What is Integrative Medicine?

When choosing a primary care provider, many people are often looking for a doctor with can help them establish or maintain a healthy lifestyle. Finding a doctor who specializes in integrative medicine is a great way to prevent future medical issues from developing, and set yourself up for a healthy, happy life. This medical approach to care is centered on the patient, and actively addresses the full range of conditions that can affect a person’s health, such as mental, social and environmental effects.

Benefits of Integrative Medicine:

1. A comprehensive approach to care.
Integrative medicine simply means a combination of evidence-based conventional medicine and alternative medicine. For example, when conventional methods for back pain have been ineffective, your provider may suggest acupuncture, osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT), massage therapy or an anti-inflammatory diet.

2. Treating the whole person, not just the condition or disease.
Within integrative medicine, consideration is placed on all factors that influence health: biological, behavioral, psychosocial and environmental.

3. Setting the foundation for overall health.
Integrative medicine involves building the groundwork for improved overall health. This approach actively addresses immunity (for example, gut health or inflammatory burden), nutritional status (vitamin deficiencies or food allergies), hormone imbalances as well as environmental toxins (pesticides in food, occupational hazards, etc.).

4. Preventing future health issues before they arise.
Integrative medicine focuses on preventive medicine. The best way to secure your future health is by gaining a full understanding of your current health status, and finding ways to proactively address medical issues before they develop.

5. It can apply to both primary and specialty care.
This medical approach is practiced in other specialties in addition to primary care, including: psychiatry, pain management, and gastroenterology.