Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine最新文献

{"title":"Spontaneous ultraweak photon emission from biological systems and the endogenous light field.","authors":"Herbert Schwabl,&nbsp;Herbert Klima","doi":"10.1159/000083960","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000083960","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Still one of the most astonishing biological electromagnetic phenomena is the ultraweak photon emission (UPE) from living systems. Organisms and tissues spontaneously emit measurable intensities of light, i.e. photons in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum (380-780 nm), in the range from 1 to 1,000 photons x s-1 x cm-2, depending on their condition and vitality. It is important not to confuse UPE from living systems with other biogenic light emitting processes such as bioluminescence or chemiluminescence. This article examines with basic considerations from physics on the quantum nature of photons the empirical phenomenon of UPE. This leads to the description of the non-thermal origin of this radiation. This is in good correspondence with the modern understanding of life phenomena as dissipative processes far from thermodynamic equilibrium. UPE also supports the understanding of life sustaining processes as basically driven by electromagnetic fields. The basic features of UPE, like intensity and spectral distribution, are known in principle for many experimental situations. The UPE of human leukocytes contributes to an endogenous light field of about 1011 photons x s-1 which can be influenced by certain factors. Further research is needed to reveal the statistical properties of UPE and in consequence to answer questions about the underlying mechanics of the biological system. In principle, statistical properties of UPE allow to reconstruct phase-space dynamics of the light emitting structures. Many open questions remain until a proper understanding of the electromagnetic interaction of the human organism can be achieved: which structures act as receptors and emitters for electromagnetic radiation? How is electromagnetic information received and processed within cells?</p>","PeriodicalId":80278,"journal":{"name":"Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"84-9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1159/000083960","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25129371","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An introduction to human biophoton emission.","authors":"Roeland Van Wijk,&nbsp;Eduard P A Van Wijk","doi":"10.1159/000083763","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000083763","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Biophoton emission is the spontaneous emission of ultraweak light emanating from all living systems, including man. The emission is linked to the endogenous production of excited states within the living system. The detection and characterisation of human biophoton emission has led to suggestions that it has potential future applications in medicine.</p><p><strong>Objectives: </strong>An overview is presented of studies on ultraweak photon emission (UPE, biophotons) from the human whole body.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Electronic searches of Medline, PsychLit, PubMed and references lists of relevant review articles and books were used to establish the literature database. Articles were then analysed for their main experimental setup and results.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The, mostly, single case studies have resulted in a collection of observations. The collection presents information on the following fields of research: (1) influence of biological rhythms, age, and gender on emission, (2) the intensity of emission and its left-right symmetry in health and disease, (3) emission from the perspective of Traditional Chinese and Korean Medicine, (4) emission in different consciousness studies, (5) procedures for analysis of the photon signal from hands, (6) detection of peroxidative processes in the skin. Of each article the main findings are presented in a qualitative manner, quantitative data are presented where useful, and the technological or methodological limitations are discussed.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Photon emission recording techniques have reached a stage that allows resolution of the signal in time and space. The published material is presented and includes aspects like spatial resolution of intensity, its relation to health and disease, the aspect of colour, and methods for analysis of the photon signal. The limited number of studies only allows first conclusions about the implications and significance of biophotons in relation to health and disease, or to mental states, or acupuncture. However, with the present data we consider that further research in the field is justified.</p>","PeriodicalId":80278,"journal":{"name":"Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine","volume":"12 2","pages":"77-83"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1159/000083763","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25129370","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Is ginger a clinically relevant antiemetic? A systematic review of randomized controlled trials].","authors":"Oliver Betz, Peter Kranke, Götz Geldner, Hinnerk Wulf, Leopold H J Eberhart","doi":"10.1159/000082536","DOIUrl":"10.1159/000082536","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objective: </strong>The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the clinical impact of ginger (Zingiber officinale) as an antiemetic.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A systematic search of the literature was performed using the databases of MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane-Library.