Alternative Medicine is a term that describes medical treatments that are used instead of traditional (mainstream) therapies. Some people also refer to it as “integrative,” or “complementary” medicine.

More than half of adults in the United States say they use some form of alternative medicine. But exactly what types of therapies are considered alternative? The definition changes as doctors test and move more of them into the mainstream.

This article examines some popular alternative medical treatments and their potential risks and benefits.This is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that uses needles to stimulate specific points around the body. The person who performs this therapy (an acupuncturist) sticks thin, sterile needles into your skin. The goal is to help your body’s natural healing process kick in. 

This practice focuses on the body’s structure -- mainly and how it functions. A trained professional called a  uses different techniques to adjust (“manipulate”) your spine or other parts of your body so that they’re in proper form, or alignment.

The goal of chiropractic medicine is to ease pain, improve body function, and help your body to heal itself naturally.

 

Last Updated on: Jul 06, 2024