Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Print Version)

MedlinePlus Health Information: A service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health

Complementary and Alternative Medicine

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/complementaryandalternativemedicine.html

Also called: Also called: CAM

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is the term for medical products and practices that are not part of standard care. Standard care is what medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy and allied health professionals, such as registered nurses and physical therapists, practice. Alternative medicine means treatments that you use instead of standard ones. Complementary medicine means nonstandard treatments that you use along with standard ones. Examples of CAM therapies are acupuncture, chiropractic and herbal medicines.

The claims that CAM treatment providers make about their benefits can sound promising. However, researchers do not know how safe many CAM treatments are or how well they work. Studies are underway to determine the safety and usefulness of many CAM practices.

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Start Here

Are You Considering Using Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)?(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/decisions/
Also available in Spanish http://nccam.nih.gov/espanol/medicinacam/
What Is Complementary and Alternative Medicine?(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/
Also available in Spanish http://nccam.nih.gov/espanol/informaciongeneral/

Overviews

About Complementary / Integrative Medicine(University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center) - http://www.mdanderson.org/departments/CIMER/dIndex.cfm?pn=7B632E4A-56B2-11D5-812100508B603A14
Also available in Spanish http://www.mdanderson.org/SP/departments/cimer/dIndex.cfm?pn=7B632E4A-56B2-11D5-812100508B603A14
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: What Is It?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/alternative-medicine/PN00001/METHOD=print

Latest News

Tai Chi Helps Cut Pain of Knee Arthritis(10/27/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70873.html
Use Caution with Ayurvedic Products(10/16/2008, Food and Drug Administration) - http://www.fda.gov/consumer/updates/ayurvedic101608.html
Evidence Lacking on Massage Benefits for Athletes(10/14/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70394.html
Hypnosis Cuts Hot Flashes for Breast Cancer Survivors(09/25/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69725.html
More News on Complementary and Alternative Medicine http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alphanews_c.html#complementaryandalternativemedicine

Specific Conditions

Biofeedback: Using Your Mind to Improve Your Health(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/biofeedback/SA00083/METHOD=print
Biologically Based Practices: An Overview(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/backgrounds/biobasedprac.htm
Energy Medicine: An Overview(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/backgrounds/energymed.htm
Frequently Asked Questions about Music Therapy(American Music Therapy Association) - http://www.musictherapy.org/faqs.html
Hypnosis: Another Way to Manage Pain, Kick Bad Habits(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/hypnosis/SA00084/METHOD=print
Introduction to Naturopathy(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/naturopathy/
Introduction to Reiki(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/reiki/
Manipulative and Body-Based Practices: An Overview(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/backgrounds/manipulative.htm
Massage Therapy as CAM(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/massage/
Meditation for Health Purposes(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/meditation/overview.htm
MedlinePlus: Herbs and Supplements(Natural Standard) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/herb_All.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/druginfo/herb_All.html
Mind-Body Medicine: An Overview(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/backgrounds/mindbody.htm
Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) Benefits Go Beyond Back Pain(American Osteopathic Association) - http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm?PageID=you_omtbenefit
Prayer and Spirituality in Health: Ancient Practices, Modern Science(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2005_winter/prayer.htm
Questions and Answers about Homeopathy(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/homeopathy/
Questions and Answers about Using Magnets to Treat Pain(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/magnet/magnet.htm
Tai Chi for Health Purposes(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/taichi/
Use of Magnets for Pain(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/magnet/
What Is Ayurvedic Medicine?(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/ayurveda/
Whole Medical Systems: An Overview(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/backgrounds/wholemed.htm

Related Issues

Alternative Medicine: Evaluate Claims of Treatment Success(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/alternative-medicine/SA00078/METHOD=print
Bioterrorism and CAM: What the Public Needs to Know(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/alerts/bioterrorism/
Selecting a Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Practitioner(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/practitioner/
Also available in Spanish http://nccam.nih.gov/espanol/seleccionarundoctor/
Tell Your Doctor about Your Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/timetotalk/forpatients.htm
Also available in Spanish http://nccam.nih.gov/espanol/horadeconversar/pacientes.htm

