Alternative medicine is a term that describes medical treatments that are used instead of traditional (mainstream) therapies. Some people also refer to it as “integrative,” or “complementary” medicine. Some examples include: chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, magnetic therapy, laser therapy, human cellular tissue product and nutrition.

Chiropractic focuses on the body’s structure — mainly the spine –and how it functions. A trained professional called a chiropractor uses different techniques to adjust (“manipulate”) your spine or other parts of your body so that they’re in proper form, or alignment. Much of the research around it has focused on low back pain. But studies show chiropractic can also be helpful for a number of other ailments, like headaches, neck pain, joint problems in your upper and lower body, and disorders caused by whiplash.

Herbal Medicine

This alternative medicine therapy uses parts of a plant — its roots, leaves, berries, or flowers — to heal the body.