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Patients with diseases of the musculoskeletal system are confronted with a large quantity of treatment offers based on methods of complementary medicine. Despite a considerable number of publications on this topic, the scientific evidence is still poor. This article focuses on Ayurvedic medicine (AM), traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), mind-body medicine and homeopathy. These procedures have a longstanding tradition of practice and each claims to have its own theoretical concept; however, the application in the field of rheumatology can only be recommended either for specific entities or, in the case of homeopathy, not at all. In addition, this article summarizes the evidence for dietary recommendations, nutritional supplements and herbal medicine in rheumatology. The latter topics are frequently discussed in the popular press and are a much-debated issue between physicians and patients; however, clear-cut recommendations for the application on a scientific basis are the exception and mainly consist of the endorsement to adhere to the principles of a Mediterranean diet., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)