alternative medicine

1. healthcare and treatment practices, including traditional Chinese medicine, chiropractic, folk medicine, and naturopathy, that minimize or eschew the use of surgery and drugs.

alternative medicine

noun

1. another name for complementary medicine See also holism

alternative medicine

/ ôl-tûr′nə-tĭv /

1. A variety of therapeutic or preventive health-care practices that are not typically taught or practiced in traditional medical communities and offer treatments that differ from standard medical practice. Homeopathy, herbal medicine, and acupuncture are types of alternative medicine.

alternative medicine

1. Medical practice or therapy that uses methods that have not been associated with the traditional, standard care most generally taught and executed by AMA-certified medical schools.

Notes

Alternative medicine includes practices such as acupuncture , naturopathy, and chiropractic , as well as such therapies as chelation therapy, homeopathic remedies, and biofeedback . There has been an explosion of interest in alternative medicine in recent years.

Word History and Origins

Origin of alternative medicine¹

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

But Oz is a controversial figure in the medical world whose television appearances have drawn criticism from fellow physicians who say he backs questionable alternative medicine and unproven weight loss products.

From Los Angeles Times

But the line between promotion and science on the show was not always clear, and Oz has recommended homeopathy, alternative medicine and other treatments that critics have called “pseudoscience”.

From BBC

Project topics, according to the information-packed PST Art website essential to navigating the extravaganza, will range from “climate change and environmental justice to the future of artificial intelligence and alternative medicine.”

From Los Angeles Times

In the UK, apart from chiropractic, there is no professional statutory regulation of the complementary and alternative medicine sector.

From BBC

Drawing on his background studying alternative medicine in Jalisco, Mexico, he's been helping tend the land for the last three years.

From Salon