417 INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE seeks to treat the root causes of illness, rather than just symptoms. Doctors specializing in functional medicine spend more time with patients, carefully listening to their histories and taking into consideration the complex interactions between genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors that influence long-term health and chronic disease.
Is functional medicine a real thing?
The doctors at Between the Bridges Healing Center believe that a patient-centered approach is the future of healthcare. This means that you will work together with your functional medicine practitioner to identify and address multiple factors contributing to your condition. The goal is to achieve balance within the body through nutrition, dietary supplements, botanicals, exercise and, in some cases, limited use of medications.
This approach helps with conditions like autoimmune diseases, chronic pain and digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies and sensitivity, and Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis. Functional medicine also addresses issues like hormone and thyroid imbalances, menopause and fertility, and stress-related concerns, such as fatigue and anxiety.