Table 2.
CAM treatment modalities used by people with MS in the Nordic countries.
| CAM modality | Denmark (n = 967) | Norway (n = 272) | Sweden (n = 288) | Finland (n = 306) | Iceland (n = 139) | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | (%) | OR | (CI) | n | (%) | OR | (CI) | n | (%) | OR | (CI) | n | (%) | OR | (CI) | n | (%) | OR | (CI) | |
| Supplements of vitamins and minerals | 759 | (78.5) | 1.36 | (1.02–1.82)+ | 181 | (66.5) | 1.16 | (0.83–1.61) | 171 | (59.3) | 1.03 | (0.74–1.44) | 244 | (79.7) | 1.39 | (1.00–1.91)+ | 80 | (57.5) | 1 | |
| Supplements of oils | 423 | (43.7) | 1.74 | (1.18–2.56)+ | 104 | (38.2) | 1.52 | (0.98–2.34) | 88 | (30.6) | 1.21 | (0.78–1.89) | 123 | (40.2) | 1.60 | (1.04–2.44)+ | 35 | (25.2) | 1 | |
| Special diet | 181 | (18.7) | 1.53 | (0.90–2.60) | 40 | (14.7) | 1.20 | (0.66–2.20) | 49 | (17.0) | 1.39 | (0.77–2.50) | 57 | (18.6) | 1.52 | (0.86–2.71) | 17 | (12.2) | 1 | |
| Acupuncture | 151 | (15.6) | 2.39 | (1.47–3.88)+ | 51 | (18.7) | 2.87 | (1.67–4.93)+ | 34 | (11.8) | 1.81 | (1.12–3.21)+ | 20 | (6.5) | 1 | 29 | (20.8) | 3.19 | (1.75–5.84)+ | |
| Herbal medicine | 112 | (11.6) | 1.87 | (1.13–3.08)+ | 31 | (11.4) | 1.84 | (1.01–3.32)+ | 31 | (10.7) | 1.73 | (0.96–3.14) | 19 | (6.2) | 1 | 18 | (12.9) | 2.09 | (1.06–4.10)+ | |
| Reflexology | 107 | (11.1) | 7.52 | (2.75–20.60)+ | 4 | (1.5) | 1 | 9 | (3.1) | 2.13 | (0.65–6.98) | 14 | (4.5) | 3.11 | (1.01–9.57)+ | 15 | (10.8) | 7.34 | (2.39–22.53)+ | |
| Yoga | 106 | (10.9) | 1.40 | (0.88–2.22) | 25 | (9.2) | 1.17 | (0.65–2.10) | 42 | (14.6) | 1.86 | (1.10–3.15)+ | 24 | (7.8) | 1 | 32 | (23.0) | 2.94 | (1.67–5.17)+ | |
| Meditation | 91 | (9.4) | 1.60 | (0.95–2.70) | 24 | (8.8) | 1.50 | (0.80–2.82) | 33 | (11.4) | 1.95 | (1.07–3.54)+ | 18 | (5.9) | 1 | 19 | (13.7) | 2.32 | (1.18–4.56)+ | |
| Alternative massage | 49 | (5.1) | 2.76 | (1.09–6.99)+ | 5 | (1.8) | 1 | 14 | (4.8) | 2.64 | (0.94–7.44) | 15 | (4.9) | 2.67 | (0.96–7.43) | 8 | (5.7) | 3.13 | (1.01–9.75)+ | |
| Cranio sacral therapy | 45 | (4.6) | 2.53 | (0.99–6.44) | 5 | (1.8) | 1 | 8 | (2.8) | 1.51 | (0.49–4.68) | 0 | (0.0) | No data | No data | 17 | (12.2) | 6.65 | (2.40–18.41)+ | |
| Other supplements (probiotics, superfood, protein supplement, antioxidants, alkaline supplement, colloid silver, enzymes, fiber supplement, amino acid supplement, glucosamine, and mitochondrial energy optimizer, Gelée Royale LDN) | 42 | (4.3) | 2.01 | (0.62–6.58) | 10 | (3.7) | 1.70 | (0.46–6.29) | 28 | (9.7) | 4.50 | (1.35–15.07)+ | 15 | (4.9) | 2.27 | (0.65–7.97) | 3 | (2.2) | 1 | |
| Healing | 41 | (4.2) | 6.49 | (1.56–26.98)+ | 20 | (7.3) | 11.25 | (2.61–48.57)+ | 17 | (5.9) | 9.03 | (2.07–39.44)+ | 2 | (0.6) | 1 | 17 | (12.2) | 18.71 | (4.26–82.11)+ | |
| Homeopathy | 28 | (2.9) | 1.67 | (0.64–4.36) | 15 | (5.5) | 3.18 | (1.14–8.86)+ | 5 | (1.7) | 1 | 10 | (3.3) | 1.88 | (0.64–5.57) | 7 | (5.0) | 2.90 | (0.90–9.30) | |
