Which complementary and alternative therapies benefit which conditions? A survey of the opinions of 223 professional organizations

With the increasing demand and usage of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) by the general public, it is vital that healthcare professionals can make informed decisions when advising or referring their patients who wish to use CAM. Therefore they might benefit from advice by CAM-providers as to which treatment can be recommended for which condition. Aim: The primary a im of this survey was to determine which complementary therapies are believ ed by their respective representing professional organizations to be-suited for which medical conditions. Method: 223 questionnaires were sent out to SCAM organizations representing a single CAM therapy. The respondents were asked to list the 15 conditions they felt benefited most from their CAM the rapy, the 15 most important contra-indications, the typical costs of initia l and any subsequent treatments and the average length of training required to become a fully qualified practitioner. The conditions and contra-indica tions quoted by responding CAM organizations were recorded and the top five of each were determined. Treatment costs and hours of training were expres sed as ranges. Results: Of the 223 questionnaires sent out, 66 were complet ed and returned. Taking undelivered questionnaires into account, the respon se rate was 34%. Two or more responses were received from CAM organizations representing twelve therapies: aromatherapy, Bach flower remedies, Bowen t echnique, chiropractic, homoeopathy, hypnotherapy, magnet therapy, massage, nutrition, reflexology, Reiki and yoga. The top seven common conditions de emed to benefit by all twelve therapies, in order of frequency, were: stres s/anxiety, headaches/migraine, back pain, respiratory problems (including a sthma), insomnia, cardiovascular problems and musculoskeletal problems. Aro matherapy, Bach flower remedies, hypnotherapy, massage, nutrition, reflexol ogy, Reiki and yoga were all recommended as suitable treatments for stress/ anxiety. Aromatherapy, Bowen technique, chiropractic, hypnotherapy, massage , nutrition, reflexology, Reiki and yoga were all recommended for headache/ migraine. Bowen technique, chiropractic, magnet therapy, massage, reflexolo gy and yoga were recommended for back pain. None of the therapies cost more than pound 60 for an initial consultation and treatment. No obvious correl ation between length of training and treatment cost was apparent. Conclusio n: The recommendations by CAM organizations responding to this survey may p rovide guidance to health care professionals wishing to advise or refer pat ients interested in using CAM. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.