Objective: A large share of rheumatism patients who are treated by rheumatologists use unconventional therapies additionally. What is the frequency in patients with ankylosing spondylitis who present for treatment at a radon spa? Patients: 75 patients with ankylosing spondylitis presenting for treatment at the Gasteiner Heilstollen Hospital agreed to participate in the study (6 refused). Design: In an open interview a research assistant asked the patients to name all interventions which they have used for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis. Results: Unconventional therapies (beside treatment at the Gasteiner Heilstollen) were used by 39 patients. Most frequently cited were acupuncture (15×), diet (8×), herbal therapy (7×), and homeopathy (6×). In total 40 different forms of unconventional therapies were mentioned. All patients claimed to have used at least two conventional therapies. Conclusion: Patients presenting for treatment at a radon spa claim to have used conventional therapies more frequently than unconventional forms of treatment.
Symptoms, Effects on Quality of Life, Judgement and Expectations of Treatment in Active Ankylosing Spondylitis: The Patient's View.In ankylosing spondylitis uncertainty prevails among rheumatologists on how to define and measure activity. In the present study the patient's view of activity was evaluated. What does active ankylosing spondylitis mean for the patient? In a standardized interview the patient was asked to describe, from his own experience, what active ankylosing spondylitis means, what bothers him most, what helps most, and what he expects from therapy. For the patient, active ankylosing spondylitis means pain (99 responses), mobility restriction (19), muscle tension (10), inability to stay supine (6), restriction in chest mobility (5) and dyspnea (5). Fatigue was mentioned by two patients. In active states patients are mainly bothered by pain (77), mobility restriction (55), consequences for social life (20) and work (18), disturbed sleep (17) and difficult breathing (16). Drugs (84) and physical activity (42) were judged the best treatments during active ankylosing spondylitis. It was no surprise that pain and mobility restriction were cited most often by the patients. Breathing difficulties were cited rather often, whereas fatigue seems not to play an important role for most patients. The results suggest that modern rheumatology may have underestimated the relevance of difficult breathing and paid too much attention to fatigue.
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