What’s the difference between “alternative,” “complementary” and “integrative” medicine?
The term “alternative” was once commonly used for healing practices—from acupuncture to yoga—that were not considered part of traditional Western medicine. Today, these techniques are often used not as alternatives to conventional treatments such as surgery and drugs, but in conjunction with them, and so they are now known as “complementary” practices. Integrative medicine is the combination (integration) of conventional and complementary medicine.