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 100 published reports discerned as potentially relevant, 24 randomized controlled trials were evaluated, covering 1073 patients which had received ginger. Of these reports, 16 contained information regarding the antiemetic activity of the phytotherapeutic agent against kinetosis, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and morning sickness and hyperemesis gravidarum, respectively. Only a few studies were eligible for a quantitative analysis (meta-analysis). Thus, the majority of the reports were analyzed descriptively. To analyze the potential side effects of the drug, 15 reports with 777 patients were eligible. Of these, 3.3% suffered from slight side effects, mainly mild gastrointestinal symptoms and sleepiness, both not requiring specific treatments. One severe adverse event was reported in a study: an abortion occurred in the 12th week of gestation. However, a total of 136 patients were treated with ginger within the first trimenon of pregnancy without complications.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>There is no clear evidence for the efficacy of ginger in the treatment of PONV and of kinetosis. The results for the treatment of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy are encouraging, however, ginger should be applied for the time being only in controlled clinical studies. Applied in daily doses up to 6 g ginger seems to be a drug with few side effects.</p>","PeriodicalId":80278,"journal":{"name":"Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"14-23"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1159/000082536","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25009759","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of the impact of pro- and antiinflammatory immune processes at the two immune-deviated sites, eye and solid tumor and possible consequences for the antitumoral therapy with fever inducers.","authors":"Henning Schramm","doi":"10.1159/000082828","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000082828","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Findings from various epidemiological studies suggest that acute inflammation and fever may decrease the risk of developing certain types of cancer. In an established tumor situation acute inflammation and fever resulted in tumor regression in some cases, however, treatment was sometimes ineffective or even deleterious. It has been suggested that chronic inflammation contributes to carcinogenesis and in an established tumor situation to malignancy. In order to better understand the role of acute inflammation and fever in the treatment of cancer, we compare some of the current knowledge about the effects of pro- and antiinflammatory immunological processes in the two immune-deviated sites, eye and cancer. Striking similarities between these two sites have been demonstrated. The knowledge gained in experimental studies abrogating immune privilege in the eye could provide insights into the inconsistent results of proinflammatory cancer therapy. The eye could be used as a model to develop hypotheses on how to abolish the immunological tolerance state of a solid tumor and make it susceptible to immunological destruction. The immune privilege of the eye is abrogated, at least transiently, in the initial stages of tissue- or organ-specific cellular autoimmune responses and this effect is possibly supported by complement- fixing/proinflammatory antibodies. An overview of possible consequences for the tumor therapy especially in connection with inflammation and fever inducers such as bacterial vaccines or mistletoe preparations, which are therapeutically used to interfere with the privileged immune state of the tumor, is given.</p>","PeriodicalId":80278,"journal":{"name":"Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"37-46"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1159/000082828","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25009762","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High homeopathic potencies are different from potentized solvent when investigated with the REDEM technology.","authors":"Claudia Witt,&nbsp;Rainer Lüdtke,&nbsp;Thorolf E R Weisshuhn,&nbsp;Stefan N Willich","doi":"10.1159/000082635","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000082635","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To determine in a series of randomized blinded experiments using the REDEM technology whether differences between high homeopathic potencies and similarly potentized solvent can be detected.</p><p><strong>Design and analysis: </strong>A REDEM device was employed as a black box. Samples were measured in a capacitor that was connected to 60 individual oscillator circuits at frequencies between 250 and 930 KHz; their oscillation damping was recorded. In two experiments (3 and 4 replications) stable differences between a potentized 'mother tincture' and potentized solvent were assessed. Statistical analysis was done using ANCOVA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant differences (p < 0.01) between remedy and control were found, mostly at the same oscillator frequencies. Those differences found for only one remedy always were at frequencies adjacent to frequencies with differences for other remedies. VISUAL ANALYSIS: Where output curves were not near 0, remedy values were higher than controls. Curves within a replication ran parallel, their distances varied. Between replications, curve shapes and remedy- control differences were similar, however, control curves varied in height. Control and remedy curves between experiments varied in shape. Effects increased with time and sample conductivity. Ethanol 43% as solvent eliminated the observed effects, use of polyethylene containers considerably attenuated them.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A probably physical difference was seen between potentized homeopathic remedies and potentized solvent. The differences are associated with sample age, solvent, and container material. The REDEM technology requires further investigation to determine the nature of the underlying mechanisms of the observed differences.