Complementary and alternative therapy use in persons with multiple sclerosis.

Use of complementary and alternative therapies (CATs) is common with both the general population and with people who have multiple sclerosis (MS). The purpose of this study was to describe the reported use and perceived effectiveness of different CATs in a large sample (N = 621) of people with MS. One-third of the participants reported that they were presently using one or more CATs, and 50% had tried one or more CATs in the past. Most CATs were perceived as being helpful. People who were presently using CATs differed little from those who were not with regard to demographic- and illness-related variables. Use of CATs was positively associated with the practice of other health-promoting behaviors. The frequent use of different CATs suggests that clinicians should systematically and nonjudgmentally inquire about CAT use among their patients.