Studies conducted in the United States |
Eisenberg5
1998
U.S. | T1 (1990)
n = 1, 539
T2 (1997)
n = 2, 055 | Back pain (both 1990 and 1997), Neck pain (1997) | Relaxation techniques, herbal medicine, massage therapy, chiropractic care, megavitamins, self-help groups, imagery techniques, commercial diet, folk remedies, lifestyle diet, energy healing, homeopathy, hypnosis, biofeedback, acupuncture, and prayer/spiritual healing | For BACK problems:
T1: 19.9% reported back problems
35.9% of those used alternative therapy for back pain (BP), 19.5% saw alternative practitioner
COMPLEMENTARY: 36.1% saw M.D. and used alternative therapy for BP, 23% saw M.D. and alternative practitioner for BP
T2: 24% reported back problems
47.6% used alternative therapy for back pain, 30.1% saw alternative practitioner
COMPLEMENTARY: 58.8% saw M.D. and used alternative therapy for BP, 39.1% saw M.D. and alternative practitioner for BP
For NECK problems:
T2: 12.1% reported neck problems
57% used alternative therapy for BP, 37.5% saw alternative practitioner for BP, 66.6% saw M.D. and used alternative therapy for BP, 47.5% saw M.D. and alternative practitioner for BP
Chiropractic therapy and massage were most commonly used therapies in 1997 | NA |
|
Studies conducted outside the U.S. |
Esmail117
2007
Canada | 2006 followup of the 1997 study n = 2,000 | Self-reported back or neck problems | Chiropractic care, massage, relaxation techniques, prayer/spiritual practice, acupuncture, yoga, herbal therapies, special diet programs, energy healing, naturopathy, homeopathy, folk remedies, self-help group, aromatherapy, imagery techniques, lifestyle diet, spiritual or religious healing by others, hypnosis, osteopathy, high dose/mega vitamins, biofeedback, chelation | Past 12 months
back or neck problems treated with the following:
chiropractic care 61%
massage 39%
relaxation techniques 10%
prayer/spiritual practice 5%
acupuncture 30%
yoga 14%
energy healing 16%
28% reported having back or neck problems (second most common medical condition reported)
71% used alternative therapy
47% saw CAM provider
3 most commonly therapies: massage therapies, chiropractic care, and prayer | NA |
|
Hartvigsen123
2003
Denmark | T1 (1962)
n = 1,118
T2 (1999)
n = 1,897 | Primary complaint
LBP
LBP and sciatica
Neck pain
Neck and arm pain | Chiropractor | T1:
LBP alone: 33%
LBP and sciatica: 17%
Neck pain: 6%
Neck and arm pain: 6%
T2:
LBP alone: 40.7%
LBP and sciatica: 8.8%
Neck pain: 9.2%
Neck and arm pain: 6.2%
Thoracic spine: 7.0%
Thoracic spine and chest/upper extremity: 2.4% | NA |