Integrative Medicine and Health - Overview (2024)

Your health, your wellness

Mayo Clinic Integrative Medicine and Health offers services for all aspects of your health and well-being, including the physical, emotional, spiritual and mental. Integrative medicine is an approach to healthcare that includes practices not traditionally part of conventional medicine, such as herbs and supplements, meditation, wellness coaching, acupuncture, massage, movement, resiliency, and nutrition. In many situations, as evidence of their usefulness and safety grows, these therapies are used with conventional medicine.

Integrative approaches are used to help people with medical conditions feel better by reducing fatigue, nausea, pain and anxiety. These conditions include cancer, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, diabetes and many others. Your integrative medicine care team works closely with you and your other healthcare professionals to understand and address your needs. People with cancer may benefit from being referred to the integrative oncology specialists of the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Your experience with Mayo Clinic Integrative Medicine and Health is supported by:

• Experts in many health and wellness practices. Each year Mayo Clinic's integrative medicine experts treat thousands of people with a range of approaches that quiet the mind, soothe the body and restore the spirit. Mayo Clinic is a member of the Academic Consortium for Integrative Medicine and Health.
• Team-based care focused on you. Mayo Clinic's integrative medicine specialists listen to your concerns. They may suggest therapies that can be built into your overall plan of care.
• Innovative and evidence-based research. The evidence-based approaches suggested by your care team have been tested for usefulness and safety. Our experts study and improve practices that help people and work well with conventional medical treatments. Talk with your healthcare professional about clinical trials of integrative medicine practices that may help you.

Services

You may select from a range of services, including stress management and resilience training, massage therapy, acupuncture, aromatherapy, lifestyle medicine, and herbs and supplements. Availability of services varies among Mayo Clinic locations. Please confirm when you contact the clinic.

Consultation

During a consultation, you talk with a healthcare professional trained in integrative medicine and health. Together, you develop a treatment plan tailored to your goals for health and well-being. Your plan may include one or more of the integrative practices available. Bring to this appointment a list of supplements and medicines that you take, including doses.

Your healthcare professional may recommend:

• Acupuncture.
• Aromatherapy.
• Herbs and supplements.
• Exercise, activity or mindful movement.
• Massage therapy.
• Health and wellness coaching.
• Lifestyle medicine consultation.
• Stress management and resilience training.
• Mind-body therapies.
• Nutrition consultation.

Stress management and resilience training

Resilience education and training teaches positive strategies for managing stress and developing resilience. The program offers individual or group sessions in the Stress Management and Resiliency Training program.

Massage therapy

Massage therapy may be offered on an outpatient basis or to people who are in the hospital. Mayo Clinic researchers have found that this integrative medicine practice can reduce pain, anxiety and tension in people facing or recovering from many problems. These include heart surgery, breast cancer and colon surgery.

Mayo Clinic's massage therapists are trained in techniques such as acupressure, reflexology, mobilization of scar tissue and craniosacral therapy. A board-certified massage therapist works with you and uses techniques based on your needs and goals. The massage therapist may offer other suggestions as well, such as aromatherapy or relaxation resources.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is one of the world's oldest recognized medical therapies. It is a key component of traditional Chinese medicine and embraced by many people, including those who practice conventional medicine, as a safe and useful treatment for many conditions.

Techniques include acupuncture with manual and electrical stimulation, acupressure, and cupping. Treatments are tailored to your needs, concerns and diagnosis. Mayo Clinic treatment rooms dedicated to acupuncture have soft music and gentle lighting to help you relax while your practitioner places the needles. A typical acupuncture visit is 45 to 60 minutes.

Mind-body therapies

There are many mind-body therapies, such as meditation, paced breathing, guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation and biofeedback. These therapies are used to relax and rejuvenate the mind, body and spirit. Many people find that mind-body therapies help them refocus and gain inner peace.

Herbs and supplements consultation

Herbs and supplements are taken like medicines but regulated like foods. They can interact with medicines and each other, resulting in side effects or suboptimal treatment. During an herbs and supplements consultation, you talk with a healthcare professional who is an expert on these products and learn about potential risks and side effects that may affect your health and well-being.

Contact

Arizona

• Mayo Clinic Integrative Medicine and Health
  5881 E. Mayo Blvd.
  Phoenix, AZ 85054
  Phone: 480-301-8484

Florida

• Mayo Clinic Integrative Medicine and Health
  4500 San Pablo Road
  Jacksonville, FL 32224
• Phone: 904-953-0951

Minnesota

• Mayo Clinic Integrative Medicine and Health
  200 First St. SW
  Rochester, MN 55905
• Phone: 507-284-2111 or 507-266-5800