Complementary and integrative treatments: expanding the continuum of care.

This article is an introduction to the concepts of complementary, alternative, and integrative medicine. It discusses the scope and prevalence of complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) use among otolaryngology patients. Specific types of CIM are characterized in the context of their origins, philosophic and historical bases, scientific evidence, and applicability to the practice of otolaryngology. The author's intent is to provide a framework for discussing CIM with patients and integrating it into treatment paradigms in an evidence-based manner.