Alternative medicine

Alternative medicine describes practices used instead of normal medical treatments. Some patients seek these practices along with normal medicine. When the patient's medical doctor works with an alternative medicine therapist, this is called "complementary medicine."

Alternative medicine includes practices that incorporate spiritual, metaphysical, or religious belief; non-evidence-based practices, non-European medical traditions, or newly developed approaches to healing.

Examples include acupuncture, chiropractic and homeopathy.