We get it: you may not be enthusiastic about traditional medicine. However, traditional medicine is not the only type of medical help that you can consider as a patient. Specifically, while integrative medicine addresses the whole person rather than just the disease, another type of medicine has gained popularity in recent years: functional medicine. Similar to integrative medicine, it strives to treat the holistic individual, while also paying close attention to internal and external environmental factors. In this article, we explore the difference between functional and traditional medicine, the benefits of each and whether or not you should have a functional and traditional medicine doctor.
What Is Functional Medicine?
Functional medicine focuses on a holistic, deliberate approach to treating patients. Rather than keeping the focus on the disease and the traditional treatment for it, functional medicine takes a patient’s environment, lifestyle, family history and other factors into account. Simply put, a functional medicine doctor strives to investigate and address the fundamental root causes of the condition. As an example, if you are diagnosed with heart disease, your functional medicine doctor will try to support a reduction in your stress levels, advise you to begin an exercise program, and develop a healthier diet.
Is Functional Medicine Legit?
Research has demonstrated that functional medicine is not only legitimate, but can be a highly beneficial form of patient care. Specifically, a family health center conducted a study with 7,252 patients. One portion of this group was treated with functional medicine. The other group was treated with traditional medicine. The results demonstrated that the group that received functional medicine felt better after six months than the other group.
The fact that functional medicine is grounded in evidence-based research has created more and more momentum in its external perception as a legitimate form of medical care.
Integrative Medicine vs Functional Medicine
There are more similarities between integrative medicine and functional medicine than there are differences. In both cases, practitioners use diet and nutrition to fight long-term diseases. They both treat the patient as an individual with their own history, personality and lifestyle. The medical community also agrees that both these types of medical approaches are “alternatives.”
There are also a few differences. Functional medicine uses blood tests, genetic testing and allergy testing in its practice. Integrative practitioners do not necessarily use these tests. Instead, the practitioner focuses on the mind-body combination. They are also less in favor of recommending invasive treatments and medications that are not “natural.”
How to Find a Functional Medicine Doctor
You understand the difference between functional medicine and traditional medicine, its benefits, as well as its similarities to integrative medicine. Now, you are ready to find a functional medicine doctor that suits your specific needs. Where does one begin? As functional medicine is a current buzz-word in the medical world, there are many individuals trying to capitalize on its trend, without the necessary training to validate their claims. Therefore, begin by researching for board-certified functional medicine doctors in your area. Whether you’re looking for a functional medicine doctor in Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, or any other city, the difficulty is not finding one, but rather, practitioners that are MDs and hold a certificate at the rigorous Institute for Functional Medicine.
Dr. Rajka is a functional medicine doctor Chicago with a practice right in your location. She will find the root causes of your medical condition and then develop a treatment plan that leads you toward good health in the long term. Visit the link and set up a consultation today.
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