Complementary medicine includes massage, meditation, biofeedback, tai chi, reiki, music therapy, guided imagery, and dietary supplements. Complementary medicine is used along with traditional Western medicine.
Complementary medicine is a term used to describe types of treatments you may receive along with traditional Western medicine. Examples of complementary medicine include massage, meditation, biofeedback, tai chi, reiki, music therapy, guided imagery and dietary supplements. What’s the difference between complementary medicine, alternative therapy and integrative therapy?The differences between these approaches have more to do with how these approaches are used.
What types of health benefits do complementary medicine approaches provide?Each type of complementary medicine may target a specific aspect of your health. In general, complementary approaches may provide one or more of these health benefits:
Read more about each complementary approach listed below to find out more about their specific potential health benefit. What are the types of complementary therapies?There are many types of complementary therapies. Below is a brief description of many of these approaches. (The list may not include all approaches considered to be complementary therapies.) Manipulation and body-based practices
Mind-body techniques
Energy force therapies
Expressive therapies
Other complementary approaches
What should I do if I’m interested in starting complementary medicine?Here are some tips:
How do I know if a complementary therapy is safe, effective and scientifically reliable?It’s important to know that scientific research supporting the safety and effectiveness of complementary therapy may not be available for all approaches. You can find out more information about specific approaches by:
A note from Cleveland Clinic A variety of complementary therapies are available. Their history is rooted in the cultures of China, India, Tibet, Africa and the Americas. Compared with traditional Western medicine, these therapies are not as highly used in the U.S. Because many of these therapies haven’t been studied with the same scientific rigor as traditional medicine, it is wise to ask your traditional healthcare provider about complementary therapies. Always keep all your practitioners — traditional and complementary practitioners — up to date on all the medicines and supplements and all other therapies you use. Never discontinue medications without talking with your primary healthcare provider first.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 09/15/2021. References
|