</p>","PeriodicalId":80278,"journal":{"name":"Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"6-13"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1159/000082635","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25009758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Drug exanthema in connection with trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole treatment, triggered by leech therapy].","authors":"André-Michael Beer,&nbsp;Stefan Fey,&nbsp;Jens Ciborovius,&nbsp;Martin Knorr","doi":"10.1159/000083242","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000083242","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In a 58-year-old hospitalized woman with gonarthrosis a leech therapy was applied to both knee joints. In the evening of the following day she observed strong pruritus in the area of the leech bites; in addition a maculopapular exanthema appeared on the torso and her lower extremities. The allergic reaction lasted four days. Administration of antihistamines only led to a slight improvement of the symptoms. A full restitution could only be achieved after a systemic dose of glucocorticoids on the fourth day after leech therapy. Eight days before beginning of the leech therapy a five-day antibiotic therapy with trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (Cotrim forte) had been administered to treat an uncomplicated urinary infection. Allergic reactions are well-known complications of these antibiotics and of leech therapy. The four-day duration of the allergic reaction after leech therapy, however, was untypical. In order to explain these symptoms, a prick test and an epicutaneous test for the antibiotic components were executed five weeks after the leech therapy. Furthermore, a second leech therapy was administered and a lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) was carried out. The results of the LTT showed a sensitization for sulfamethoxazole and a possible sensitization for trimethoprim, the results of the epicutaneous test showed a positive reaction to sodium lauryl sulfate, a component of the antibiotic. In the area of the leech bites a clear local skin reaction was observed. These results suggest a drug exanthema, in all probability triggered by the leech therapy.</p>","PeriodicalId":80278,"journal":{"name":"Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"32-6"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1159/000083242","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25009761","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Re the editorial: \"Healing power--an art of natural healing of people or still only by natural therapy?\"].","authors":"B Uehleke,&nbsp;R Stange","doi":"10.1159/000083726","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000083726","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":80278,"journal":{"name":"Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"47-8"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1159/000083726","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25059925","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Are complementary and classical natural medicine conducive to healthy living or only for curing diseases? Specific demands for evidence-based medicine].","authors":"Klaus Michael Meyer-Abich","doi":"10.1159/000083375","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000083375","url":null,"abstract":"Die herrschende Medizin verdankt ihr Ansehen der Annahme, dass das arztliche Handeln naturwissenschaftlich begrundet sei. Das hiesse: Was der Arzt tut, ist – trotz gelegentlicher Unsicherheiten und Irrtumer – wissenschaftlich richtig und alles Entgegengesetzte ware wissenschaftlich falsch. Genauere Beobachter hat es deshalb etwa seit den 1960er Jahren zunehmend gewundert, dass beispielsweise bestimmte Operationen oder anderweitige Therapien in verschiedenen Regionen oder Landern, deren Bevolkerung sich gesundheitlich, wirtschaftlich und in ihren Lebensweisen nicht sonderlich unterscheidet, zweioder dreimal so oft stattfinden wie in andern. Dieselben Unterschiede ergeben sich, wenn Gutachtergruppen von Arzten aus verschiedenen Landern eine Anzahl von Fallen mit bestimmten Diagnosen unabhangig von den Kosten daraufhin beurteilen, welche Therapie sie fur die richtige halten. Unter der Devise «evidence-based medicine» (EBM) – beweisgestutzte Medizin – hat mittlerweile in der herrschenden Medizin selbst eine kritische Untersuchung der Wissenschaftlichkeit des arztlichen Handelns eingesetzt. Dabei hat sich bestatigt, dass dieses «zu dem naturwissenschaftlichen oder irgendeinem sonstigen Wissen nur einen viel lockereren Bezug hat, als es die offiziellen Verlautbarungen nahe legen wollen» [«...much more loosely connected with scientific or any other form of knowledge than the official rhetoric would suggest», aus 1]. Unter den Medizinern wird es zum guten Teil nicht gern gesehen, dass dem in seiner Praxis sonst so souveranen Arzt in dieser Weise uber die Schulter geblickt wird. Es sind aber nicht nur viele Mediziner, denen die kritischen Blicke der EBM-Evaluatoren zu einem Argernis geraten, sondern auch viele Naturheilkundler und Komplementarmediziner lassen es sich nicht gern gefallen, mit ihrem Handeln vor ein wissenschaftliches Beweisgericht gezogen zu werden. Manche fuhlen sich sogar benachteiligt, weil sie die Wissenschaftlichkeit fur einen Wesenszug der herrschenden Medizin halten. Tatsachlich sind z.B. Wirksamkeitsnachweise in der Naturheilkunde teilweise noch erheblich schwerer zu fuhren als dort. Die «Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde» hat sich allerdings von Anfang an nicht darauf einlassen wollen, hier irgendwelche Ausnahmen zu beanspruchen und die Wissenschaftlichkeit den Medizinern zu uberlassen. Grundsatzlich gibt es die Moglichkeit, die Wissenschaftlichkeit entweder sowohl fur die herrschende Medizin als auch fur die Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde aufrechterhalten zu wollen oder diese Forderung fur beide fallen zu lassen. Die zweite Moglichkeit wurde der arztlichen Urteilskraft wieder den Raum geben, den sie wohl eigentlich verdient, und ist keineswegs von vornherein abzuweisen. Allerdings waren die meisten Arzte damit wohl uberfordert. Ich sehe aber noch einen andern Grund, warum wir uns auch in der Komplementarmedizin