Complementary medicine refers to a wide range of treatments that are beyond the scope of traditional methods for treating disease, which typically involves prescribing medications or performing surgery. Some complementary medicinal techniques date back centuries, and scientific research is only now discovering how and why they work. A broadening of minds combined with encouraging data from reputable scientific studies has helped some forms of complementary medicine become more mainstream.

1. Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the most widely known practices in traditional Chinese medicine. In involves the strategic insertion of very thin needles into the body to promote pain relief. The belief is that acupuncture helps to improve the flow of a life force called qi. While the existence of qi has yet to be proven, studies show acupuncture Winter Park FL to be effective at relieving pain and nausea, perhaps by stimulating the nervous system or immune system.

2. Chiropractic

Chiropractic is based on a theory that the function of the nervous system relates to the structure of the spine. Therefore, when the spine is in a poor position, the nervous system does not function as well, which can have varied negative effects on the body. The goal of chiropractic manipulation is to place the spine into a better position. Some chiropractors claim to treat a wide range of ailments, but there is little evidence to support these claims. However, chiropractic manipulation has proven effective at relieving low back pain and some other musculoskeletal complaints.

3. Homeopathy

Homeopathy is based on a theory that if a large dose of a certain substance can cause disease, a small dose may be able to cure it. This theory originated in 18th century Germany and can be summed up as “like cures like.” Homeopathy involves taking naturally occurring substances, such as minerals and extracts from animals or plants, in ultra-diluted doses. Research into the effectiveness of homeopathy is ongoing.