Understanding The Role of a Functional Medicine Doctor
Are you looking for a holistic healthcare provider? A functional medicine doctor might be what you need. Integrative medicine has grown in popularity as a holistic approach to healing. Functional medicine, a kind of integrated medicine, identifies and treats the root causes of illnesses.
Functional medicine doctors at Integrative Medicine Practice use Laboratory testing, medical history, and lifestyle factors, including food, exercise, and stress management. They build a patient-specific treatment plan with this information.
Learn more about functional medicine and how a functional medicine doctor can help you achieve optimum health.
What Is A Functional Doctor?
A functional medicine doctor treats the root cause of a disease rather than its symptoms. Functional medicine doctors employ blood tests, medical history, and lifestyle aspects like food, exercise, and stress management to build a customized treatment plan for each patient. Functional medicine physicians, particularly in Integrative Medicine Practice, empower patients to achieve long-term health and wellness.
Role of a Functional Doctor
At Integrative Medicine Practice, the primary role of a functional medicine doctor is to take a holistic approach to treatment. Our functional doctors find and treat the underlying issues contributing to a patient’s physical health. These are just some of their responsibilities:
Detailed patient assessments: Functional Medicine Doctors study and assess a patient's medical records, lab tests, and lifestyle.
Personalizing treatment: At Integrative Medicine Practice, our functional practitioners customize treatment plans based on patient evaluation results. This may involve diet, exercise, stress management, and other therapies.
Empowering patients: Doctors at Integrative Medicine Practice educate, empower, and equip patients to manage their own health.
Collaboration with other healthcare professionals: At Integrative Medicine Practice, we may provide integrated treatment with primary care physicians, naturopathic doctors, and other specialists.
Continuous evaluation and modification of treatment plans: Our doctors constantly assess existing treatment programs to ensure they're practical and meet patients' changing demands.
What is The Difference Between a Functional Medicine Doctor and a Regular Doctor?
Conventional and functional medicine differ in healthcare. Functional medicine doctors target patients' underlying health concerns rather than their symptoms.
Functional medicine doctors spend extra time with patients to get a complete medical history and determine the cause of their ailment. They may utilize blood, stool, and genetic tests to evaluate a patient's health.
On the other hand, a traditional medicine doctor treats symptoms with medicine or other procedures without addressing the underlying reasons. They spend less time with patients and may use more traditional medical protocols and therapies.
Different Types Of Functional Medicine Practitioners
Functional medicine practitioners specialize in different areas, these are the most common:
Functional Medicine Doctors
These are licensed medical professionals who have completed functional medicine training. They use traditional and alternative techniques to diagnose and treat various health issues.
Functional Medicine Nutritionists
Diet and nutrition are their specialties. They provide customized dietary plans for patients based on their health concerns and goals.
Functional Medicine Nurse Practitioners
These advanced-practice registered nurses specialize in functional medicine. They can diagnose and treat any kind of disease and may collaborate with other healthcare practitioners to establish comprehensive treatment programs.
Functional Medicine Chiropractors
These doctors treat health problems with spinal manipulation and other manual techniques. Their treatment programs may include nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction.
Functional Medicine Acupuncturists
These practitioners use acupuncture and other TCM methods to treat health conditions. Nutrition and lifestyle changes may be part of their treatment strategies.
Functional Medicine Health Coaches
Patients work with these practitioners to create customized lifestyle change strategies that address their health concerns and goals. Nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, and sleep hygiene may be their focus.
Each functional medicine practitioner brings a distinct outlook and skill set to healthcare and may be able to give patients new health solutions.
What Is Functional Medicine?
Instead of treating symptoms, functional medicine seeks to discover and treat the source of a disease. Functional medicine doctors consider the body an integrated system and seek to understand how abnormalities in one area can affect total health and wellness.
Functional medicine practitioners help patients discover and manage underlying health concerns like nutrition, lifestyle, environment, genetics, and stress. They diagnose imbalances and inadequacies using blood tests, stool analysis, and other lab procedures.
Functional medicine doctors collaborate with patients to create tailored treatment plans that may incorporate conventional medical therapies and lifestyle changes, including nutrition, exercise, and stress reduction. Functional medicine addresses health disorders' root causes to improve health and avoid future illness.
