Complementary and alternative therapies are relatively new and essential options in healthcare, they help to increase the quality of life of patients and offer them numerous possibilities to ensure the growth of their health, beyond current medicine. Recently, these therapies, such as massage therapy and acupuncture, have become more prevalent in research. Consequently, their replacement by standard medicine in the healthcare system has been supported by the literature. The literature supporting these methods has explored why complementary therapies are needed, the different and distinct characteristics of each therapy, and also examines the education and knowledge those implementing the services must have. To accurately analyze whether complementary and alternative therapies are valuable to the healthcare system, this article will aim to understand why they are becoming predominant and why nurses should use these therapies to help improve the health of individuals. To determine the key attributes of these therapies, a variety of resources that deal extensively with complementary and alternative therapies will be reviewed, and the document will also examine the benefits and weaknesses they have on improving health. Ultimately, this paper will aim to determine whether these services should be implemented by nurses as alternative options for their patients, as nurses should have substantial knowledge related to the implementation of these therapies. Popularity of Complementary Therapies Complementary therapies are alternatives to conventional medicine that advance conventional health care. These therapies have been around for some time, but are becoming increasingly popular in nursing and healthcare settings (O`Regan et al., 2010, p. 35). It is demonstrated that...... half of the paper......s2010.01.24.21.35.c7487Pan, S.Y., Gao, S.H., Zhou, S.F., Tang, M.K., & Yu, Z. (2012). New perspectives on complementary and alternative medicine: an overview and alternative therapy. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 18(4), 20-36. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/docview/1114602433Tait, P., Harstall, C., Brooks, L. (2002). Acupuncture: evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, 3-4. Retrieved from http://books1.scholarsportal.info.uproxy.library.dc-uoit.ca/viewdoc.html?id=/ebooks/ebooks1/gibson_chrc/2010-08-06/1/10127088#tabview=tab1Xu, Y (2004). Complementary and alternative therapies as philosophy and modalities: implications for nursing practice, education and research. Home Health Care Management Practice, 6, 534-537. doi: 10.1177/1084822304266500