Most of us have heard the adage connected with physicians' medical advice: "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning." Imagine a scenario in which, instead of offering a fast cure, the doctor sat down with you and inquired about the elements of your lifestyle. That's what physicians who exercise functional medicine do. They are also medical doctors. What they have in common is that they take a holistic approach to your well-being.
What is Patient-Centered Healthcare?
The term "patient-centered healthcare" is becoming popular in the last decade. You might ask yourself, shouldn't healthcare always center on the individual? This concept, which is an integral value in functional medicine, means physicians focus on the entire person rather than on a disease or disease. Rather than finding the way to eradicate symptoms, the functional medicine doctor searches for the origin of the individual's problem. These doctors recognize each patient's identity rather than taking a one-size-fits-all strategy.
Mind, Body and Spirit in Functional Medicine
Functional medicine physicians probe deeper than just finding out what is going on physically with their own patients. They can ask you about your spiritual and emotional health, and want to learn about your relationships with loved ones and partners. They aim to make the most of your overall health and wellness.
Cost Effective Disease Prevention
Preventing a disorder is significantly more cost effective than treating one. By minimizing damage done by poor nutrition, stress and exposure to environmental toxins and preserving your well-being, functional medicine doctors can save you money altogether. In all this, where does chiropractic fit in?
Chiropractic care is one aspect of comprehensive functional medicine, since it helps patients achieve optimum health. Furthermore, concepts of medication fit into chiropractors' clinics, since they optimize their tools to treat patients.
Some chiropractors chiefly focus on conventional spinal adjustments and manipulations. However, others have included these elements to the chiropractic practice that they offer, in accordance with the fundamentals of medicine. These may include counseling and lifestyle interventions. This integrated approach is especially popular with complex but common disorders, such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Functional medicine chiropractors work together with other practitioners to maximize patients' health. For instance, a chiropractor may refer a patient to an acupuncturist for additional help. The acupuncturist may send the chiropractor their patients. They work with each other, focusing on the patient's best interests.
Things to Expect From a Functional Medicine Chiropractor
Patients are often surprised by how long a practical medicine chiropractor spends with them. Expect a much longer visit than you'd get from your typical MD. The staff will probably ask you to complete questionnaires about your diet history, exposure to symptoms, past illnesses and toxins. Your functional medicine doctor might order lab tests too.
The individual has an active role in functional medicine. You may work with your physician to boost your health, frequently by altering your diet and lifestyle, rather than passively taking medications to relieve existing symptoms.
The scope of our information is limited to chiropractic and spinal injuries and conditions. To discuss options on the subject matter, please feel free to ask Dr. Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900 .
By Dr. Alex Jimenez
Additional Topics: Wellness
Overall health and wellness are essential towards maintaining the proper mental and physical balance in the body. From eating a balanced nutrition as well as exercising and participating in physical activities, to sleeping a healthy amount of time on a regular basis, following the best health and wellness tips can ultimately help maintain overall well-being. Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can go a long way towards helping people become healthy.