Unlike a typical allopathic appointment in which a doctor crams you into an exam room and rushes you out, functional medicine doctors take their time to meet with you, listen to your story and run a series of lab tests. Then they create an intelligent treatment plan to get you back on track — and often back to feeling like yourself again.
Essentially, a functional medicine practitioner is like a medical detective. They are able to make connections between symptoms that may seem unrelated and understand how diet, environment and genetics can affect your health. They also know that the body works as a whole, not as a collection of specialist parts.
The Science Behind Functional Medicine: A Deep Dive
In many ways, a functional medicine practitioner looks at the body as a complex ecosystem, and it’s a big part of why they get such good results for their patients. And that’s why it’s important to find the right practitioner for you.
It takes some research, but there are a few ways to find a practitioner who specializes in functional medicine. You can check out a list of functional medicine practitioners here, look for one who has completed a master’s degree in integrative or holistic medicine or ask to shadow someone who specializes in the field.
For many, functional medicine fills a void in conventional healthcare. “I have found that most of my patients are those who have had the most frustrating experiences with traditional physicians,” says Christine Maren, DO, a functional medicine doctor in Denver.
417 Integrative Medicine
1335 E Republic Rd D, Springfield, MO 65804, United States
Phone: +14173633900