Do Individuals with Vertigo or Dizziness Complaints Have a Tendency to Use Complementary and Alternative Medicine Approaches? A Case-Control Study.

INTRODUCTION

Dizziness and vertigo are prevalent reasons for medical consultation, stemming from various benign and pathological conditions. Although traditional treatments are available, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches are increasingly sought by patients for almost all diseases. This study aimed to investigate the use of CAM approaches in individuals with and without vertigo/dizziness and to compare the results.

METHODS

The study enrolled 208 participants, 104 of them had complaints of vertigo/dizziness (patient group) and the remaining were without such symptoms (control group). Participants were queried about used CAM approaches, and study participants underwent vestibular assessment.

RESULTS

It was revealed that there was a significant higher prevalence of herbal supplement usage among individuals with vertigo/dizziness complaints compared to without vertigo/dizziness. However, no significant differences were found in the usage of other CAM approaches between the groups. Among CAM users in the patient group, the majority did not aim to alleviate vertigo/dizziness symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

This study contributes to understanding CAM utilization patterns among vertigo/dizziness patients and underscores the importance of further research to explore the efficacy and safety of CAM approaches in managing these symptoms. Future studies should take into account socioeconomic and sociocultural factors affecting the use of CAM approaches and should aim to evaluate the effectiveness of specific CAM approaches in the treatment of vertigo/dizziness.