What’s the Difference Between Alternative, Complementary, and Integrative Health?
An increasing number of Americans seek different, or alternative, forms of healthcare. In national surveys conducted in 2007 and 2012, more than 30 percent of adults reported using approaches that are not typically part of conventional medicine, as well as about 12 percent of children.1,2 Given the increasing interest and acceptance, it is likely that over a decade later, these numbers are even higher. In line with this trend, the National Institutes of Health has dedicated resources towards the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) to provide information about and scientific evaluation of various health products and practices.
What is Alternative Health?
Alternative health describes an approach outside of the mainstream, used in place of conventional medicine. Alternative health strategies typically rely on more natural, (w)holistic approaches to treat the underlying issue compared to conventional medicine, which may be viewed as focusing on the treatment of symptoms of a disease. Many alternative therapies such as acupuncture and herbal remedies date back thousands of years.3,4 Examples of alternative health strategies include utilizing herbal remedies to depression or acupuncture for headaches, allergies, and nausea.4
What is Complementary Health?
Complementary health is also a non-mainstream approach to health but is typically used in tandem with conventional medicine.5 Complementary health practices include nutritional and herbal supplements, practicing mindfulness, and spinal manipulation, among many others.4-6 A combination of complementary health strategies can be used to support health maintenance as well as improve specific health conditions.5
Complementary Vs. Alternative Medicine
Complementary and alternative health strategies are often grouped together under the term complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Some techniques that were once considered alternative have evolved over time to become more mainstream and are now considered complementary. The major distinction between the two is how they are utilized, either replacing conventional medicine (alternative) or supplementing it (complementary). Some CAM techniques that have become mainstream include meditation, acupuncture, and chiropractic treatments.5
Evidence-based CAM treatments
As the field of CAM expands, conducting research on the effectiveness of various CAM therapies and educating future practitioners becomes increasingly important. Despite the belief that CAM therapies are not well-researched, there is substantial evidence of similar or higher quality compared to research on conventional medicine.4 Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of CAM strategies, including improving lipid and glucose profiles and reducing inflammation and blood pressure.5 CAM therapies can also help chronic conditions, including relieving pain, which plagues many Americans.9
| Condition | Effective CAM Intervention5 |
| Type 2 diabetes | Nutritional supplements (fish oil, alpha-lipoic acid, chromium) |
| Herbal medicines | |
| Mind-body techniques | |
| Hyperlipidemia | Therapeutic diets (functional food) |
| Nutritional supplements | |
| Herbal medicines | |
| Osteoarthritis | Manual therapies (massage, acupuncture) |
| Nutritional supplements | |
| Herbal medicines | |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | Therapeutic diets (anti-inflammatory diet) |
| Nutritional supplements | |
| Manual therapies | |
| Pain | Mind-body therapies (meditation, biofeedback, tai chi, yoga) |
| Manual therapies (acupuncture, chiropractic, massage) | |
| Herbal medicines | |
| Nutritional interventions |
Why do people seek CAM?
Individuals may seek CAM strategies for a variety of reasons including the presence of disease that is resistant to conventional treatments or poorly understood, if they are experiencing medically unexplained conditions, or general dissatisfaction with conventional medicine.5 Before seeking CAM treatment options, it is important to find a practitioner that is open and licensed or trained in CAM and knowledgeable about available evidence indicating degree of safety, effectiveness, and alternatives.5
Complementary vs. Integrative Health
Integrative health is a multimodal approach designed to support the body’s innate ability to heal and considers the whole person – physical, emotional, spiritual, and psychological.5,8-10 Integrative health uses CAM techniques where appropriate but also utilizes conventional medicine when the evidence supports its use. Integrative health provides a more intentional, coordinated fusion of CAM and conventional medicine to treat the whole person and allows the best of both worlds – scientifically proven therapeutics along with historically proven treatments that may come with fewer side effects.5
