Complementary Medicine: What It Is And How It May Help

Here’s a fact that might surprise you. In the U.S., 30% of adults take an approach to health care that is outside of what most people consider conventional medical care reports the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)¹. When people use this non-mainstream healthcare instead of conventional medicine, it’s referred to as alternative medicine. If it’s used with mainstream medicine, it is called complementary medicine says the NCCIH².

For example, if someone uses acupuncture to help reduce the side effects of cancer treatments it is complementary medicine according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) ³. Or, if you get a massage to promote healing or reduce scarring after a surgery, that too is considered complementary medicine per Cleveland Clinic⁴.

Why It May Help You

There are reasons some people might want to seek out this type of health care reports Cleveland Clinic⁵. They may want to:

• Find relief from pain
• Relieve muscle tension and improve flexibility
• Reduce anxiety, stress, nausea and tiredness per Cleveland Clinic⁶
• Enhance positivity and inner peace
• Improve their mood and feel more relaxed

With all of that to offer, it’s no wonder so many people decide to step outside mainstream healthcare and give complementary medicine a try.

Types Of Complementary Medicine is a broad range of treatments commonly available according to the NCI⁷, which groups them in the following five categories.

Mind/body therapies blend mental concentration, breathing, and body movement to help people relax says the NCI⁸. Some popular examples include meditation, hypnosis, yoga and tai chi according to the NCI⁹.

Biology based approaches include vitamins, dietary supplements, plants such as cannabis, and even special diets mentions the NCI¹⁰. Since these practices use things sourced in nature, herbs and spices such as turmeric and cinnamon are also included says the NCI¹¹.

Manipulative based practices consist of well-known and popular therapies like going to a masseuse or a chiropractor states the NCI¹². It also encompasses lesser-known treatments such as reflexology, a type of massage where pressure is put on feet or hands, reports the NCI¹³.

Whole medicine includes healing systems such as Ayurvedic medicine in which the goal is to restore balance to the body, mind and spirit per the NCI¹⁴. It uses herbal medicines, breathing, and exercise to achieve this state notes the NCI¹⁵.

Energy healing is when a provider seeks to balance a patient’s energy flow reports the NCI¹⁶. This may include Reiki (when hands are placed lightly on the body to guide energy) and therapeutic touch (moving hands over the body’s energy fields) according to the NCI¹⁷.

If you’ve been considering alternative medicine, Cleveland Clinic¹⁸ offers some suggestions to keep in mind. First, talk to your primary health care provider before you start any treatment and don’t stop taking medication that you’ve been prescribed notes Cleveland Clinic¹⁹. Your doctor may be able to recommend a provider for the type of complementary medicine you’re interested in, says Cleveland Clinic²⁰, and tell you whether it’s safe, effective and reliable.

If you’re looking for an official perspective, you can check out the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements websites recommends Cleveland Clinic²¹. Each has helpful information to keep you healthy and safe.