Use of alternative medicine in Israeli chronic rhinosinusitis patients

Arkadi Yakirevitch*, Lev Bedrin, Lela Migirov, Michael Wolf, Yoav P. Talmi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: The worldwide interest in the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has been established in multiple surveys. Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is often an unremitting disease with frequent troubling relapses, and despite wide use of endoscopic sinus surgery, conventional medicine may have a smaller contribution than expected. Because of prevalent use of CAM among patients, it is important that physicians acquire basic knowledge of this subject. We studied the prevalence of CAM use among CRS patients in Israel. Design: Use of CAM was evaluated in a cohort of consecutive adult patients with CRS. Setting: An outpatient clinic in a tertiary medical centre. Methods: Patients were asked to fill out an anonymous questionnaire containing demographic data and data pertaining to allergy, traditional medical and surgical treatment use of CAM, and modalities used. Results: Ninety patients were included. Nineteen of them (21%) reported CAM use. This included herbal medicine, vitamins, homeopathy, acupuncture, massage, reflexology, yoga, and chiropractics. There was a tendency, although not statistically significant, for patients with allergy and a history of sinus surgery to use CAM. Conclusions: The prevalence of CAM use among patients with CRS in Israel is high and may correlate with the presence of allergies and a history of sinus surgery.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)517-520
Number of pages4
JournalJournal of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Volume38
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2009

Keywords

  • Alternative medicine
  • Chronic rhinosinusitis
  • Complementary medicine

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