What Conditions Does a Functional Medicine Doctor Treat?
Functional medicine specialists work with patients to meet their needs and design customized treatment plans. Some of these treatment plans may include traditional medical treatments, lifestyle changes, and complementary therapies like acupuncture, chiropractic, and massage therapy.
Integrative Medicine Practice is not your typical family medicine clinic. We offer a holistic approach to treating diseases. We help bring balance and wellness into your life. Our functional medicine doctors treat these conditions:
Autoimmune illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and MS
Digestive diseases include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and acid reflux
Hormonal imbalances, including thyroid problems, adrenal exhaustion, and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome
ADHD, depression, and anxiety
Allergic reactions
Cardiovascular disease and hypertension
Persistent back and migraine pain.
Obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome
Psoriasis, eczema, and acne
Reasons to See a Functional Medicine Doctor
There are many reasons why you should see a functional medicine doctor. These are just some of them:
You want longer appointments: You may benefit from seeing a functional medicine doctor if your conventional doctor doesn't have enough time to address your health concerns in one meeting. Functional medicine practitioners arrange lengthier visits to spend more time with patients, listen to their problems, and comprehend their health difficulties.
You are open to alternative treatments: Functional medicine may suit you if you’re open to alternative therapies and want a more holistic approach to healthcare. Functional medicine practitioners employ a combination of conventional medical treatments and complementary therapies like nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, and supplements to treat sickness and improve health.
You have a chronic illness: Functional therapy may help treat chronic diseases that don't respond to conventional medicine. Functional medicine doctors address the whole person, including their genetic, environmental, and behavioral components. By addressing these reasons, functional medicine may improve chronic illness symptoms and quality of life.
You want a personalized experience: Functional medicine offers a more individualized healthcare experience. Functional medicine practitioners work with patients to create customized treatment programs based on their health history, lifestyle, and aspirations. This strategy empowers and engages patients, improving health outcomes.
How To Find A Functional Medicine Doctor Near You?
You can take the following actions to locate a functional medicine physician nearby:
Referrals: Ask your family and friends or healthcare providers for local functional medicine doctors. They may know trustworthy practitioners and offer advice.
Utilize online directories: Several internet directories can assist you in finding local functional medicine doctors. The Institute for Functional Medicine's "Find a Practitioner" tool and Functional Medicine Coaching Academy's guide are reliable. Healthgrades and Zocdoc also list functional medicine doctors.
Research the practitioner: When finding functional medicine doctors, check their credentials and experience. See patient reviews and contact the practitioner's office to learn about their healthcare philosophy.
Book a meeting: Consult a functional medicine practitioner who suits your needs. You can ask questions and decide if the practitioner is right for you.
Our Experience with Functional Medicine
Functional medicine has been our specialty at Integrative Medical Practice for years. Each person is unique and needs a customized approach to health and fitness. Our functional medicine practitioners work with individuals to discover the leading causes of their health issues and provide customized treatment regimens.
Our functional medicine expertise has helped patients improve their health. We handle chronic ailments like diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and digestive disorders by treating the whole person. We also assisted individuals in overcoming stress and anxiety to improve their mental health.
Integrative Medical Practice proudly offers complementary and alternative therapies alongside standard medical treatments. Our practitioners use acupuncture, massage, and mind-body approaches to treat patients.
Our functional medicine expertise and individualized care set separates us from other medical providers. We are dedicated to ongoing training to deliver the best treatment to our patients.
Schedule Your Online Booking Now!
Our functional medicine doctors can be booked online. Our in-depth meetings explore your medical issues and history and may involve a virtual physical examination.
Your functional medicine doctor will work with you to discover the leading causes of your health issues and create a specific treatment plan to address them during your visit. Our practitioners are qualified to examine the whole person, not just their symptoms, and will explore a variety of variables that may be causing your health issues.
Click our website's "Online Booking" option to make an appointment. From there, you may choose the appointment type and a date and time that works for you. Before your consultation, you can offer your practitioner additional details or concerns.
Virtual appointments may be unfamiliar to some people, but we are convinced of their efficacy and benefits. Our virtual appointments let you get specialized care from home without traveling.
Take control of your health today by BOOKING an online appointment!