📄 Abstract
Alternative medicine, often known as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), is a broad category of medical procedures, treatments, and interventions that fall outside of or coexist with traditional biomedical medicine. These treatments are being used more frequently all over the world because to the rise in chronic illnesses, non-communicable diseases, and patient demand for holistic care. An overview of alternative medicine is given in this document, along with definitions and sources, an explanation of its function in healthcare, and a categorization system for the main modalities. We discuss the beginnings and sources of alternative therapies, such as mind-body interventions, body-based therapies, herbal remedies, and traditional systems. We provide a categorization that takes into account the variety of techniques and domains and is based on recent literature. We emphasize the necessity of consistent language and classification, integration into health systems, and solid evidence. The goal of the article is to offer a succinct but thorough framework for comprehending the field of alternative medicine and to act as a basis for future study, the creation of policies, and clinical integration.
📚 How to Cite:
Khushi Upadhyay, Ritika Singh , ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE AND ITS SOURCES , Volume 10 , Issue 11, November 2025, EPRA International Journal of Research & Development (IJRD) ,