When alternative therapies are used in place of conventional medicine, it is considered to be alternative medicine. When alternative therapies are used in addition to conventional medicine, they are considered to be complementary medicine. You Might Also Like Traditional Chinese Medicine April 11, 2014 Integrative Medicine integrates conventional methods with alternative therapies March 19, 2015 NHRT – Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy is the use of natural hormones December 29, 2015