In addition to conventional medicine there are many alternative therapies that can be used to treat illness, aging and injury as well as physical and mental problems.
Some of these treatments may seem fairly conventional whilst others have their origin in different cultures and may be based around concepts like correcting the flow of the body's energy.
One reason for the rapid growth of these treatments is the seeming inability of conventional medicine to treat many modern ailments, particularly those with no obvious origin, or those concerned with stress or mental illness.
Another is the desire to use a holistic approach to health where all aspects of the body and mind are kept in balance.
What complementary therapies are available Amongst the complementary therapies available are: Aromatherapy, Bowen technique, Alexander technique, Shiatsu, Reiki, Rolfing, Homeopathy, Indian head massage, Acupuncture, NLP, Hypnotherapy, Reflexology, Swedish massage, Tai massage and Pilates.
There are also a number of counselling therapies that fall into this category and some view chiropractic as an alternative approach.
Many of these therapy types are holistic, meaning that they seek to treat the entire body and often a patient's mental wellbeing.
This is one of the reasons why they are largely viewed with suspicion by conventional medicine which seeks to treat specific symptoms rather than the body as a whole.
One interesting feature of a number of complementary therapies is the fact that, whilst they are considered outside the scope of conventional medicine in countries like the UK and USA, a number are seen as conventional in other cultures like those found in China and India.
How does the complementary therapy process work Some of these therapies may only need a single treatment, however most will require multiple sessions before a satisfactory conclusion is reached.
Nearly all use a systematic approach that starts with an assessment (and possibly a bodily examination) of the patient, after which a number of appointments will be scheduled.
Because so many of these therapies are holistic they usually look at identifying and correcting some kind of imbalance in the body rather than resolving a specific "ailment" manifestation.
This is particularly true of a therapy like acupuncture, Reiki or reflexology.
In terms of treatment delivery, some alternative treatments use a variation of massage or manipulation whilst others use a non-contact approach.
Two very different examples of the latter include both hypnotherapy and Reiki.
One uses suggestion whilst the other uses the "passing over" of hands.
There are also some very modern complementary treatments like NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming).
This discipline uses a variation on the much older approach of hypnosis, but with a more scientific application of how the mind can be positively directed or controlled.
A further much older example could be the Thai body massage.
This therapy has been popular for centuries in the East where it is considered "conventional" and accepted by all other regional forms of medicine.
Do these approaches really work? The success, or otherwise, of complementary therapy is something that few are agreed upon.
Many treatment types have little in the way of conclusive evidence to support their assertions of success, however irrefutable evidence is difficult to obtain without years of research and vast financial budgets.
However, what complementary therapies can do is offer an alternative to conventional medicine.
Furthermore, as most are quite literally "complementary", they can be used in conjunction with other more conventional or mainstream treatments.
Additionally, because many are also holistic, they can fit very easily into a lifestyle based around physical and mental wellbeing.