Complementary medicine

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Complementary medicine

Complementary medicine is any treatment that is outside the traditional medicine or practice of a person's primary health system. A treatment that is complementary in one culture may be traditional in another; for example, acupuncture, although traditional in China, is considered alternative or complementary in the United States.

A central concept of many types of complementary medicine is to give thought and care to the whole person (holistic) rather than providing treatment for a specific disease or symptom. This holistic view and the emphasis on maintaining good health may be appealing for those with chronic illness or for those who want to improve their quality of life through lifestyle changes.

The use of complementary medicine in the U.S. is on the rise. People often seek out complementary therapies for long-term (chronic) conditions that have not been successfully treated with conventional medicine as well as to maintain and improve wellness and quality of life.

Credits

Author	Jeannette Curtis
Author	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor	Pat Truman
Primary Medical Reviewer	Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Last Updated	May 25, 2007

Last updated:	May 25, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman

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