und klassischen Naturheilkunde der wissenschaftlichen Kontrolle nicht zu en","PeriodicalId":80278,"journal":{"name":"Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"4-5"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1159/000083375","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25059924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Treatment of inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract -- comparison of a homeopathic complex remedy with xylometazoline].","authors":"Hermann Ammerschläger,&nbsp;Peter Klein,&nbsp;Michael Weiser,&nbsp;Menachem Oberbaum","doi":"10.1159/000082934","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000082934","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The primary objective of treatment of inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract (rhinitis, uncomplicated sinusitis) with local decongestants is to relieve obstruction and to improve associated symptoms. Restoration of unrestricted respiration and drainage of the nasal sinuses reduce the risk of further complications (i.e. chronicity).</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>To determine whether the therapeutic effects of the homeopathic complex remedy Euphorbium compositum nasal drops SN are comparable to those of xylometazoline with respect to efficacy and tolerability.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Open, multicenter, prospective, active-controlled cohort study in patients with inflammatory processes and diseases of the upper respiratory tract. The primary outcome was to demonstrate non-inferiority of the homeopathic complex remedy to xylometazoline.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Clinically relevant reductions in the intensities of disease-specific symptoms were observed with both therapies. Non-inferiority of the homeopathic complex remedy to xylometazoline could be shown for all studied variables and in no case did the lower boundary of the 95% confidence interval cross the threshold of 0.5 score points. Tolerability was good with for both therapies.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This cohort study indicates a comparable efficacy and tolerability profile of the homeopathic complex remedy Euphorbium compositum nasal drops SN and the reference substance xylometazoline in patients with inflammatory processes and diseases of the upper respiratory tract.</p>","PeriodicalId":80278,"journal":{"name":"Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine","volume":"12 1","pages":"24-31"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1159/000082934","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25009760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"[Use and acceptance of classical natural and alternative medicine in Germany--findings of a representative population-based survey].","authors":"U Härtel,&nbsp;E Volger","doi":"10.1159/000082814","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1159/000082814","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The use of classical natural therapies and alternative medicine is becoming increasingly popular in Germany and other European countries. Only few population-based studies in Germany have investigated the use and acceptance of a variety of classical and alternative methods, including their possible determinants.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Cross-sectional survey of a nationally representative sample of men and women aged 18 to 69 years, applying a standardized self-administered questionnaire, that included questions on 21 different healing methods, on personal reasons for use, on individual attitudes to natural therapies, and on the socioeconomic background.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, 70% of women and 54% of men had used at least one classical natural or alternative healing method (including homeopathic and anthroposophic medicine) during the 12 months preceding the study. The most frequently used methods were classical therapies such as exercise therapy (32% of women, 26% of men), herbal medicine (33% of women, 20% of men), hydrotherapy (24% of women, 17% of men), and medical massage (22% of women, 15% of men). About 20% of women and 10% of men had applied homeopathic therapies, and about 9% (11% women, 6% men) had used acupuncture. In multivariate logistic regression analyses gender and education were the best predictors of classical and alternative medicine use. Women and persons with at least high-school education used these methods significantly more often than men and persons with lower education. Age-stratified analyses revealed that the age-group of the 40-49-year-old people used classical and alternative methods significantly more often than younger or older age-groups. The most frequently reported health problems for which natural therapies had been applied were back pain (57%), cold (29%), headaches (19%), strain (15%) and gastrointestinal ailments (12%). Overall, the efficacy and usefulness of natural healing methods was evaluated positive by the majority of the study population. 58% would appreciate it if physicians would more often prescribe such therapies, and 48% would like to have more information about the benefit of natural healing methods.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The prevalence of use of natural medicine varies substantially across different types of healing methods. The observed overall acceptance together with the marked need for more information should be used more intensively for the development of health promotion strategies and underpins the necessity of reinforced research activities in this field.</p>","PeriodicalId":80278,"journal":{"name":"Forschende Komplementarmedizin und klassische Naturheilkunde = Research in complementary and natural classical medicine","volume":"11 6","pages":"327-34"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2004-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1159/000082814","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25035367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}