Because of a lapse in Government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted.

The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov.

Updates regarding Government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at OPM.gov.

6 Commonly Misunderstood Words About Complementary Health Approaches

Introduction

When it comes to some complementary and integrative health approaches, how certain products or practices are labeled or talked about may be vague or confusing, and many people misunderstand what they actually mean. For example, what is the difference between holistic medicine and homeopathic medicine? Often, these terms are used interchangeably, but in fact they are very different.

See if you know the meaning of these words and phrases by taking this 6-question quiz. You’ll find out your results at the end.

Start Quiz

View more resources from the Know the Science Initiative.

Know the Science is now available in Spanish!