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Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine - Learn about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis & treatment from the Merck Manuals - Medical Consumer Version.

Types of Complementary and Alternative MedicineByAbhinav Singla, MD, Mayo ClinicReviewed/Revised Modified Oct 2025v36858492VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSIONWhole Medical Systems|Mind-Body Medicine|Biologically Based Therapies|Manipulative and Body-Based Practices|Energy Therapies|Multimedia|Complementary or alternative medicine can be classified into 5 major categories of practice:Whole medical systemsMind-body techniquesBiologically based practices Manipulative and body-based therapiesEnergy therapiesThe category names only partially describe their components. Some approaches are understandable within the concepts of modern science, whereas other approaches are not. Many types overlap with others.TableTypes of Complementary and Alternative MedicineTable Types of Complementary and Alternative MedicineTypes of Complementary and Alternative MedicineTypesDescriptionWhole medical systemsAll-encompassing approaches that include philosophy, diagnosis, and treatmentAyurvedaAims to restore balance within the bodyUses diet, massage, herbs, meditation, therapeutic elimination, and yoga HomeopathyBased on the law of similars: A substance that causes certain symptoms when given in large doses can cure the same symptoms when it is used in minute doses*NaturopathyAims to prevent and treat disease by promoting a healthy lifestyle, treating the whole person, and using the body’s natural ability to heal itselfUses a combination of therapies, including acupuncture, counseling, exercise therapy, guided imagery, homeopathy, hydrotherapy, medicinal herbs, natural childbirth, nutrition, physical therapies, and stress managementTraditional Chinese medicineAims to restore the proper flow of life force (qi) in the body by balancing the opposing forces of yin and yang within the bodyUses acupuncture, massage, medicinal herbs, and meditative exercise (qi gong)Mind-body medicineUse of behavioral, psychological, social, and spiritual techniques to enhance the mind’s capacity to affect the body and thus to preserve health and prevent or cure diseaseBiofeedbackUses electronic devices to provide people with information about biologic functions (such as heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension) and teaches people how to control these functionsGuided imageryUses mental images to help people relax or to promote wellness or healing of a particular condition, such as insomnia or psychological traumaHypnotherapyPuts people into a state of relaxation and heightened attention to help them change their behavior and thus improve their healthMeditation, including mindfulnessIntentionally regulating attention or systematically focusing on particular aspects of experienceRelaxation techniquesUsing techniques to slow certain body functions down (for example, by slowing the heart rate) and thus to relieve tension and stressBiologically based practicesUse of naturally occurring substances (such as particular foods and micronutrients) to promote wellnessBotanical medicine and natural productsUses substances that occur naturally in plants or animals to treat symptoms or disease (such as cartilage used to treat joint pain)Chelation therapyUses a drug to bind with and remove a metal or mineral that is believed to be present in excess or toxic amounts in the bodyDiet therapiesUse specialized dietary regimens (such as the macrobiotic, paleo, low carbohydrate, or Mediterranean diet) to treat or prevent a specific disease, to generally promote wellness, or to detoxify the bodyManipulative and body-based practicesManipulation of parts of the body (such as joints and muscles) to treat various conditions and symptomsBased on the belief that the body in balance will improve certain symptoms and that its parts are interdependentChiropracticInvolves manipulating the spine (mainly) to restore the normal relationship between the spine and nervous systemMay involve physical therapy (such as heat and cold therapy and electrical stimulation), massage, acupressure, and/or exercises or lifestyle changesCuppingUses heated cups, inverted and placed on the skin to create vacuum that sucks the skin partway into the cup, which may be left in place for several minutesConsidered a form of massage that increases blood flow to targeted regions in an effort to alter inflammation and certain conditionsMassageInvolves manipulating muscles and other tissues to reduce pain and muscle spasm and to reduce stress and enhance relaxationMoxibustionUses dried moxa herb (a mugwort) that is burned usually just above but sometimes directly on the skin over acupuncture pointsReflexologyInvolves applying manual pressure to specific areas of the foot, hand, or ear that are believed to correspond to different organs or systems of the bodyGua sha (for example, scraping, coining, spooning)Involves rubbing a dull implement such as a coin or a spoon across skin, usually on the back, neck, or extremitiesConsidered a form of massage, also called gua shaEnergy therapiesManipulation of energy fields thought to ...

Types of Complementary and Alternative Medicine - Special Subjects - Merck Manual Consumer Version