Last Update: February 13, 2023, 07:03 IST
In the past, a few seizures have been reported to be caused by the smell of rosemary. Why rosemary actually triggers seizures in these patients is not clear.
According to doctors, the child experienced a sudden loss of consciousness as a result of a fall and convulsions for 20 seconds during the first incident at the age of 6.
Medical dramas have popularized flickering lights as a cause of epilepsy. However, these are not the only stimuli that can cause seizures. In a recent development, the medical professionals of New Delhi’s Sir Ganga Ram Hospital have revealed a unique case of epilepsy. The case was of a 9-year-old girl who had an epileptic fit after applying mehndi (henna). After applying henna on her hands, the woman allegedly had a seizure and fell unconscious. The doctors attributed her seizures to the smell of henna. This has led to his condition being classified as reflex epilepsy (RE).
This is a type of epilepsy that is triggered by things like flashes of light, changes in vision, sound, touch, or mental processes. Some examples of triggers include looking away from or toward a blinking light, having hot water on your skin, or listening to music.
In the case of epilepsy caused by henna, the specific smell of henna activates certain areas of the brain involved in the generation of seizures. For a 9-year-old patient here, a similar incident happened in 2019. According to doctors, the child experienced a “sudden loss of consciousness, resulting in a fall and convulsions for 20 seconds” during his first episode. 6.
In the past, a few seizures have been reported to be caused by the smell of rosemary. Why exactly rosemary causes seizures in these patients is not clear.
It is important to note that seizures triggered by specific stimuli, such as smell, light, or sound, are relatively rare and occur in only a small percentage of individuals with epilepsy. In fact, studies suggest that the prevalence of reflex epilepsy ranges from 4 to 7 percent of all epileptic patients. Seizures are usually caused by a particular genetic combination, head injury, infection, and other neurological conditions.
For people who suffer from seizures triggered by external stimuli, there are some courses of treatment and prevention available, which include avoiding exposure to triggers. In this child’s case, doctors advised the parents to limit exposure and prescribed sodium valproate.
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