Alternative therapy comes in many forms and depends upon the specialty of services a person is interested in. When choosing an alternative, consult the advice of a specialist in complementary medicine or a practitioner that specializes in alternative therapy to help you tailor a treatment plan to your needs. Beware of choosing treatments solely based upon whether you like them; treatments should be chosen for their effectiveness and their ability to heal your ailment, illness or disease. There are seven major categories that are used in conjunction with complementary medicine to provide patients with a choice in treatments.

Mind-Body Medicine

An approach to health that involves the spiritual, behavioral, social and psychological aspects of a patient´s health is divided into 4 sub categories. Mind-Body Methods, Social and Contextual areas, Religion and Spirituality, and Mind-Body Systems. Tai Chi and Yoga, prayer, meditation, psychotherapy and hypnosis are some examples in this category.

Lifestyle and Disease Prevention

Prevention of illness and the treatment and identification of factors that cause risk as well as recovery and healing support are vital components of Lifestyle and Disease Prevention. Under this category are 3 subcategories: lifestyle therapies, clinical and preventative practices, and health promotion. Examples are Medical Intuition, behavior and dietary changes, and the healing process.

Biologically-Based Therapies

Interventions, biologically-based and natural practices, and products are the specialty in this category. The four subcategories are herbalism, Orthomolecular medicine, special diet therapies and biological, Pharmacological and instrumental interventions. As some examples, you will find herbs such as Tea Tree Oil and Garlic, high fiber diets and fasting, folic acid and iodine, cell therapy and H2O2.

Manipulative and Body-Based Systems

Movement of the body or manipulation of the body are systems that this category specializes in and it has three subcategories: body work and massage, chiropractic medicine and unconventional physical treatments. Some examples of are: acupressure, colonics, and reflexology.

Alternative Medical Systems

Alternative medical systems are other medical theories that are used outside of Western medicine, and there are four subcategories: Oriental medicine, unconventional Western systems, traditional indigenous systems, and Naturopathy. Examples are diet and acupuncture, Ayurvedic and Native American medicine, and environmental medicine.

Biofield

The use of very subtle energy fields for medical purposes involves healing science, Reiki, and Natural Healing, and Biorelax.

Bioelectromagnetics

Using electromagnetic fields for medical purposes is an unconventional method.