This means that anyone managing a chronic condition is fit to embrace functional medicine for treatment. What Kind of Health Issues Does Functional Medicine Work With?įunctional medicine finds the most use in treating and managing chronic disorders. Some certifications practitioners are known by include:ĭ.P.T (Doctor of Physical Therapy)/ Physiotherapists
Some practitioners combine the principles of Functional Medicine with the practice of orthodox medicine.ĭepending on the type of Functional Medicine practitioners specialize in, certifications vary. A functional medicine practitioner will have often undergone training at the Institute of Functional Medicine - the institute credited as the origin of functional medicine. Who is a Functional Medicine Practitioner?Ī functional medicine practitioner is a practitioner that practices Functional Medicine. Supplements are formulated for dysfunctions that may be difficult to address by lifestyle or dietary plans alone and are only used as an addition to a specifically tailored dietary interventions. It is noteworthy that part of the Functional Medicine treatment regimen is the use of supplements. This is to the end that, as far as possible, they address underlying issues rather than dampen or block symptoms. It, therefore, follows that functional medicine is characterized by personalized treatment plans.įunctional medicine employs a mix of conventional and specialized tests that investigate function in concerned patients.
There is often no need for pharmaceutics although medical doctors also practicing functional medicine may integrate pharmaceuticals and non MD’s may work closely with medical colleagues for pharmaceuticals where necessary.Įach treatment regimen is as unique as each patient and the culmination of the factors that cause their conditions. It is noteworthy that treatment plans are usually as natural as they come. It then investigates the relationship between them, comes to a conclusion, and defines an effective treatment plan. This allows a practitioner to define integrative, and preventative treatment plans for patients.įor example, Functional Medicine may look into eating habits, prevailing domestic and working conditions, relationship stresses, psychological states, and even genetic predispositions. Beyond the apparent physical features of the patient, it looks into the social, psychological, and lifestyle-related factors that influence the patient's welfare and in this example would ask the question of “why is this patient inflamed?”įunctional medicine then looks at past and present key events that have occurred in a patient's life and how these have culminated in the ailment or the imbalance in the patient's body system. Functional medicine, on the other hand, seeks to be more investigative. An example of this might be giving anti-inflammatories for suppressing an inflammatory pathway. How do these two differ? Firstly, conventional allopathic medicine thrives mainly on assessing signs, symptoms, and diagnoses to define treatment plans for patients and for the majority of the time is restricted to treating the most immediate complaint or result of underlying dysfunction. The Difference Between Mainstream Medicine and Functional Medicine It is otherwise known as Western Medicine or allopathic medicine and is incredibly useful in many situations. They do this based on a defined set of established diagnostic criteria. To put it another way, functional medicine aims to evaluate and understand the patient, their history, and their lifestyles before developing a holistic treatment strategy that re-establishes an optimal internal environment which often then leads to the remission or cure of the patients symptoms and disease.Ĭonversely, conventional medicine is a system of medical care in which professionals, such as doctors, nurses, and pharmacists (amongst others), address illnesses and diseases with drugs, modalities such as radiation, and surgeries. What is Functional Medicine, and How does it differ from Conventional Medicine?įunctional medicine is a branch of medical care that addresses and manages illnesses/diseases with a patient-centered approach to optimizing health rather than specifically treating a disease.
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