Knowra Integrative medicine Integrative medicine Integrative medicine combines conventional medical care with selected complementary practices, guided by evidence and individual patient needs. It emphasizes coordinated care and the whole person.
Conventional medicine : Medical care based on biomedical science, clinical research, and established professional standards. It supplies the core diagnosis and treatment that integrative care coordinates with other practices.
Acupuncture : A practice involving the insertion of thin needles at specific points on the body. It is sometimes incorporated into care for pain, nausea, and other symptoms.
Alternative medicine : Treatments used instead of conventional medical care rather than alongside it. Integrative medicine adds selected practices to conventional care; alternative medicine substitutes for it.
Clinical trial : A prospective study that assigns interventions to participants to evaluate health effects. Trials test whether particular complementary practices improve outcomes beyond standard care.
Complementary medicine : Health practices used alongside conventional medical care rather than in its place. Integrative medicine selects complementary practices as additions to conventional treatment.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction : An eight-week program using mindfulness meditation, body awareness, and gentle movement to develop stress-management skills. It illustrates a structured mind-body program that can complement medical treatment.
Complementary and alternative medicine : A broad label for health practices outside mainstream conventional medicine, whether used alongside it or instead of it. This umbrella category includes practices that integrative medicine evaluates and may incorporate.
Placebo effect : A beneficial change in symptoms or outcomes associated with treatment expectations and care context rather than a treatment's specific action. Separating specific effects from expectation is difficult when evaluating some complementary therapies.
Evidence-based medicine : Clinical decision-making that combines research evidence, professional expertise, and patient values. Evidence helps determine which complementary practices belong in an individual care plan.
Yoga : A group of practices combining physical postures, breathing techniques, and, in some traditions, meditation. Adapted yoga may support mobility, stress management, or symptom relief alongside clinical care.
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