Alternative medicine has been described as "any of various systems of healing or treating disease (as chiropractic, homeopathy, or faith healing) not included in the traditional medical curricula taught in the United States and Britain".
Alternative medicine practices are often based in belief systems not derived from modern science. Alternative medicines may therefore incorporate spiritual, metaphysical, or religious underpinnings, untested practices, non-Western medical traditions, or newly developed approaches to healing.
These practices are often described as "Complementary and Alternative Medicine" or CAM.
If an alternative medical approach, initially regarded as untested, is subsequently shown to be safe and effective, it may then be adopted by conventional practitioners and no longer considered "alternative".
Chiropractic treatments vary depending on the patient's condition and the type of approach taken by the particular chiropractor. They commonly include spinal adjustments, although other interventions may be used as well.