There are many terms used to describe medical approaches aloof from mainstream or schoolbook medicine. By now, no consistent guiding principles exist although, scientific approaches are coming up in this regard:

CAM embraces diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products apart from conventional medicine. While some evidence exists regarding some CAM therapies, for most of them doubtless scientific verification of medical efficacy and innocuousness still is missing.

The list of CAM methods is steadily changing, as those therapies proven safe and effective become assigned to mainstream medicine and as novel medical approaches emerge.

• Do complementary medicine and alternative medicine differ from each other?

Yes, they do.
Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, for instance, aromatherapy, which is applied to cure ailment after surgery.
Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine, as is circumventing surgeries, irrradiation and chemotherapy by alternative treatments such as special individual dietary plans.

• What is integrative medicine?

Integrative medicine combines conventional medical treatments with CAM, assumed yet tested for safety and medical affectivity.

• What are the major types of complementary and alternative medicine?

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) classifies CAM approaches as follows:

Whole medical systems (WMSs) consider the human being and its biology as a whole. Often, these systems have evolved apart from and earlier than the conventional medical approach established in the Western world. WMSs approved in industrialised countries are homeopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine. In Asia, traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda (India) do have a long tradition.

Mind-body medicine (MBM) avails itself of a variety of techniques designed to strengthen mental capacities in order to improve physical fitness and soothe medical symptoms. Some techniques that were considered CAM in the past have been recently adapted for conventional medicine (for example, patient support groups and cognitive-behavioural therapy). Other MBM techniques are still considered CAM, for instance, meditation, prayer, mental healing, and approaches promoting individual creativity such as art, music, or dancing.

Biologically based practices (BBPs) use biogenous substances, such as herbs, foods, and vitamins or dietary supplements, but also naturally but yet scientifically vague therapies (for example, shark cartilage for cancer treatment).

Manipulative and body-based practices are based on manipulation and/or movement of one or more parts of the body. Some examples include chiropractic or osteopathic manipulation, and massage.

Energy therapies involve the utilisation of energy fields. One distinguishes between two approaches:
- Biofield therapies aim to affect energy fields that purportedly surround and penetrate the human body. The existence of such fields has not yet been scientifically proven. Some energy therapies manipulate biofields by applying pressure and/or manipulating the body laying-on of hands, e.g. qi gong, Reiki, and Therapeutic Touch.
- Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies rely on the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, AC or DC fields.


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