Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2005; 10: 25
To ascertain the views and use of CAM among people with low back pain (LBP).
A questionnaire investigating the views and use of CAM among LBP sufferers was distributed among two groups: staff at the University of Ulster and patients attending physiotherapy outpatient clinics.
Two hundred and twenty-two people suffering LBP completed the questionnaire. The most common reason for LBP onset was ‘simple LBP’ (41.7%). Forty-six per cent of respondents stated that they had tried CAM for their LBP and the majority of those had found it effective (51% of respondents who stated they had tried CAM). Of the respondents who use CAM 46.3% found it more effective than conventional treatments, with 26.9% of CAM users finding it just as good. The most commonly cited CAM was acupuncture (21.6% of total sample), followed by reflexology (9.5%). Most respondents would consider using CAM to treat their LBP (90.1%); however, 45.5% were unsure which CAM to use.
LBP sufferers are willing to try CAM to relieve their LBP but many are unsure which therapies will be effective. More high quality research through RCTs is needed to establish the effectiveness of CAM for LBP, so that LBP patients can make more informed decisions regarding the management of their LBP.
