Differences Between Conventional and Integrative Medicine

Definition of health

A condition of physical, mental, and social well-being and the absence of disease and other abnormalities

Optimal balance, resilience, and integrity of the body, mind, and spirit and their interrelationships

Definition of illness

Organ dysfunction, disordered biochemical processes, or undesirable symptoms

Symptom and individual based: Imbalance of body, mind, and spirit

Concept of life force

Life processes that are based on known physical laws and that involve physical and biochemical events

A free-flowing energy that unites mind and body and is the underpinning of health (often called qi, pronounced "chi")

Understanding of consciousness

Results only from physical processes in the brain

May involve more than physical processes in the brain*

Can exert healing effects on the body

Method of treatment

Any evidence-based intervention, including medications, surgery, radiation therapy, electrical treatments, medical devices, physical therapy, exercise, and nutritional and lifestyle interventions

Includes conventional medicine methods in addition to evidence-informed natural healing practices and the patient's inherent capacity for self-healing

Reliance on scientific evidence

Stricter reliance on established principles of scientific evidence

More flexible use of scientific evidence; treatments often based on tradition and/or lower quality scientific support