Complementary & alternative medicines
There is a constant tension between "traditional" and "modern" strands of medicine. Find out more from our experts:
There's the rub
Science struggles to find any basis for it, but its supporters insist it helps them - so is reflexology valid?
Critical, not dismissive
Seeking proof for practitioner's claims isn't to dismiss them as charlatans, but a duty for the sceptical scientist.
Deeper thought
Brain imaging techniques shows something happens - but it's still far from clear what that is. Consider meditation.
My reflexology
Reflexologist Elizabeth Rabone explains how she believes her specialism works: a reflexologist writes...
Under the influence?
Used with care and seen as a vehicle rather than a cure, can there be a medical role for hypnotherapy?
Testing challenges
The nature of the treatments can create challenges when validating alternative therapies.
Should doctors consult CAM?
Are there lessons for all doctors in the series? Tom Heller offers a view from a GP.
A world of treatment
Even in countries where many CAMs developed, changing attitudes have made a difference to how the therapies are used. Discover CAM around the world.
Natural cures
Nearly all human cultures have used some form of it - but what accounts for the durability of herbal medicine?
Balancing Qi
It can trace a history back to the first stone needles - but what's the principle underpinning acupuncture?
Cure or cue?
How can we be certain CAM is helping, rather than just making people feel better? Science has trouble testing therapies.
