The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Is Less Frequent in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Than in Patients with Other Chronic Gastrointestinal Disorders
Table 1
The most preferred CAM types.
IBD ()
CD ()
UC ()
Control group ()
Herbs and botanicals
Aloe vera
24
9
15
22
Milk thistle
11
2
9
13
Walnut leaf
11
7
4
0
Curcumin
10
4
6
14
Wheatgrass
9
3
6
9
Plantago ovata
7
3
4
4
Medicinal fungi
7
3
4
1
Chamomile
6
5
1
4
Lifestyle changes
Special diet
279
146
133
94
Exercise
112
64
48
32
Cessation of smoking
41
30
11
12
Mind/body therapies
Relaxation techniques
36
18
17
16
Stress management
28
16
12
7
Kinesiology, yoga, massage
23
15
7
7
Acupuncture
16
7
8
4
includes patients with Crohn’s disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and indeterminate colitis. CAM: complementary and alternative medicine; IBD: inflammatory bowel diseases.
