Definition of complementary medicine

There is no universally agreed definition of complementary medicine. Nomenclature varies, with terms including complementary, alternative and traditional medicine. The NICM definition uses the term complementary medicine as including the concepts of:

• Complementary medicine (as in health and medical systems, practices and products not currently recognised as a part of conventional or mainstream western medicine practiced by medical doctors, nurses and allied heath professionals);
• Alternative medicine (complementary medicine used in place of mainstream western medicine);
• Traditional medicine (indigenous medicines and practices); and
• Integrative medicine (complementary medicine used together with mainstream western medicine).

The NICM definition is an adaptation of the definition used by the USA National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM).

Definition

Complementary Medicine (CM) is an inclusive term that incorporates Complementary Medicines and Complementary Therapies (Modalities / Systems). The term complementary medicine is considered to be inclusive of historically used names such as alternative medicine, natural medicine and traditional medicine. CM is concerned with both the maintenance of wellness and the treatment of illness.

CM includes a diverse range of medicines and therapies that are not considered to be core conventional medicine practices or core conventional allied health practices. Conventional medicine is medicine as practiced by registered medical practitioners and by a range of allied health professionals who support conventional medical practice and include physiotherapists, psychologists and registered nurses.

The Institute recognises that some health care providers integrate both complementary and conventional medicine (integrative medicine) and that there is a growing intersection between conventional and complementary medicine practices.  NICM has adopted with revisions the four domains of CM articulated by the US National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, acknowledging there can be some overlap between domains, especially in the application of Whole Medical Systems. 

The Four CM Domains

1. Mind-Body Medicine

Mind-body medicine uses a variety of techniques designed to enhance the mind's capacity to affect bodily function and symptoms. These include meditation and therapies that use creative outlets such as art, music, or dance.

2. Biologically-based Practices

Biologically based practices in CM use substances found in nature, such as herbs, foods, and vitamins. This includes what the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration defines and regulates as Complementary Medicines. Some examples include dietary supplements and herbal medicines.

3. Manipulative and Body-based Practices

Manipulative and body-based practices in CM are based on tactile therapies and structured exercise regimes. Manipulation involves the application of controlled force to a joint, moving it beyond the normal range of motion in an effort to aid in restoring health. Manipulation may be performed as a part of other therapies or whole medical systems, including chiropractic medicine, osteopathic medicine, massage and naturopathic medicine. Structured exercise regimes include yoga, tai chi and specific exercise programs aimed at restoring health and enhancing well being.

4. Energy Medicine

Energy therapies involve the use of energy fields. They are of two types, biofield therapies and bioelectromagnetic based therapies.

• Biofield therapies are intended to affect energy fields that purportedly surround and penetrate the human body. The existence of such fields has not yet been scientifically proven. Some forms of energy therapy purportedly manipulate biofields by applying pressure and/or manipulating the body by placing the hands in, or through, these fields. Examples include
• Qi gong, a component of traditional Chinese medicine that combines movement, meditation, and controlled breathing. The intent is to improve blood flow and the flow of qi.
• Reiki, a therapy in which practitioners seek to transmit a universal energy to a person, either from a distance or by placing their hands on or near that person. The intent is to heal the spirit and thus the body.
• Therapeutic Touch is a therapy in which practitioners pass their hands over another person's body with the intent to use their own perceived healing energy to identify energy imbalances and promote health.
• Bioelectromagnetic-based therapies involve the unconventional use of electromagnetic fields, such as pulsed fields, magnetic fields, or alternating-current or direct-current fields.

Whole Medical Systems

Whole medical systems can cut across all domains. Whole medical systems are built upon complete systems of theory and practice. Often, these systems have evolved apart from and earlier than the conventional medical approach. Examples of whole medical systems that have developed in Western cultures include homeopathic medicine and naturopathic medicine. 

• Homeopathy seeks to stimulate the body's ability to heal itself by giving very small doses of highly diluted substances that in larger doses would produce illness or symptoms (an approach called "like cures like").
• Naturopathy aims to support the body's ability to heal itself through the use of dietary and lifestyle changes together with CM therapies such as herbs, massage, and joint manipulation.

Examples of systems that have developed in non-Western cultures include traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Ayurvedic medicine. 

• TCM is based on the concept that disease results from disruption in the flow of qi and imbalance in the forces of yin and yang. Practices such as herbal treatments, meditation, massage, and acupuncture seek to aid healing by restoring the yin-yang balance and the flow of qi.
• Ayurveda is a whole medical system that originated in India. It aims to integrate the body, mind, and spirit to prevent and treat disease. Therapies used include herbs, massage, and yoga.

Content Updated January 2009