Integrative and Alternative Medicine W h at ’s th e D if f e r en c e ?
Dr Carolyn Dean is a medical doctor and naturopath. She has authored and co-authored over 35 books
Integrative and Alternative Medicine: What’s the Difference? Dr Carolyn Dean
The terms ‘integrative medicine’ and ‘alternative medicine’ may seem interchangeable; and indeed, in some ways they refer to similar therapies and medications. However, there is one major difference between the two.
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Alt er nati v e Med ic ine
In te grative Me dic in e
Alternative medicine and therapies
Many believe that alternative therapies
include things such as acupuncture,
have no place in a medical hospital.
Reiki, reflexology, meditation, aroma-
However, doctors are increasingly uti-
therapy and acupressure. These types
lizing some of these types of therapy
of therapies have been shown in many
as a complementary aid to recovery in
cases to be useful in helping to allevi-
cancer patients. The term ‘integrative
ate certain symptoms and side effects
medicine’ was coined to differentiate
of medical treatments.
from claims that alternative therapies can cure illness and instead take advantage of them as additional support for patients.
With integrative medicine, patients still receive the same medical treatment, but are offered supplementary therapies that may help with aspects such as pain management or easing nausea.
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Dr Carolyn Dean
Dr. Carolyn Dean was presented with the 2014 Integrative Medicine Award. You can learn more about integrative medicine and how it is used by visiting the blog of Dr. Carolyn Dean.