It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Alternative medicine. (Discuss)

The term is very debated within the scientific arena, since it has been mainly used in public health discourse (mostly among physicians and sociologists) only in US and UK during the last decades.

Other continental European scientific communities -- with even a much longer history in traditional medicine or herbal medicine (such us Germany or France)-- do not know this term, neither do they use it.

The National Institute of Health in the US defines "Complemntary and Alternative Medicine" (CAM) as "a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine".

The main problem that most scientists have with this terminology is that the CAM definition is not sufficiently culturally senstive, since what is "alternative" and/or "complementary" towards a pre-existing medical tradition/school can be very different in different cultures of the world. Paradoxically, industrial "pharmaceuticals" could also be seen as CAMs within the context of traditional medicine/traditional healers in Africa or even among Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Moreover, the list of what is considered to be CAM can change continually, as those therapies that are proven to be safe and effective become adopted into conventional health care and as new approaches to health care emerge.

According to the NIH (National Institutes of Health): 1. complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine. An example of a complementary therapy is using aromatherapy to help lessen a patient's discomfort following surgery; 2. alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. An example of an alternative therapy is using a special diet to treat cancer instead of undergoing surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy that has been recommended by a conventional doctor.

NCCAM classifies CAM therapies into five categories, or domains:

1. Alternative Medical Systems

Alternative medical systems are built upon complete systems of theory and practice. Often, these systems have evolved apart from and earlier than the conventional medical approach used in the United States. Examples of alternative medical systems that have developed in Western cultures include homeopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine. Examples of systems that have developed in non-Western cultures include traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda.

2. Mind-Body Interventions

Mind-body medicine uses a variety of techniques designed to enhance the mind's capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms. Some techniques that were considered CAM in the past have become mainstream (for example, patient support groups and cognitive-behavioral therapy). Other mind-body techniques are still considered CAM, including meditation, prayer, mental healing, and therapies that use creative outlets such as art, music, or dance.

3. Biologically Based Therapies

Biologically based therapies in CAM use substances found in nature, such as herbs, foods, and vitamins. Some examples include dietary supplements,3 herbal products, and the use of other so-called natural but as yet scientifically unproven therapies (for example, using shark cartilage to treat cancer).

4. Manipulative and Body-Based Methods

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

5. Energy Therapies

Energy therapies involve the use of energy fields. They are of two types:

Biofield therapies are intended to affect energy fields that purportedly surround and penetrate the human body. The existence of such fields has not yet been scientifically proven. Some forms of energy therapy manipulate biofields by applying pressure and/or manipulating the body by placing the hands in, or through, these fields. Examples include qi gong, Reiki, and Therapeutic Touch.

Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies involve the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or alternating-current or direct-current fields.

CAM is often erroneously confused in Western countries with traditional medicine. The term traditional medicine is used with two main meanings. ...