Alternative medicine
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Alternative Medicine
This article is part of the CAM series of articles.
CAM Article Index
Alternative medical systems - edit
Ayurveda
Chiropractic
Homeopathy
Naturopathic medicine
Osteopathy
Traditional Chinese medicine
NCCAM classifications
Alternative Medical Systems
Mind-Body Intervention
Biologically Based Therapy
Manipulative and body-based methods
Energy Therapy
See also
Complementary and alternative medicine
Alternative medicine
Complementary medicine
Glossary of alternative medicine
See also: Complementary medicine
Alternative medicine has been defined as "therapeutic or preventive health care practices, such as homeopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic, and herbal medicine, that do not follow generally accepted medical methods and may not have a scientific explanation for their effectiveness."[1]
Alternative medicine practices are often based in belief systems not derived from modern science. Alternative medicines may therefore incorporate spiritual, metaphysical, or religious underpinnings, untested practices, pre-modern medical traditions, or newly developed approaches to healing. If an alternative medical approach, initially untested, is subsequently shown to be safe and effective, it may then be adopted by conventional practitioners and no longer considered "alternative".
"Alternative medicine" is often categorized together with complementary medicine using the umbrella term Complementary and alternative medicine or CAM.
Further information: List of branches of alternative medicine