Functional vs integrative medicine

Posted by Dr. Anshul Gupta on April 17th, 2021

Healthcare sector has undergone drastic advancements in the past decade. Alternative forms of medicinal practices have started taking their well-deserved front row spaces among patients. Of these various methods of time-proven alternative therapies, Functional Medicine and Integrative Medicine approach are being highly regarded in the world of medical care.

While both Integrative and Functional Medicine follow a similar holistic method to treat a patient, there are a few distinctive features that make each of these unique. - Integrative Medicine Doctor

Functional medicine -

Functional medicine follows a system-based approach by evaluating the patient's body as a whole, finding the root cause of the problem and curing it.

Unlike other types of medicinal modalities, Functional Medicine is focused on digging deep into the biochemical and environmental history of the patient, rather than just providing treatment for the diagnosis.

A Functional Medicine doctor devises a personalised treatment plan for every single patient depending on their detailed medical history.

This patient-specific medical care not only treats the underlying root cause of the disease but also helps identify & prevent any future additional health issues that may bound to occur.

Integrative Medicine –

Similar to Functional Medicine, Integrative Medicine is also a holistic medical domain which focuses on treating the whole person rather than just the disease.

The main focus of Integrative Medicine approach is to take into account every lifestyle routine of the patient including, mental, physical, nutritional and spiritual habits.

Depending on the lifestyle evaluation, an ideal alternative medical approach that best meets the patient's specific medical needs is chosen.

Though both medicinal approaches seem similar, they have their own differences.

Differences between Functional And Integrative Medicine:

1. Functional medicine has devised protocols which involve the latest technologies available like peptide therapies. While integrative medicine is more focused on offering alternative modalities of treatment which are more traditional like ayurveda, chinese medicine.
2. Functional medicine helps to make individualised treatment plans, and can utilise your genetic tests to find which medicine or supplement will be best for you. Integrative medicine mostly relies on set treatment plans which are devised mainly through clinical experience of the doctor.
3. Functional medicine offers more advanced lab testing like checking for mold toxins, heavy metals, gut microbiome analysis etc. while integrative medicine relies mostly on traditional testing methods and clinical methods of diagnosis.
4. Functional medicine can help you identify the root cause of your problem by different tests, while integrative medicine offers you alternative methods of healing along with conventional medicine.

Both are great options and depending on your health needs, you can choose the best among these different alternative medical treatments.

Want help choosing the best treatment approach for your health care needs?

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For More Info: Functional Medicine Doctor New York