Reflexology on Seizure Frequency, Fatigue, Stress and Sleep Quality in Epilepsy Patients

Examining the Effect of Foot Reflexology Massage on Seizure Frequency, Fatigue, Stress and Sleep Quality in Epilepsy Patients: Randomized Control Experimental Research

Epilepsy is among the diseases that cause loss of neurological abilities regardless of any trauma. Reflexology is one of the complementary therapies based on activating the body's self-healing power through special hand techniques applied to the feet. It is known that there are positive changes in seizure frequency, fatigue, stress and sleep quality in epilepsy patients after reflexology. This study will be conducted to determine the effect of reflexology on seizure frequency, fatigue, stress and sleep quality in epilepsy patients.

Individual interviews were conducted with epilepsy patients who applied to the neurology clinic of a university hospital where the research was conducted, and patients who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study will be randomly included in the experiment.

Patients arriving on the first day of the week will be placed in the experimental group. In the following days, groups will be formed as one day experiment and one day control (Monday-experiment, Tuesday-control, Wednesday-experiment, Thursday-control, Friday-experiment). Data collection tools will be applied to the experimental and control group patients at the beginning and end of the study. Only reflexology massage will be applied to the experimental group, and no application will be applied to the control group. Data will be collected simultaneously with the control and experimental groups.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Knowing the diagnosis of the disease
• Having not received reflexology therapy before
• Being literate in Turkish
• Conscious Open,
• Able to communicate verbally,
• Being 18 years or older

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pain starts while doing massage,
• Having an infection,
• High fever,
• Having clot problems in the leg veins,
• Having an acute (newly developing) disease (heart attack, fainting, etc.),
• Wounds in the application area,
• Patients in the first 3 months of pregnancy.
• Paraplegia or thrombosis
• Leg varicose veins or foot disease (open wound or fracture on the foot)
• Diagnosis of psychiatric disorder or dementia