| Amalgam removal | 22 | (2.3) | 1 | 11 | (4.0) | 1.78 | (0.85–3.71) | 8 | (2.8) | 1.22 | (0.54–2.77) | 8 | (2.6) | 1.15 | (0.51–2.61) | 7 | (5.0) | 2.21 | (0.93–5.28) | |
| Qi gong | 18 | (1.8) | 1 | 9 | (3.3) | 1.78 | (0.79–4.00) | 30 | (10.4) | 5.60 | (3.07–10.19)+ | 0 | (0.0) | No data | No data | 0 | (0.0) | No data | No data | |
| Naprapathy | 0 | (0.0) | No data | No data | 14 | (5.1) | 3.94 | (1.28–12.11)+ | 11 | (3.8) | 2.92 | (0.92–9.28) | 4 | (1.3) | 1 | 0 | (0.0) | No data | No data | |
| CAM treatments with prevalence of use below 5% in all countries Denmark: Tai Chi, kinesiology, Feldenkrais method, osteopathy, hypnosis, orthomolecular treatment, cannabis, vacuum therapy, body SDS therapy, thought field therapy, Ayurvedic medicine, Birgitta Brunes' treatment, CCSVI surgery*, and alternative psychotherapy Norway: Tai Chi, Feldenkrais method, kinesiology, osteopathy, orthomolecular medicine, bioresonance/quantum medical treatment, Mensendick treatment, aroma therapy, thought field therapy, Ayurvedic medicine, Birgitta Brunes' treatment, CCSVI surgery, and alternative psycho therapy Sweden: Tai Chi, Feldenkrais method, osteopathy, kinesiology, hypnosis, bioresonance/quantum medical treatment, antroposofic medicine, Birgitta Brunes' treatment, CCSVI surgery, and alternative psychotherapy Finland: Tai Chi, colonic therapy, kinesiology, cannabis, lymph therapy, osteopathy, CCSVI surgery, and alternative psychotherapy |
34 | (3.5) | 1.19 | (0.57–2.52) | 16 | (5.9) | 2.0 | (0.87–4.60) | 14 | (4.8) | 1.65 | (0.70–3.87) | 9 | (2.9) | 1 | 5 | (3.6) | 1.22 | (0.40–3.71) | |
| Iceland: Tai Chi, aroma therapy, Feldenkrais method, Birgitta Brunes' treatment, CCSVI surgery, and alternative psycho therapy | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Use of one or more use of one or more energetic CAM modalities (including traditional Chinese acupuncture, reflexology, shiatsu massage, healing massage, cranial sacral therapy, healing, homeopathy, spritual psycho therapy, Qi gong, Tai Chi, and kinesiology) | 223 | (23.1) | 2.14 | (1.45–3.15)+ | 56 | (20.6) | 1.91 | (1.21–3.02)+ | 48 | (16.7) | (1.55) | (0.98–2.47) | 33 | (10.8) | 1 | 43 | (30.9) | 2.87 | (1.75–4.71) | |
| Number of CAM modalities in use | 29 | 29 | 26 | 22 | 20 | |||||||||||||||
*It can be discussed whether CCSVI surgery should be classified as a CAM modality. Though it is not a “classic” CAM modality, we have chosen to include it in this table, based on the broad definition of CAM used in this study as an intervention not generally considered part of conventional medicine.
“+”signifies that the prevalence is significantly higher than the lowest prevalence. Significance has been determined by interpretation of the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) (if 1 is contained in the CI, P < 0.05).