Unlike “alternative medicine,” which tends to focus on therapies that are not conventional medical treatments, integrative practices are complementary to state-of-the-art medical treatment and therapies. This allows people with chronic diseases to find healing in ways that fit their lifestyles, beliefs and needs, while also improving outcomes.

In many cases, Integrative Medicine professionals who offer complementary and integrative approaches help lessen the side effects of traditional treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation. Acupuncture, for example, has been shown to reduce fatigue that sometimes accompanies cancer treatments. And some researchers have found that meditation and yoga can improve quality of life for some people who have cancer.

When you’re seeking care at an integrative medicine center, your providers take the time to consider all of your options — including conventional medicine and non-conventional techniques like physical therapy and meditation. They work with your primary care physician and specialists to create a safe, coordinated care plan for you. It’s important that you keep your complementary practitioners informed of all the conventional treatments and medicines you are taking.

Understanding Integrative Medicine: Bridging the Gap between Conventional and Alternative Approaches

At Mayo Clinic, our research is focused on studying and improving the practices that complement and integrate into a person’s comprehensive health care. And we encourage our patients to talk to their complementary and integrative healthcare providers about the clinical trials that might be right for them. * The majority of patients who seek care at integrative medicine centers around the country report that they do so for chronic pain. Other conditions for which these centers have reported clinical success include gastrointestinal disorders, depression/anxiety and stress management.

417 Integrative Medicine & Housecalls
1335 E Republic Rd D, Springfield, MO 65804, United States
Phone: +14173633900