The definitions provided below are from various authoritative sources and are provided here for general explanation purposes. Please refer to the Web pages for more details.
The Basics
Conventional Medicine The term conventional medicine refers to medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) or D.O. (doctor of osteopathy) degrees, some of whom may also practice complementary and alternative medicine. Other terms for conventional medicine are allopathy, Western, regular and mainstream medicine and biomedicine.
Alternative Medicine
Therapeutic approaches taken in place of traditional medicine and used to treat or ameliorate disease.
Complementary Medicine
Therapies that complement traditional western (or allopathic) medicine.
Complementary/Alternative Medicine
The terms "complementary" and "alternative" are often used interchangeably, when in fact they are two different therapeutic approaches.
"CAM" Complementary/Alternative Medicine
Combination of complementary and alternative medicine.
Complementary/Integrative Medicine
Combines traditional western (or allopathic) and complementary approaches and supplements, but does not replace conventional therapy. It is used for:
- Managing symptoms
- Increasing wellness (quality of life, reported sense of well-being)
- Improving treatment efficacy
Integrated medicine
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