Over two-thirds of patients have tried a complementary therapy before seeki
ng conventional medical help. In view of this it is important that doctors
keep abreast of developments in this area and of the range of therapies whi
ch are now being offered. The interaction between drugs and herbal remedies
is one example where this is of particular importance. This review assesse
s the current evidence base for complementary therapies in nasal disease. C
ontemporary medicine can learn much from the patient-centred approach that
is central to many complementary therapies. There is, as yet, little eviden
ce to support the effect of complementary therapy over those of the placebo
effect, cognitive dissonance and the natural resolution of many disease pr
ocesses.