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Dr. Andrew Rynne

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How Does Giving A Bunch Of Keys Help A Person With Epilepsy?

hello sir, I m a student of Biomedical Engineering. when a patient suffers from epilepsy , we first take a bunch of keys and let him hold it for a while. what effect does this keys (made of iron, stainless steel etc;) have on the patient. how does it reduce the firing of neurons and control epilepsy ? what reactions occur at this instant of time.. thankyou..
Mon, 5 Nov 2012
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Neurologist,  's  Response
Hi,

Thank you for asking this query.

Giving a bunch of keys or any metal in the patient's hands has no effect, whatsoever, in controlling epilepsy or in stopping the abnormal firing of brain neurons.

It is a superstition and is widely practised.

Since epileptic attack is a short event, lasting only a few minutes, it would stop on its own after a few minutes, without any intervention.

But If people give any metal or do anything else in those few minutes, they wrongly start believing that the metal or their intervention stopped the fits.

Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)
Senior Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad
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How Does Giving A Bunch Of Keys Help A Person With Epilepsy?

Hi, Thank you for asking this query. Giving a bunch of keys or any metal in the patient s hands has no effect, whatsoever, in controlling epilepsy or in stopping the abnormal firing of brain neurons. It is a superstition and is widely practised. Since epileptic attack is a short event, lasting only a few minutes, it would stop on its own after a few minutes, without any intervention. But If people give any metal or do anything else in those few minutes, they wrongly start believing that the metal or their intervention stopped the fits. Best wishes, Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology) Senior Consultant Neurologist Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad