Integrative Medicine is a comprehensive approach that combines complementary therapies and traditional medicine in patient care. The National library of Medicine’s Medical Subject Heading database defines Integrative Medicine as “the discipline concerned with using the combination of conventional allopathic medicine and ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE to address the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of health and illness.”

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine is the leading Federal agency for scientific research on the usefulness and safety of complementary and integrative health practices. Beginning in 2014, the center changed its name to National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). The mission of NCCIH is focused on “the study of usefulness and safety of complementary and integrative interventions and [to] provide public with research-based information to guide healthcare decision making… The intent of an integrative approach is to enhance overall health status, prevent disease, and alleviate debilitating symptoms such as pain and chemotherapy-induced nausea, among others. However, the scientific foundation for many complementary approaches is still being built." (National Institute of Health, 2014)

Read more about Complementary, Alternative or Integrative Health.

Complementary and Alternative (CAM) therapeutics listed in the MeSH database

National Library of Medicine's MeSH database defines complementary therapies as "Therapeutic practices which are not currently considered an integral part of conventional allopathic medical practice." They may initially lack biomedical explanations, but as they become better researched some (PHYSICAL THERAPY MODALITIES; DIET; ACUPUNCTURE) become widely accepted. Other therapies/practices (humors, radium therapy) quietly fade away, yet are important historical footnotes. Therapies are termed as Complementary when used in addition to conventional treatments and as Alternative when used instead of conventional treatment.

There are many therapeutics disciplines that fall under the realm of CAM, while integrative medicine is indexed as one among the many health occupations under Medicine.  

Alphabetical list of complimentary therapies.
Branching out of Complementary Therapy Indexing terms

Popular Resources

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