CAM practices are often grouped into broad categories. Some CAM practices may fit into more than one category. Listed are a few examples within each category

Natural Products

herbal medicines

dietary supplements

 
Mind and Body Medicine

meditation

yoga

acupuncture

Manipulative and Body-Based Practices

chiropractic

osteopathy

naturopathy

“Other” CAM Practices

 movement therapies

traditional Chinese Medicine

energy medicine

whole medical systems

You can read more about this at the NCCAM website.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)

NCCAM defines CAM as a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine. Conventional medicine (also called Western or allopathic medicine) is medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. (medical doctor) and by allied health professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses. The boundaries between CAM and conventional medicine are not absolute, and specific CAM practices may, over time, become widely accepted.  

Integrative Medicine

is the discipline concerned with using the combination of conventional (allopathic) medicine and Alternative Medicine to address the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of health and illness.

This guide is not meant to be exhaustive.  It does provides high quality information available at your ACPHS Library and Information Commons, the library website, and freely available on the internet.