The Difference Between Integrative and Functional Medicine
These are two holistic approaches which are becoming more attractive to patients frustrated by conventional medical practice. Holistic medicine used to be the traditional way, but specialization has caused us to veer away from that. Things are treated with too much isolation without enough consideration to the whole system, the patient. Integrative and Functional Medicine brings us back to health and healing of the whole person with consideration of a patient’s mental health, emotions and spiritual needs as well.
Integrated medicine combines approaches from different disciplines. It combines traditional and alternative practices and does not focus entirely on symptom management. The practitioner – patient relationship is important. Lifestyle changes and approached from a variety of healing tractions are used. The doctor/practitioner’s relationship becomes more of a partnership.
Different methodologies and approaches are used and each knows what the other is doing for the patient. You might find physicians, different kinds of therapists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, nutritionists, psychiatrists, yoga instructors, massage therapists, and holistic psychotherapist working together.
All this requires openness and a new way of thinking and cooperation. Andrew Weil, MD was a pioneer in this collaborative approach. You can find out more about him on YouTube or his website at https://www.drweil.com/
Functional medicine practitioners are more focused on dietary and lifestyle considerations to promote good health. Genetics and hormonal changes are considered as potential causes and treatments. Functional medicine works in tandem with conventional medicine, and its strength is in treating chronic, complex, or multilayered conditions that conventional medicine hasn’t been able to diagnose or treat effectively. We need to get away from the (sarcasm provided) idea that depression is a deficiency of Prozac. Functional medicine seeks to prevent diseases and optimize health.
To get started your functional medical doctor usually requires a detailed medical history and specific lab tests to see how you are functioning to get to the root cause of problems. What is the real underlying problem? Some tests might include:
- Comprehensive stool tests (regarding digestion, absorption, and the gut microbiome and for worms, parasites, and bacteria)
- Saliva and urine tests (to understand hormone and metabolite levels)
- Breath tests (for hydrogen or methane to rule out small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)
- Blood tests (to see what’s happening at the cellular level)
What these two systems also have in common is their emphasis on lifestyle, nutrition, and behavioral changes over medications and procedures, making them a more natural approach for those wishing to avoid more drastic interventions and potential side effects. Both also emphasize the relationship between practitioner and patient.
The main way that integrative and functional medicine differ is in their approach.
Integrative medicine focuses more on the needs of each aspect (mind, body, and spirit) to heal the unified whole using a variety of disciplines and treatments.
Functional medicine focuses more on the complex biological causes of a condition and uses in-depth blood work and specialty lab testing to get to the root of a problem, and practitioners act as detectives to get to the bottom of complex health issues.
Conventional medicine has saved many, many lives, but it may be possible to improve outcomes with a closer look at other approaches.