Complementary Integrative Rehabilitation Medicine Networking Group

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According to the NIH National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), if a non-mainstream therapeutic practice is used together with conventional medicine, the practice is considered “complementary.”  A complementary health approach might involve the use of natural products such as herbs, vitamins, minerals and probiotics, and/or mind and body practices such as yoga, meditation, acupuncture, chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation, as well as many other therapies to restore or maintain health and wellness. Conversely, when a non-mainstream therapeutic practice is used in place of rather than alongside conventional medicine, then this practice is referred to as “alternative” medicine. “Integrative” health care involves bringing conventional and complementary treatment approaches together in a coordinated, collaborative way to promote the relief of symptoms, healthy behavior, comprehensive disease management and recovery.