what is a functional medicine doctor? Nowadays, you might have come across the term and must be wondering, or what does functional medicine mean to be more precise. An available medicine doctor uses specialized techniques and training to figure out the root causes of complex ailments and takes a holistic approach to your treatment considering physical, emotional, mental, and even spiritual factors. They consider factors like hormonal changes, genes, diet, prescription and OTC medicines, and other lifestyle things.
A functional medicine doctor is perfect for patients experiencing chronic diseases that aren’t easily treated with conventional medical practices. These doctors specialize in functional medicine once they have finished their traditional medical training. Other health practitioners follow functional medicine in their treatment regimes, such as chiropractors and naturopaths.
What Does a Functional Medicine Doctor Do?
Functional medicine doctors examine your entire history to determine the root causes of an illness. They typically spend more time with you than conventional doctors so that they can gather comprehensive information about the disease and your lifestyle in general.
A functional medicine doctor may ask about a timeline of symptoms, sleep patterns, nutrition, exercise habits, stressors, personal relationships, emotional wellbeing, etc. They then devise a treatment plan to cope with multiple factors contributing to your chronic conditions. It may include prescription medications, supplements, or other therapies. Finally, they keep track of the progress of your treatment and make changes as needed. The functional medicine treatment is different for each person since it is adapted to their specific ailment.
Your connection with a functional medicine doctor may differ from your primary care doctor. According to The Institute For Functional Medicine, it’s a more collaborative partnership: the doctor considers your input while still keeping you responsible for your choices related to your condition and treatment.
Education & Training
A functional medicine doctor goes through conventional medical school training and later chooses to get additional certification from an organization like The Institute for Functional Medicine. They then implement their functional medicine teachings in their original field of practice.
However, this certificate doesn’t warrant any further legal status yet proves that they are trained and committed to working within the domain of functional medicine. A functional medicine certification is also open to other practitioners like acupuncturists, dentists, and nurse practitioners.
What Conditions Does a Functional Medicine Doctor Treat?
Most functional medicine doctors treat complex and multifaceted health concerns like depression, chronic pain conditions like arthritis, and inflammatory diseases like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or Celiac disease.
However, if you don’t have a chronic disease, you can still go to see a functional medicine doctor. They also focus on preventive care.
Reasons to See a Functional Medicine Doctor
There are many reasons one might want to see a functional medicine doctor. Some of them are listed below:
- You want longer appointments
- You are open to alternative treatments
- You have a chronic illness
- You want a personalized experience