Yoga may reduce epileptic seizures: Scientist

A new study has revealed that practicing yoga can help epilepsy patients reduce the number of seizures and their anxiety.

The practice may also improve patients’ overall quality of life, according to research published last week in the medical journal Neurology.

Manjari Tripathi, the author of the study, associated with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi, said that ‘epileptic patients often face stigma (personal prejudice) because of their medical condition. feel different from others and this can have a significant impact on their quality of life.’

‘This stigma can affect a person’s life in many ways, including treatment, emergency department visits and poor mental health,’ explained Dr Tripathi.

In this study, researchers looked at epilepsy patients in India with an average age of 30 years.

They measured stigma among participants based on responses to questions such as: ‘Do you feel that other people discriminate against you?’ ‘Do you think you can’t contribute anything to society?’ and ‘Do you feel different from other people?’

Approximately 160 individuals were then identified who met the criteria for experiencing stigma.

These patients had an average of one seizure per week and took an average of at least two medications to prevent seizures, the researchers said.

A group of patients was then randomly assigned to yoga therapy, which included exercises for muscle relaxation, breathing, meditation and positive thinking.

Another group of patients was given a sham therapy that mimicked the same exercises, but the participants were instructed on the two main aspects of yoga, breathing slowly and harmoniously, and paying attention to body movements and sensations. I was not given instructions.

Both groups received seven supervised 45- to 60-minute group sessions over three months.

They were also asked to practice the session at home for 30 minutes at least five times a week and to write about their visit and yoga session in a notebook.

After the first three months of therapy, participants were monitored for an additional three months.

The study found that those who did yoga were more than four times more likely to have their stroke frequency cut in half after six months than those who did sham yoga.

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Compared to sham exercisers, participants who practiced yoga were more likely to have reduced stigma related to their illness, the researchers said.

According to the study, those who practiced yoga were seven times more likely to have no seizures than those who faked it.

Researchers found a significant reduction in anxiety symptoms in those who practiced yoga compared to those who did not.

At the end of the follow-up period, the intervention group showed significant improvements in symptoms of anxiety and cognitive abilities, awareness and quality of life compared to the control group, the researchers wrote.

“Yoga can not only help reduce stigma, but also improve quality of life,” said Dr. Tripathi. In addition, yoga can be easily pre-recorded and shared with patients online using minimal resources and cost.’

Citing limitations of the study, the researchers said that participants self-reported their visit frequency and may not have accurately recalled all of the information.

However, they say the findings ‘raise the need to consider alternative treatments and interventions for stigmatized epilepsy patients.