[Traditional and alternative treatment of patients with multiple sclerosis]

The medicine consumption and the employment of alternative treatment were investigated in a material of 117 patients with disseminated sclerosis (DS) considered to be a representative sample of the patients with DS in the County of Funen. This investigation revealed that the preparations most commonly employed to modify the disease among patients with disseminated sclerosis were: spasmolytics, agents to counteract neurogenic bladder symptoms, benzodiazepine and analgesics. The consumption of medicine increased with increasing handicap. Employment of psychopharmaca was commonest in patients in social classes 4 and 5 and in women. In addition, is was found that there was no difference in social class, sex and age among the patients who employ alternative methods of treatment. The patients themselves have not experienced any effect from alternative treatment.