10 U.S. Cities With the Best Alternative Medicine

While some forms of alternative medicine have been debunked as pseudo-science and may actually be harmful rather than helpful to health, many others are becoming widely practiced and accepted forms of treatment, even in hospitals and more traditional medical settings. In fact, a study in 2007 reported that 38.3% of adults and 11.8% of children had used some form of alternative treatment, including herbal supplements, deep breathing, meditation, chiropractic services, massage, yoga, and acupuncture. While alternative medicine (more commonly called complementary and alternative medicine, or CAM, these days) is growing in popularity, some U.S. cities are ahead of the curve, boasting numerous schools, facilities, practitioners, retail shops, and yoga studios than many other places in the U.S. We highlight just a few of these progressive cities here, which may be good destinations for those looking to embrace an alternative treatment to a health issue or concern.

1. San Francisco, Calif.:

   There are few places in the U.S. where CAM providers are so incredibly abundant. Biotherapy, natural medicine, yoga, massage; San Francisco has numerous facilities that offer these treatments. San Franciscans aren’t afraid to embrace one of the most controversial alternative treatments either: marijuana. There are numerous dispensaries around the city for California residents who feel the drug will alleviate whatever ailment they have. Additionally, with approximately one-third of San Francisco’s population having Asian roots, there’s also an incredibly vibrant community of traditional Chinese medicine practitioners, and acupuncture, herbal remedies, and even cupping aren’t hard to find. Visitors to the city will find that these methods are even practiced in traditional hospital settings and are taught at the University of California- San Francisco School of Medicine alongside more standard medical treatments. The open-mindedness of this West Coast city probably has a lot to do with their willingness to embrace alternative therapies, a trend that appears to be quite prevalent throughout the western United States.

2. Denver, Colo.:

   Visitors to Denver looking for alternative treatments will find plenty to choose from. There are massage therapists, hypnotherapy clinics, holistic medicine providers, and a whole host of alternative and whole health facilities within the area. For those who want a blend of traditional and modern medicine, CAM is actively practiced at the U of Colorado hospital. Colorado is another state, like California, where cannabis dispensaries aren’t hard to find and many have embraced marijuana as a treatment for pain, nausea, and anxiety. Yoga, traditional Chinese medicine, magnet therapy, and naturopathy are all other forms of traditional medicine available in or around Denver, making it a great place to visit if you’d like to sample some of the best CAM treatments available in the U.S.

3. Seattle, Wash.:

   If you’re looking to take up yoga as a means to help reduce pain or to recover after a surgery (or for any other reason, really) then Seattle may be one of the best U.S. cities to find an amazing studio. Places like Cura Yoga even offer special courses for those dealing with cancer, brain injuries, and other health issues, at an extremely low cost. Visitors to this Pacific Northwest city will also find a large Ayurvedic training center, Kerala Ayurveda Academy, which in turn has meant that there is an abundance of these practitioners in the city and surrounding areas. Like many other places on the West Coast, Seattle is cannabis-friendly, and there are alternative medicine dispensaries throughout the city. For those looking for CAM standards, Seattle has those in spades, too. Visitors and locals alike can take advantage of a wide range of massage, homeopathic, acupuncture, and hypnotherapy programs and facilities.

4. Phoenix, Ariz.:

   Those looking to blend traditional medicine with CAM should be sure to check out the University of Arizona medical center, home to the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. U of Arizona also employs CAM guru Andrew Weil, who has brought numerous courses on CAM to the school and in turn, to the hospitals in the area. Fourth-year students have the option of taking a four-week elective on the topic or pursuing a full-fledged, two-year fellowship, and the school plans to add a 16-hour Internet-based holistic course on prevention and wellness this year. This means that many in Phoenix, even those who aren’t strictly CAM providers, know about and can recommend CAM treatments. The city also abounds with acupuncture, homeopathy, integrative medicine, and holistic health centers that provide treatment options for anyone looking to explore possibilities outside of Western medicine.

5. Chicago, Ill.:

   This Midwestern city may not seem like a particularly likely place to find widely practiced CAM, but in actuality, many in the windy city embrace alternative treatments. In fact, at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, unconventional therapies have become quite common, and there are numerous ongoing trials that are testing the benefits of a wide range of treatments. It isn’t alone, as numerous other hospitals in the city practice CAM as well, including Loyola University Medical Center and the North Shore University Health System. The city is even home to an annual CAM conference, which helps promote the use of alternative therapies of all kinds, from art therapy to acupuncture. The large Asian population of Chicago helps to push forward some of the more traditional Chinese medical practices, but they’re hardly the only CAM treatments taking root. Visitors to the city will find numerous yoga studios, integrative medicine practitioners, holistic medicine centers, and more.

6. New York, N.Y.:

   New York is usually on the cutting edge of things in the U.S., and CAM is no exception. You don’t have to look far to find just about every kind of alternative medicine imaginable. There are apothecaries, Mexican folk healers, Chinese medicine facilities, oxygen bars, reflexologists; you name it, New York’s got it. There are numerous large CAM facilities like Patients Medical in the city that offer visitors access to a wide range of services and treatments. For those not quite ready to give up all that Western medicine has to offer, many hospitals in the area practice CAM right alongside other, more standard medical practices, including New York-Presbyterian.

7. San Diego, Calif.:

   California is perhaps the most alternative medicine-obsessed state in America, and San Diego is no exception to that. Holistic healing, acupuncture, aromatherapy, healing touch, guided imagery, and qigong are just a few of the treatments that can be found in San Diego. There are a number of large CAM-focused health centers in the city (try Googling it, you’ll be impressed), which can guide patients through treatments based on naturopathy, integrative medicine, and traditional Chinese practices, among others. San Diego also boasts Mueller College of Holistic Studies, the Pacific College of Oriental Medicine, and the International Professional School of Bodywork, which means that there are loads of qualified professionals in the city who can help visitors or locals with any CAM needs.

8. Los Angeles, Calif.:

   While Los Angeles might be better known for its wholly unnatural medical procedures, many in this image-obsessed city still find time to indulge in alternative therapies. Professionals in the industry can get training at the National Holistic Institute, the Emperor’s College of Traditional Oriental Medicine, and the Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. As you might imagine, this leads to there being a large number of Chinese medicine providers, especially in acupuncture. Wellness centers, holistic health facilities, herbal shops, and numerous others CAM businesses flourish in the city (the Yellow Pages lists more than 400 different facilities in Los Angeles proper) and provide abundant options for anyone looking to improve their health through less traditional methods.

9. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.:

   A bastion of both the young and beautiful and the old and aging, Florida hits a couple of target audiences when it comes to any kind of medical treatments, including CAM. The Florida College of Natural Health helps to provide the numerous facilities in the area with well-trained professionals. There are nearly 500 different facilities in Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding area that provide some form of CAM, including acupuncture, healing arts, holistic health, and many other popular forms of alternative medicine. From those looking to stay young, help with pain, or even combat serious illness, this Florida city has the resources to provide treatment.

10. Baltimore, Md.:

    Maryland is another state that doesn’t seem like a prime candidate for being an alternative medicine hotspot, but you just might be surprised. There are numerous alternative health facilities in the city, ranging from acupuncturists to holistic healers. Additionally, head to the University of Maryland Medical Center to see CAM, from Reiki to acupuncture, being integrated into patient care. Johns Hopkins, one of the leading hospitals in the nation, also offers access to CAM and even boasts a Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, which does research into all areas of non-traditional treatment.

Taken From Medical Billing and Coding