Alternative Medicine

Alternative medicine is any practice that is promoted as having the healing effects of medicine, but does not originate from evidence gathered using scientific methods, is not part of biomedicine, or is contradicted by scientific evidence or established science.

Diciplines such as homeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, energy medicine, acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Sekkotsu, and Christian faith healing are all examples of alternative medicine.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is the term for medical products and practices that are not part of standard patient care. Standard care is what medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy and allied health professionals, such as registered nurses and physical therapists, practice.

Alternative medicine means treatments that you use instead of standard ones.

Complementary medicine means nonstandard treatments that you use along with standard ones.

The claims that CAM treatment providers make about their benefits can sound promising. However, researchers do not know how safe many CAM treatments are or how well they work. Studies are underway to determine the safety and usefulness of many alternative health practices.



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