What are the benefits of using complementary and alternative therapies in treating illness and pain?

Alternative medicine is a term that describes medical treatments that are used instead of traditional (mainstream) therapies. Some people also refer to it as “integrative,” or “complementary” medicine.

More than half of adults in the United States say they use some form of alternative medicine. But exactly what types of therapies are considered alternative? The definition changes as doctors test and move more of them into the mainstream.

This article examines some popular alternative medical treatments and their potential risks and benefits.

This is a traditional Chinese medicine technique that uses needles to stimulate specific points around the body. The person who performs this therapy (an acupuncturist) sticks thin, sterile needles into your skin. The goal is to help your body’s natural healing process kick in. Studies show that acupuncture can be effective in treating a number of conditions, like neck and back pain, nausea, anxiety, depression, insomnia, infertility, and more.

This practice focuses on the body’s structure -- mainly the spine --and how it functions. A trained professional called a chiropractor uses different techniques to adjust (“manipulate”) your spine or other parts of your body so that they’re in proper form, or alignment.

The goal of chiropractic medicine is to ease pain, improve body function, and help your body to heal itself naturally.

Much of the research around it has focused on low back pain. But studies show chiropractic can also be helpful for a number of other ailments, like headaches, neck pain, joint problems in your upper and lower body, and disorders caused by whiplash.

These focus on the energy fields many people believe exist in and around the body. Included in this category are:

Magnetic Field Therapy. This uses magnetic or electrical fields to treat a number of musculoskeletal problems. Studies show that it may work for osteoarthritis and other pain conditions. Some studies have even shown that it may help fractures heal faster. Magnetic field therapy may not be safe if you’re pregnant, have an implanted cardiac device, use an insulin pump, or take a drug given by patch.

Reiki. Those who practice this alternative treatment believe it taps into the body's natural energy to speed healing. The practitioner hovers their hands over your body or places them lightly on your skin. The goal is to channel energy through their hands to your body to promote healing. There’s very little research to prove it works.

Therapeutic (“Healing”) Touch. Here, a therapist uses their healing energy to identify and repair imbalances in a person’s energy field. Unlike Reiki, the therapist doesn’t touch you. They simply move their hands back and forth over your body. Research shows healing touch can reduce anxiety in people who have cancers. It can also increase their sense of well-being. But it’s unclear if it works for other issues, as well.

This alternative therapy uses parts of a plant -- its roots, leaves, berries, or flowers -- to heal the body.

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 80% of people around the world use herbal medicine. Studies show certain herbs are effective in treating a number of health issues, like allergies, premenstrual syndrome, chronic fatigue, and more.

Unfortunately, herbal supplements can be sold without being proven to be safe or effective. Talk to your doctor if you’re thinking about using them.

Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest medical systems. It started in India more than 3,000 years ago and is still widely used in that country today.

Those who use it rely on herbs, special diets, and unique practices to treat illnesses. But Ayurvedic products can also be dangerous. Researchers have found toxic minerals or metals, like lead, in some of the products.

There hasn’t been enough research or clinical trials to support that Ayurveda works.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is treatment that falls outside of mainstream healthcare.

These treatments range from acupuncture and homeopathy, to aromatherapy, meditation and colonic irrigation.

There's no universally agreed definition of CAM.

Although "complementary and alternative" is often used as a single category, it can be useful to make a distinction between the terms.

The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) uses this distinction:

• When a non-mainstream practice is used together with conventional medicine, it's considered "complementary".
• When a non-mainstream practice is used instead of conventional medicine, it's considered "alternative".

There can be overlap between these categories.

For example, aromatherapy may sometimes be used as a complementary treatment and in other circumstances is used as an alternative treatment.

A number of complementary and alternative treatments are typically used with the intention of treating or curing a health condition.

Examples include:

• homeopathy
• acupuncture
• chiropractic
• herbal medicines

To understand whether a treatment is safe and effective, we need to check the evidence.

You can learn more about the evidence for particular CAM practices by reading about individual types of treatment.

See our Health A to Z index for a list of all conditions and treatments on the NHS website.

Some CAM treatments are based on principles and an evidence base that are not recognised by the majority of independent scientists.

Others have been proven to work for a limited number of health conditions.

For example, there's evidence that chiropractic is effective for treating lower back pain.

When a person uses any health treatment, including CAM, and experiences an improvement, this may be due to the placebo effect.

The availability of CAM on the NHS is limited, and in most cases the NHS will not offer such treatments.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides guidance to the NHS on effective treatments that are value for money.

NICE has recommended the use of CAM in a limited number of circumstances.

For example:

• the Alexander technique for Parkinson's disease
• ginger and acupressure for reducing morning sickness
• manual therapy for lower back pain

If you think you may have a health condition, first see your GP. Do not visit a CAM practitioner instead of seeing your GP.

It's particularly important to talk to your GP before trying CAM if you have a pre-existing health condition or are pregnant.

Some CAM treatments may interact with medicines that you're taking or should not be tried if you're pregnant.

CAM and regulation

The practice of conventional medicine is regulated by laws that ensure that practitioners are properly qualified and adhere to certain standards or codes of practice. This is called statutory professional regulation.

Chiropractors are regulated in the same way. However, there's no statutory professional regulation of any other CAM practitioners.

Finding a chiropractor

Chiropractic is regulated in the same way as conventional medicine.

All chiropractors must be registered with the General Chiropractic Council. You can use the General Chiropractic Council website to find a registered chiropractor near you or check if someone offering chiropractic services is registered.

Finding other CAM practitioners

Apart from chiropractic, there's no professional statutory regulation of complementary and alternative treatments in the UK.

This means:

• it's legal for anyone to practise the treatment, even if they have no or limited formal qualifications or experience
• these practitioners are not legally required to adhere to any standards of practice or to join an association or register

If you decide to use a CAM practitioner, it's up to you to find one who will carry out the treatment in a way that's acceptable to you. Professional bodies and voluntary registers can help you do this.

Some regulated healthcare professionals, such as GPs, also practise unregulated CAM.

In these instances, the CAM practice is not regulated by the organisation that regulates the healthcare professional (such as the General Medical Council), but these organisations will investigate complaints that relate to the professional conduct of their member.

Professional associations and accredited registers for CAM

Many types of CAM have voluntary registers, some of which are accredited by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) or professional associations that practitioners can join if they choose.

Usually, these associations or registers demand that practitioners hold certain qualifications and agree to practise to a certain standard.

Organisations with PSA-accredited voluntary registers include:

This means that these organisations have met the PSA's demanding standards, which are designed to help people make an informed choice when they're looking for a practitioner.

Read about accredited registers on the Professional Standards Authority website

Questions to ask before starting a treatment

Once you have found a practitioner, it's a good idea to ask them some questions to help you decide if you want to go ahead with treatment.

You could ask:

• about the cost of treatment
• how long the treatment will last
• whether there are any people who should not use this treatment
• what side effects the treatment might cause
• whether there's anything you should do to prepare for treatment
• what system the practitioner has for dealing with complaints about their treatment or service
• for documentary proof of their qualifications
• for documentary proof that they're a member of their professional association or voluntary register
• for documentary proof that they're insured
• for written references