Abstract

Introduction: Treatment experience during CAM treatments differs from conventional treatments in the degree to which during treatment (i) mood changes, (ii) patients get involved in treatment and (iii) varied sensations are experienced. These three dimensions of treatment experience were compared during three commonly used CAM treatments used to promote relaxation (i.e., yoga nidra (YN), whirlpool bath (WB), and oil massage (OM) using the Treatment Experience Questionnaire (TEQ).1 Method: A comparative study was conducted with 45 patients (25 males, 20 females; mean age = 46.27 ± 15.29 years) undergoing one of three therapies (i.e., YN, WB or OM; n = 15 each) at an integrative therapy centre in northern India. Patients completed the TEQ once, immediately after their session. Result: The three CAM treatments differed with respect to (i) patient involvement in treatment and (ii) sensations experienced (One-way ANOVA, SPSS 24.0). WB requ ired lowest patient co-operation and had highest positive sensations experienced, whereas YN required the most patient co-operation with lowest sensations experienced. Discussion: All three CAM treatments promoted relaxation by improving mood and lowering tension but varied in patient cooperation and positive sensations. Treatment choices should consider a patient’s health condition and varied patient participation ability. The study underscores the value of assessing treatment experience to tailor CAM therapies for individuals, despite limitations from a small sample size and diverse health conditions. Conclusion: In the present exploratory study found differences between the three treatments given to patients with chronic, non-communicable diseases, in (i) patient co-operation required and (ii) positive sensations experienced during treatment. These findings can help select treatments according to the health condition.

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