Episode Details

Smelling onions and shoes are two of the biggest myths as a treatment for Epilepsy.  There is still a stigma to discuss about the condition.  People still hide the condition and think of it as a curse.  

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Manjari Tripathi, Professor in the Department of Neurology at AIIMS Delhi, where she heads the Centre of Excellence for Epilepsy. A pioneering neurologist with over 350 publications, she has advanced epilepsy surgery techniques and trained generations of neurologists across India. Vikas & Dr Tripathi discussed in detail what epilepsy really is. Why does rural India face higher rates of epilepsy cases? The dangerous myths that prevent treatment, and the critical first aid everyone must know.

Here are some key takeaways:

• Epilepsy is electrical chaos in the brain, not a mental illness: Hyper-excitable neurons cause short-circuits leading to seizures. It can happen at any age from preventable causes like head injuries, infections, etc.
• Head injuries are India's most preventable cause: From kids falling off roofs while flying kites to helmetless riders on phones, trauma leads to seizures months or years later: sleep deprivation, alcohol, and certain antibiotics lower seizure thresholds.
• Shoes & onions for the treatment of seizures are just baseless myths. Learn the first aid - Turn the person on their side, loosen tight clothing, time the seizure. If it lasts over 5 minutes, rush to the hospital. Recording the seizure on video helps doctors diagnose correctly.
• Rural India’s hygiene problem & the epilepsy connection - Poor sanitation causes tapeworm eggs to reach the brain through unwashed vegetables, triggering seizures. Myths about spirits and past karma prevent families from seeking proper medical care.
• Provoked seizures are not epilepsy - Seizures within 24 hours to a week of stroke, low sodium, alcohol withdrawal, or acute infections are provoked seizures requiring only short-term treatment. Epilepsy means two or more unprovoked seizures needing longer treatment.

About Vikas Singh:
Vikas Singh, an MBA from Chicago Booth, worked at Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, APGlobale, and Reliance before coming up with the idea of democratizing fitness knowledge and helping beginners get on a fitness journey. Vikas is an avid long-distance runner, building fitpage to help people learn, train, and move better.
For more information on Vikas, or to leave any feedback and requests, you can reach out to him via the channels below:
Instagram: @vikas_singhh
LinkedIn: Vikas Singh
Twitter: @vikashsingh101

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