Functional medicine doctors go beyond symptoms to source of health challenges
The goal of functional medicine is to treat from the core, a wide variety of health conditions from cardiovascular disease and irritable bowel syndrome to arthritis, diabetes, even insomnia —which have not responded to traditional medicine approaches. Functional medicine doctors look beyond symptoms to get at their source, taking into consideration a wide range of factors that affect a person’s entire well-being.
How functional medicine doctors approach patient health
Starting with an examination of your health history and lifestyle, functional medicine doctors assess the effects of stress, triggering events, sleep, nutrition, exercise and other factors on your vitality. An example of this might be looking at how your environment has played a role in susceptibility to allergic disease, such as asthma, eczema and food allergies. Patients may prefer a functional medicine approach when traditional medical options have not made a significant difference in helping them meet their health goals, whether to slow down disease progression and symptoms or to experience general health.
Functional medicine doctors understand that a patient’s health is influenced by nutrition, genetics, and epigenetics (the way genes “express” due to environmental and dietary factors, for example). They have a more well-rounded view of the interplay between these factors and they are experts in being able to make connections between seemingly unrelated symptoms. Functional medicine doctors are often able to help “reset” body, mind and spirit with complementary treatments such as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), dietary and lifestyle adjustments and support, and integrative therapies. Medication is sometimes part of a combined treatment option, if needed.
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To schedule an appointment with a functional medicine doctor, call 484.324.7311 |
