Consumer Health & Patient Education

Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine (CAIM) refers to health practices and therapies that are not typically part of conventional Western medicine. These may be used alongside (complementary), instead of (alternative), or blended with (integrative) standard medical treatments.

Examples of CAIM include:

• Acupuncture
• Herbal medicine
• Yoga and meditation
• Chiropractic care
• Traditional healing systems (e.g., Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine)

Important: Just like with conventional Western medicine, it's important to evaluate these therapies for safety, effectiveness, and potential interactions. Always consult a healthcare provider before starting a new treatment—even if it seems natural or low-risk—so it can be safely integrated into your overall care plan.

Using OneSearch to Find CAIM Resources

Looking for CAIM resources at Mt. SAC Library? Use OneSearch to find books, articles and media that we have here in the library and online. Most of our physical books are located on the main floor of the Mt. SAC library. 

FAQs

Finding CAIM-related sources by keyword

Keywords are words or phrases you can use to search to find sources on your topic. For CAIM, try searching with these keywords:

• Complementary therapies
• Alternative medicine
• Integrative medicine
• Holistic health
• Mind and body therapies
• Medicinal plants
• Naturopathy
• Homeopathy
• Herbal medicine

Select call numbers for books related to Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine include:

• 610.69 — Complementary and alternative medicine
• 615 — Pharmacology and therapeutics
• 615.5 — Herbal and botanical medicine
• 615.8 — Therapies (e.g., acupuncture, massage)
• 615.852 — Mind-body therapies (e.g., meditation, yoga)