In a world where more and more people are becoming addicted to prescription medication, functional medicine takes a more holistic approach to treating the underlying cause of disease. While medication may be one form of treatment, functional medicine also looks deeper and considers lifestyle, environmental and hereditary factors, as well.
It is helpful to have a complete understanding of what exactly functional medicine is and how the treatment process works to determine if visiting a medical professional who specializes in functional medicine is right for you. The following are a few things to know about functional medicine, including what it is exactly, what makes it different than conventional medicine and more.
Functional medicine is a unique approach to the diagnosis and treatment of disease and other health conditions. It involves looking into more than just the symptoms of the patient and seeks to find the underlying cause of the symptoms, and then to try and form a treatment plan to effectively address the root issue causing the symptoms. Since it takes a holistic approach, functional medicine can diagnose, treat and prevent a variety of acute and chronic health complications.
The treatment process with functional medicine is often more extensive than other approaches, particularly in the diagnostic stages. Among other factors, functional medicine doctors look at a patient’s genetic makeup, lifestyle and environmental exposures, in addition to documenting symptoms and previous treatment history. They may also conduct testing and screening procedures, as well. After diagnosis, the doctor and the patient can come up with a way to treat and prevent complications.
Perhaps the most notable difference between functional medicine and conventional medicine is that while conventional medicine is broken into sub-areas (such as cardiology, gastroenterology), functional medicine is holistic, meaning it takes into account all factors that affect an individual's overall health. Additionally, the treatment with functional medicine is typically more about living a balanced, healthy lifestyle to treat underlying causes, rather than treating symptoms through medication. A functional medicine doctor may help patients through, dietary, exercise and lifestyle changes to reduce stress and make healthier choices, in addition to necessary medication.
Anyone who struggles with acute or chronic symptoms of illness or disease or who struggles with chronic pain should consider how functional medicine treatment might help them. Functional medicine treats a variety of conditions, including but not limited to digestive, autoimmune and neurological conditions. Functional medicine is holistic and treats the entire person, rather than just one organ or area of the body.
If you are interested in finding out how functional medicine can help you specifically, then consult with us and schedule a time to come in for an initial consultation. Here at our health clinic, we make an effort to create a real connection with our patients, which allows us to treat each patient more effectively and in a safe manner.
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