Complementary medicine

Complementary medicine encompasses a wide range of methods and diagnostic procedures that have emerged in various cultural contexts as a result of many years of observing patients and the progression of their illnesses; these methods are used to diagnose and treat health conditions or are suitable for prevention.

Empirical medical practices can be used both to complement conventional, science-based medicine (conventional medicine) and to strengthen one’s own resources. They are characterized by a comprehensive understanding of health but differ in their approaches, concepts, and explanatory models.

Evidence-based complementary medicine is referred to as integrative medicine, as an equal partner to conventional medicine.

Complementary medicine must be distinguished from alternative medicine, which sets itself apart from conventional medicine. 

In contrast to conventional medicine, experiential medicine does not gain its knowledge from controlled clinical studies, but from individual observations of progress and therapy. As individual therapy observations have less scientific evidence, the methods of experiential medicine are often controversial.

Experiential medicine is "in": many people value methods such as osteopathy or shiatsu and use them for preventive healthcare or as a supplement to conventional medicine. In Switzerland, a clear majority of the population voted in favor of strengthening complementary/experiential medicine in 2009.