Types of complementary and alternative medicine
-
Complementary or alternative medicine can be classified into five major categories of practice:
Whole medical systems
Mind-body techniques
Biologically based practices
Manipulative and body-based therapies
Energy therapiesThe category names only partially describe their components. Some approaches are understandable within the concepts of modern science, whereas other approaches are not. Many types overlap with others.
(See also Overview of Integrative, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine.) -
Five categories of complementary or alternative medicine are generally recognized:
- Whole medical systems
- Mind-body medicine
- Biologically based practices not usually used in conventional medicine
- Manipulative and body-based practices
- Energy medicine
The name of many therapies only partially describes their components.
(See also Overview of Integrative, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine.)
Explore More Definitions
Browse our collection of 300,000+ community-written definitions