers was sought only by 30 (7.5%) families in the form of divine ash or [italic]vibhuti [/italic](2.5%), exorcism (2.75%), and hymn recitation (1%)., In Northwest India, epilepsy is conceived as a manifestation of supernatural forces and perceived as social stigma. We, concluded that superstitions with regard to epilepsy are still active. There are many families from rural areas and a proportion of city dwellers which had visited traditional healers to get rid of malefic spirit. It was clearly observed that some traditional healers dissuade patients and their families from taking modern medical treatment.[figure1],