Conventional medical treatments rated significantly lower by affected World Trade Center rescuers, workers and volunteers
BOULDER, Colo., Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- All 50 participants in a study on the effectiveness of Ayurvedic herbal supplements for 9/11 toxicity reported high incidence of alleviation of previously intractable symptoms, according to a report in the Jan/Feb 2008 issue of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine (ATHM), a peer-reviewed medical journal published by InnoVision Health Media.
James Dahl, Ph.D., a senior research associate at the Phoenix House Foundation, and Katherine Dahl, M.D., an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, both in New York, conducted an in-treatment, web-based survey with 50 World Trade Center rescue-and-recovery workers, volunteers, and area residents and workers who had used Ayurvedic herbs for post-9/11 symptoms, including respiratory distress, fatigue, and depression.
Survey respondents rated a wide range of symptoms on a Likert scale of 0-5, with 0 and 1 being minimal and 5 being extremely serious. Memory and concentration problems, cough, fatigue, exhaustion, "not feeling well," and depression were among those reported as "extremely serious."
"Not feeling well," was the leading symptom reported for which respondents found the Ayurvedic treatment extremely helpful, ranking it 4.3. Difficulty breathing was rated second, at 4.19. Subjects reported relief from cough, wheezing, concentration problems, and sleeping difficulties at very helpful levels (3.57-4.03).
Almost 65% of the patients received conventional medical treatment for their symptoms, nearly 44% of which was conventional medication. Twenty-six percent received psychotherapy or counseling, and 13% took psychiatric medication.
The level of helpfulness of conventional medical treatments was rated significantly lower for each symptom: "not feeling well," 2.40; difficulty breathing, 2.95; cough, wheezing, concentration problems, and difficulty sleeping, 2.47-2.95.
The mean reported level of helpfulness with preexisting symptoms from the herbal treatment was 3.8 vs. 2.6 for conventional medical treatments participants had tried. Additionally, herbal treatment was helpful for those symptoms rated most serious by those surveyed.
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About Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine
Now in its 14th year, AlternativeTherapies in Health and Medicine
(http://www.alternative-therapies.com) is the definitive peer-reviewed
journal in the field of integrative, cross-cultural and alternative
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(http://www.innovisionhealthmedia.com).
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