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Table 3 Primary health condition for which patients seek assistance and importance of other physiological systems in management of the patients case, as reported by naturopaths (n = 854)

From: Overview of international naturopathic practice and patient characteristics: results from a cross-sectional study in 14 countries

Physiological system or category of the primary health condition

All responses n (%)

Specific primary health condition

Responses within the system or category n (%)

Considered important in the management of the primary condition [All responses, n (%)]

Musculoskeletal

158 (18.5)

Chronic musculoskeletal pain

76 (48.4)

151 (17.7)

Injury

30 (19.1)

Osteoarthritis

20 (12.7)

Fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome

12 (7.6)

Sciatica

4 (2.6)

Other

15 (9.6)

Gastrointestinal

104 (12.2)

Irritable bowel syndrome

33 (31.7)

348 (40.8)

Gastro-oesophageal reflux

18 (17.3)

Food allergy/intolerance/sensitivity

17 (16.4)

Dysbiosis or parasites

8 (7.7)

Liver and biliary dysfunction and disease

6 (5.8)

Symptomatic constipation

3 (2.9)

Symptomatic diarrhoea

2 (1.9)

Inflammatory bowel disorders

1 (1.0)

Other

16 (5.8)

Mental illness

93 (11.0)

Anxiety

26 (28.0)

133 (15.5)

Depression

20 (21.5)

Stress or fatigue

17 (18.3)

Bipolar disorder

7 (7.5)

ADHD

6 (6.5)

Insomnia and other sleep disorders

5 (5.4)

ASD

2 (2.2)

Addiction

2 (2.2)

Other

8 (8.6)

General wellness and prevention

57 (6.7)

  

245 (28.7)

Female reproductive

51 (6.0)

Menopausal symptoms

20 (39.2)

134 (15.7)

Dysmenorrhoea and other menstrual complaints

12 (23.5)

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

9 (17.7)

Endometriosis

6 (11.7)

Fibroids and other benign tumours

3 (5.9)

Other

1 (2.0)

Skin/Integumentary

44 (5.2)

Inflammatory skin conditions

25 (56.8)

79 (9.3)

Acne vulgaris

11 (25.0)

Other

8 (18.2)

Respiratory

43 (5.0)

Congestive respiratory disorders

23 (53.5)

71 (8.3)

Respiratory tract infection

8 (18.6)

Asthma

6 (14.0)

Other

6 (14.0)

Maternal health

43 (5.0)

Fertility

23 (54.8)

29 (3.4)

Pregnancy

11 (26.2)

Preconception care

5 (11.9)

Lactation, breastfeeding and other postpartum care

3 (7.1)

Neurological

43 (5.0)

Headache/migraine

24 (55.8)

67 (7.9)

Neuralgia

7 (16.3)

Parkinson’s disease

3 (7.0

Paralysis and partial paralysis

3 (7.0)

Carpel tunnel syndrome

1 (2.3)

Other

5 (11.6)

Endocrine

40 (4.7)

Thyroid abnormalities

22 (55.0)

203 (23.8)

Type 2 diabetes

5 (12.5)

Adrenal insufficiency

5 (12.5)

Insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome

4 (10.0)

Other

4 (10.0)

Cancer

39 (4.6)

Active, malignant cancer

17 (43.6)

29 (3.4)

Post-cancer recovery, support and prevention

11 (28.2)

Management of cancer treatment side effects

5 (12.8)

Palliative care

3 (7.7)

Benign cancer

2 (5.1)

Other

1 (2.6)

Cardiovascular

36 (4.2)

Hypertension

15 (41.7)

108 (12.7)

Chronic venous insufficiency/poor circulation

9 (25.0)

Atherosclerosis and/or dyslipidemia

6 (16.7)

Stroke-related complaints

4 (11.1)

Other

2 (5.6)

Weight management

34 (4.0)

  

147 (17.2)

Autoimmune

31 (3.6)

Systemic (e.g. SLE/lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis)

18 (58.1)

74 (8.7)

Gastrointestinal (coeliac, crohn’s, ulcerative colitis)

5 (16.1)

Nervous system (e.g. multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis)

3 (9.7)

Thyroid (e.g. Grave’s, Hashimoto’s)

2 (6.5)

Type 1 diabetes

2 (6.5)

Other

1 (3.2)

Urogenital

21 (2.5)

Urinary tract infection

8 (38.1)

41 (4.8)

Benign prostate hypertrophy

5 (23.8)

Kidney disease

3 (14.3)

Infections (candida, sexually transmitted infections)

3 (14.3)

Incontinence

2 (9.5)

Ageing and cognition

10 (1.2)

Alzheimer’s disease or dementia

4 (40.0)

69 (8.1)

Healthy ageing support

3 (30.0)

Other cognitive impairment

3 (30.0)

Infectious disease

7 (0.8)

Lyme disease

3 (42.9)

27 (3.1)

Epstein-barr virus

2 (28.6)

Other

2 (28.6)