title: Incidence of complementary therapy use in patients undergoing vestibular assessment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the incidence of use of complementary therapies in patients with vestibular symptoms undergoing vestibular assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, questionnaire-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A UK university hospital department of audiology with secondary and tertiary referrals.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive series of 80 patients seen for vestibular assessment between November 2004 and May 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  Use of complementary therapies; actual therapies used and patients' subjective opinion of efficacy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients (16 per cent) had tried some form of complementary therapy for their vestibular symptoms. Ginkgo biloba and acupuncture were the two most popular treatments. Seven patients made their decision as to which treatment to try on the basis of personal recommendation. Six of the 13 patients (46 per cent) reported that their choice of treatment(s) helped them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sixteen per cent of patients seen for vestibular assessment had tried some form of complementary therapy for their vestibular symptoms. Clinicians should be aware of this and of the potential interactions between complementary therapies and conventional medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Audiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK. dmb29@cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Baguley
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Humphriss
authors.forename: Katy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Butler
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vickers
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D005260:Female; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010358:Patient Participation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*