Complementary medicine is any alternative treatment, that is, any healing method not taught to medical doctors, that is used alongside conventional medicine to enhance its effect in some way. This includes anything from massage of an injured limb to music piped into hospital rooms to relax patients.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a term used to encompass a wide variety of diverse treatment and diagnostic techniques that are currently outside of the mainstream of medicine in this country. The treatments may be used in conjunction with conventional medicine (complementary) or they may be complete (alternative) systems in their own right, such as traditional Chinese medicine.

Alternative healthcare has many of the same problems as conventional healthcare-- the quality and effectiveness of treatments varies widely, based on factors such as the competence of the practitioner, the quality of any products involved and the nature of your condition. But in alternative medicine, these factors can be greater due to the lack of government regulation, as well as the relative dearth of study on the nature and efficacy of most of the methods.

Although still thought of as unusual or outside the mainstream, alternative and complementary medicine have exploded in popularity in the last decade or so, and there are now at least as many Canadians who have used them as haven’t. Of course, these statistics apply only to the western world; roughly 80 percent of the world’s population still depends on various types of traditional healing that would be dubbed “alternative” by conventional medicine.

Conventional medicine is medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and by their allied health professionals such as nurses, physical therapists, and dietitians. CAM is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not currently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is used along with conventional medicine. Alternative medicine is used instead of conventional medicine.

Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine. An example of a complementary therapy is using aromatherapyA therapy in which the scent of essential oils from flowers, herbs, and trees is inhaled to promote health and well-being. to help lessen a patient's discomfort following surgery. Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine.

Complementary and alternative medicine is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Conventional medicine is medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees and by their allied health professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses. Some health care providers practice both CAM and conventional medicine.

The Institute for Complementary & Alternative Medicine (ICAM) is a university-wide initiative, housed in SHRP 's Department of Primary Care. ICAM serves as a focal point for complementary & alternative (integrative) medicine within the University. Its mission is threefold : Education : To be an educational resource for the University on complementary and alternative medicine, and to develop evidenced-based integrative curricula and educational programs.

Information about complementary and alternative medicine, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis should be posted in the Living with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis forum.

Complementary Therapies such as Yoga, Acupuncture, Reflexology, Acupressure and several kinds of therapeutic massages (check Integrative Medicine & Complementary Therapy page). We have several Wellness Packages and also unique Medical Programmes to address specific medical issues.

NCCAM groups CAM practices into four domains, recognizing there can be some overlap. In addition, NCCAM studies CAM whole medical systems, which cut across all domains. Whole medical systems are built upon complete systems of theory and practice. Often, these systems have evolved apart from and earlier than the conventional medical approach used in the United States.

Sixty-eight percent of adults have used at least one kind of alternative or complementary therapy. In hospitals and integrative clinics, treating ailments from menopause to cancer, public use of CAM is on the rise. Today’s naturopathic physicians artfully blend modern, cutting-edge diagnostic and therapeutic procedures with ancient and traditional methods.

The term "alternative" was once commonly used for healing practices-from acupuncture to yoga-that were not considered part of traditional Western medicine. Today, these techniques are often used not as alternatives to conventional treatments such as surgery and drugs, but in conjunction with them, and so they are now known as "complementary" practices. Integrative medicine is the combination (integration) of conventional and complementary medicine.

While facilities, medications, and practitioners of conventional medicine are closely monitored and regulated in the United States, complementary medicines and therapies may be subject to less testing and regulation. Many practitioners of complementary therapies are extensively educated in their field, but depending on which state they practice in, others are not regulated. It may be difficult to know whether practitioners are experts in their fields.

The Psoriasis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and Complementary and Alternative Medicine forums have been combined into a new Living with Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis forum. This change was made to ensure that visitors have easy access to a wide breadth of information, and because surveyed users favored a simpler structure with fewer forums. While we recognize that information will drop more quickly in the new forum, we feel that the resulting breadth of information will enrich the message board.

Conventional medicine tends to view medicine as a science rather than an art and a science. Physicians view the body as a complex machine and tend to ignore the obvious connection between our thoughts, our emotions and our spirits. Alternative practitioners are generally more patient-oriented and more holistic in approach, providing a more personal, comforting experience than overworked doctors and understaffed hospitals can afford.

Coverage varies from plan to plan, but in general alternative health practices aren’t covered. Some techniques such as massage which have a considerable track record for improving employee health and morale, and therefore reducing days taken off work, are the most likely to be covered by your employer’s benefits package, while methods still widely regarded as “fringe” are not covered at all.

a general rule, any medical expenses that you incur as a result of a visit to a conventional doctor can be claimed on your income tax return. Therefore, if for example a doctor refers you to an alternative practitioner such as a massage therapist or chiropractor, then those expenses can be claimed. Otherwise, probably not, but ask your doctor or your accountant if they are aware of other possibilities. back to top

The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center does not refer patients to physicians or practitioners of complementary/alternative therapies. A database of physicians who are knowledgeable about alternative therapies is maintained by the Commonweal Cancer Help Program in California (avilamimi@aol.com). These physicians are not promoted by Commonweal. Rather, they have been recommended by cancer patients, and Commonweal shares the reports from patients about these physicians.

If you have pelvic pain, your health professional will consider a broad range of possible causes. Female pelvic pain is typically caused by a medical condition involving the reproductive organs, the urinary tract, or the lower gastrointestinal tract. Some causes are always short-term (acute), and others can become long-lasting (chronic) unless successfully treated. Female pelvic pain can be a difficult-to-solve medical mystery.

Some alternative and complementary therapies have been used and studied as IBS treatments, such as acupuncture, hypnotherapy, herbs and supplements and probiotics. Talk to your doctor to get input on alternative therapies.

Several of our Faculty and graduates from the Fellowship program see patients under the auspices of Harvard-affiliated medical centers and other facilities. They are: Some of the Division Fellows also see patients under the auspices of the Marino Center Cambridge. They are:

All of these treatments work to address the underlying cause of your health problem, but they do it in slightly different ways. Alternative medicine offers services not generally found in mainstream medicine, like acupuncture or craniosacral therapy. However, this definition is changing rapidly as more alternative therapies gain mainstream acceptance.

While most complementary therapies and medicines have been in use for hundreds or even thousands of years, many have not been subject to the same rigorous scientific testing for safety and effectiveness that standard medical treatments go through before they are approved in the U.S. In many cases, the very nature of a complementary therapy can make it difficult or impossible to evaluate by the same scientific methods or criteria.