Use of complementary and alternative medicine by a sample of Turkish primary headache patients

Başak Karakurum Göksel1, Ozlem Coskun2, Serap Ucler2, Mehmet Karatas1, Aynur Ozge3, Secil Ozkan4

1Baskent University Medical School, Adana Teaching And Medical Research Center Department Of Neurology, Adana, Turkey
2The Ministry Of Health Ankara Hospital, Department Of Neurology, Ankara, Turkey.
3Mersin University School Of Medicine, Department Of Neurology, Mersin, Turkey
4Gazi University Medical Faculty, Department Of Public Health, Ankara, Turkey

Keywords: complementary and alternative medicine, migraine, headache, acupuncture

Abstract

Objective: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is increasingly being used as adjunctive treatment in primary headache syndromes in many countries. In the Turkish population, no epidemiologic data have been reported about awareness and usage of these treatments in patients with headache.
Methods: One hundred and ten primary headache patients attending three headache clinics completed a questionnaire regarding their headaches, the known modalities and the use and effect of CAM procedures for their headaches.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 34.7±9.6 years (32.8-36.5). Almost two-thirds of patients had completed high school and university, and one-third of patients were housewives. Migraine without aura (45.5%) was the most frequently diagnosed type of headache followed by migraine with aura (19.1%) and tension-type headache (18.2%). In 43.6% of the patients, headache frequency was 5-10 per month. The most frequently known CAM modalities were massage (74.5%), acupuncture (44.5%), yoga (31.8%), exercise (28.2%), psychotherapy (25.5%), and rosemary (23.6%). The most frequently used CAM treatments were massage (51%) and exercise (11%). Only massage was reported to be beneficial in one-third of the primary headache patients; the other modalities were not.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the subgroup of primary headache patients in Turkey seek and use alternative treatments, frequently in combination with standard treatments. Neurologists should become more knowledgeable regarding CAM therapies; further randomized and controlled clinical researches with large sample sizes are needed.