As defined by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a component of the National Institutes of Health, complementary and alternative medicine is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products not presently considered part of conventional medicine. Some CAM therapies include acupuncture, chiropractic, naturopathic medicine, homeopathic medicine, massage and therapeutic touch.

While difficult to quantify how many North Carolinians use CAM, the state has seen a dramatic increase in the number of health care professionals offering

these alternatives.