Use of alternative medicine in Israeli chronic rhinosinusitis patients.
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.


METHODS
Use of CAM was evaluated in a cohort of consecutive adult patients with CRS.


METHODS
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.
Yakirevitch
Arkadi
A
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel. arkadiyak@gmail.com
Bedrin
Lev
L
Migirov
Lela
L
Wolf
Michael
M
Talmi
Yoav P
YP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015331:Cohort Studies; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012220:Rhinitis / Q000628:therapy*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult