Complementary

Complementary Medicine

Complementary Medicine (pronunciation: /ˌkɒmplɪˈmɛntəri ˈmɛdɪsɪn/) refers to a broad set of health care practices that are not part of a country's own tradition and are not integrated into the dominant health care system. They may be used together with conventional medicine, hence the term "complementary".

Etymology

The term "complementary" comes from the Latin complementum, meaning "completion" or "supplement". In the context of medicine, it refers to treatments that are used in conjunction with, or to complement, traditional Western medicine.

Related Terms

Alternative Medicine: A term used to describe health care practices that are not part of a country's own tradition and are not integrated into the dominant health care system. It is often used interchangeably with complementary medicine, but the two terms have distinct meanings.
Integrative Medicine: This is a holistic approach to health care that combines conventional medicine with complementary and alternative practices that have been shown to be safe and effective.
Holistic Medicine: This is a form of healing that considers the whole person -- body, mind, spirit, and emotions -- in the quest for optimal health and wellness.
Traditional Medicine: This refers to health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral-based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being.