View synonyms for alternative medicine

alternative medicine

healthcare and treatment practices, including traditional Chinese medicine, chiropractic, folk medicine, and naturopathy, that minimize or eschew the use of surgery and drugs.

noun

another name for complementary medicine See also holism

alternative medicine

/ ôl-tûr′nə-tĭv /

A variety of therapeutic or preventive health-care practices that are not typically taught or practiced in traditional medical communities and offer treatments that differ from standard medical practice. Homeopathy, herbal medicine, and acupuncture are types of alternative medicine.

alternative medicine

Medical practice or therapy that uses methods that have not been associated with the traditional, standard care most generally taught and executed by AMA-certified medical schools.

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Notes

Alternative medicine includes practices such as acupuncture , naturopathy, and chiropractic , as well as such therapies as chelation therapy, homeopathic remedies, and biofeedback . There has been an explosion of interest in alternative medicine in recent years.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of alternative medicine¹

First recorded in 1980–85

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Example Sentences

A particularly worrisome indicator of this mistrust has been the booming alternative medicine industry.

From The Daily Beast

Unfortunately, a lot of alternative medicine is indeed deeply unscientific, and deserves to be treated with skepticism.

From The Daily Beast

“Some alternative medicine practitioners have made claims that are simply ridiculous,” he offered.

From The Daily Beast

Even Deepak Chopra, the alternative medicine and spiritual guru, preaches a dietless diet.

From The Daily Beast

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