What is integrative medicine?
Integrative medicine incorporates elements of complementary and alternative medicine alongside conventional, mainstream methods of treatment and diagnosis. At its heart, however, it aims to do more than just add new tools to the medicine bag. Integrative medicine aims to enhance current medical practice and, although perceived as a “new movement”, it in fact re-focuses medicine on its ancient roots and values. These values include: • Whole person care – attending not only to the physical but also to the psychological, emotional, social, spiritual and cultural dimensions of each person • Relationship and patient-centered care – which recognizes the fundamental importance of the relationship between the patient and the health care provider, is deeply respectful of the wishes and experience of the individual patient, and values the patient as an active partner in their own care • Self-care – believing that health care providers should be teachers, facilitating patients in caring for thems
A. Integrative medicine is defined as an approach to treatment that intentionally uses conventional medical treatments along side other practices (eg. nutritional supplements,, herbal remedies, massage, acupuncture, energy work, etc.) for maximum benefit. Source: www.cancercare.mb.ca/hope/bcch_glossery.
Integrative medicine is similar in concept to complementary medicine, but entails a closer interweaving of conventional and alternative methods. Typically, an integrative practitioner is a conventional medical doctor, dentist or other health professional who incorporates alternative techniques or ideas with their medical training to offer a more comprehensive, holistic approach to treatment. This can manifest itself in a wide variety of ways, from a doctor who is familiar with herbal remedies and aromatherapy, to a dentist who employs cranial-sacral therapy, to a veterinarian who recommends acupuncture or vitamin therapy for pets. It also includes the use of alternative medicine within conventional medical environments; for example, healing touch has come into widespread use by nurses in hospitals.