Pictures & Photographs

NCCAM Image Gallery(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/gallery/

Tutorials

Massage Therapy(Patient Education Institute) - Requires Flash Player - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/massagetherapy/htm/index.htm
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/tutorials/massagetherapyspanish/htm/index.htm

Financial Issues

Paying for CAM Treatment(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/financial/
Also available in Spanish http://nccam.nih.gov/espanol/pago/

Clinical Trials

About Clinical Trials and Complementary and Alternative Medicine(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/clinicaltrials/factsheet/
ClinicalTrials.gov: Complementary Therapies(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/term=complementary+and+alternative+medicine
ClinicalTrials.gov: Homeopathy(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/intervention=homeopathy

Research

About CAM on PubMed(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/camonpubmed/
Lifestyle Changes May Affect Cell-Level Processes Related to Disease(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/100908.htm
Pilot Study Provides New Insight on Effect of Ginkgo Extract on Dementia in the Elderly(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/022608.htm
St. John's Wort Shows No Impact on the Symptoms of ADHD(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/061008.htm
Tai Chi Boosts Immunity to Shingles Virus in Older Adults(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/040607.htm

Journal Articles

References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Article: The effects of a mindfulness intervention on obsessive-compulsive symptoms in... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18852623&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: Detecting awareness in children by using an auditory intervention. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18813040&tool=MedlinePlus
Article: The powerful placebo. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18807625&tool=MedlinePlus
Complementary and Alternative Medicine -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(complementary+therapies[majr]+NOT+acupuncture+therapy[mh]+NOT+manipulation,chiropractic[mh]+NOT+phytotherapy[mh])+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus

Dictionaries/Glossaries

Glossary of Massage Therapy Terms(American Massage Therapy Association) - http://www.amtamassage.org/about/terms.html
Index of Alternative Therapies and Modalities(InteliHealth, Harvard Medical School) - http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/8513/34968.html

Directories

AMTA's Find a Massage Therapist(American Massage Therapy Association) - http://www.amtamassage.org/findamassage/locator.htm
Choosing an Alternative or Complementary Medicine Practitioner(Alternative Medicine Foundation) - http://www.amfoundation.org/practitioner.htm
NCCAOM: Find Nationally Certified Practitioners(National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine) - http://www.nccaom.org/find/index.html

Organizations

American Music Therapy Association - http://www.musictherapy.org/
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine - http://nccam.nih.gov/

Law and Policy

Credentials for the Massage Therapy Profession(American Massage Therapy Association) - http://www.amtamassage.org/findamassage/credential.html

Statistics

New Findings on Americans' Use of CAM(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2006_summer/findings.htm
Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/news/camsurvey_fs1.htm

Children

Alternative Medicine and Your Child(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/alternative_medicine.html
CAM Use and Children(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/children/index.htm
Thinking about CAM Therapies for Young People(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2007_winter/youngpeople.htm

Teenagers

Complementary and Alternative Medicine(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/medical_care/alternative_medicine.html
Yoga(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/exercise/yoga.html

Women

Integrative Therapies and Women's Health(Cleveland Clinic Foundation) - http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/alternative_medicine/hic_integrative_therapies_and_womens_health.aspx

Seniors

Complementary and Alternative Medicines(AGS Foundation for Health in Aging) - http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/chapters_ch_trial.asp?ch=7
Older Americans' Discussion of CAM with Doctors(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/news/newsletter/2007_winter/olderamericans.htm

You may also be interested in these MedlinePlus related pages:

Acupuncture - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/acupuncture.html
Cancer Alternative Therapies - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/canceralternativetherapies.html
Chiropractic - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/chiropractic.html
Herbal Medicine - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/herbalmedicine.html
Complementary and Alternative Therapies - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/complementaryandalternativetherapies.html
Wellness and Lifestyle - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/wellnessandlifestyle.html

The primary NIH organization for research on Complementary and Alternative Medicine is the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine - http://nccam.nih.gov/

Date last updated: October 28 2008

Topic last reviewed: October 07 2008