Staying Healthy

Tips to find integrative health practitioners

Looking for a qualified acupuncturist, massage therapist, or other type of expert? Consider these strategies.

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter

photo of a chiropractor with hands placed on the shoulder and neck of a patient

When your doctor recommends therapies that complement conventional medicine, there's good reason. These therapies — such as acupuncture, chiropractic, therapeutic massage, meditation, tai chi, or yoga — often help reduce stress, ease pain or headaches, or quell flare-ups of chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia. For years, such therapies have fallen under the umbrella term of "complementary and alternative medicine," but are now more commonly referred to as "integrative health."

Don't worry about the lingo. Focus on finding an expert who's trained and qualified to treat you. Here are some tips to help.

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About the Author

photo of Heidi Godman

Heidi Godman, Executive Editor, Harvard Health Letter

Heidi Godman is the executive editor of the Harvard Health Letter. Before coming to the Health Letter, she was an award-winning television news anchor and medical reporter for 25 years. Heidi was named a journalism fellow … See Full Bio
View all posts by Heidi Godman

About the Reviewer

photo of Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

Anthony L. Komaroff, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Health Letter

Dr. Anthony L. Komaroff is the Steven P. SimcoxPatrick A. Clifford/James H. Higby Distinguished Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, senior physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and editor in chief of the … See Full Bio
View all posts by Anthony L. Komaroff, MD

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As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.

No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

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