Go Ad-Free
logoThe People's Perspective on Medicine

Hope for New Epilepsy Treatment

An experimental device that stimulates a nerve in the forehead may offer a safe and effective way to control hard-to-treat epilepsy. Researchers at UCLA studied 50 patients who experienced drug-resistant seizures. Using the device, subjects were able to stimulate the trigeminal nerve with electrical pulses. This caused further electrical activity in the brain and reduced seizure activity by about 40 percent. The external Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation device is still experimental and has not yet been approved by the FDA. If further trials demonstrate continued safety and effectiveness, it may become an option for people shoes seizures have not responded to medication.

Rate this article
star-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-empty
0- 0 ratings
About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
Tired of the ads on our website?

Now you can browse our website completely ad-free for just $5 / month. Stay up to date on breaking health news and support our work without the distraction of advertisements.

Browse our website ad-free
Join over 150,000 Subscribers at The People's Pharmacy

We're empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options.