What Is Alternative Medicine?

Question: When are complementary approaches considered?

Answer: Some methods (e.g., exercise-based approaches, certain manual techniques) may support symptom control; however, evidence level, safety, and interactions should be discussed with a physician. Claims of “definite cure” or “guarantee” are not medically appropriate.

Question: What is alternative medicine?

Answer: Nothing truly replaces medicine, so there is no real “alternative” to it. Practices such as acupuncture, apitherapy, phytotherapy, hirudotherapy, homeopathy, chiropractic, cupping, maggot therapy, mesotherapy, ozone therapy, prolotherapy, reflexology, osteopathy, hypnotherapy, Ayurveda, yoga, magnetotherapy, bioenergy, and music therapy are more appropriately described as traditional or complementary practices.