A user's guide to four types of treatment.

Byline: Gina Kim

Here is a primer on alternative medicine and some questions to ask your potential provider. We focused on four alternative medical systems _ naturopathy, homeopathy, Chinese medicine and Ayurveda _ all listed as comprehensive approaches to health by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

NATUROPATHY

_What it is: First developed in the late 1800s by Germany's Dr. Benedict Lust, who believed all organisms have an innate and powerful ability to heal.

Naturopathy looks not at symptoms but the whole person and tries to find underlying causes for illnesses, said naturopath Jane Guiltinan, dean of clinical affairs for the Bastyr Center for Natural Health and a member of the Harborview Medical Center board.

"Conventional medicine typically uses a more symptom- or disease-based approach. They identify the disease and use either a drug or surgical intervention to address the symptom," Guiltinan said. "Naturopathic physicians look at body, mind and spirit causes for why somebody may not be well."

_Typical patients: About 75 percent go to a naturopath for chronic conditions such as back pain, fatigue or headaches, according to Group Health's Center for Health Studies. Others go for common conditions…