How Does Functional Medicine Work?

You’ve probably heard the term “functional medicine” before, but do you know what it means? If not, you’re in good company. Many people don’t understand what functional medicine entails or how it can help them. Here is a brief overview of this important type of medicine and how it could potentially improve your life.

Basics of Functional Medicine

Functional medicine is based on science, but it focuses on identifying and addressing the underlying cause of symptoms and disease. This approach differs from the approach taken in conventional medicine, which typically focuses on minimizing symptoms but doesn’t always address their root cause.

While conventional western medicine is best utilized to treat acute physical trauma through hospital care, operations and pharmaceuticals, functional medicine is best used to help treat chronic illnesses. It is also useful for avoiding diseases by identifying and correcting the root cause of diseases early on—before they become life-altering.

How Functional Medicine Works

Instead of using pharmaceutical drugs to cure disease symptoms, functional medicine focuses on restoring the body, correcting what is going wrong with it, and ultimately helping it heal itself. The main idea behind functional medicine is that the body has the ability to heal itself as long as it’s in proper balance and given the necessary tools.

Your body is a remarkable system that is capable of self-regulation as long as it’s cared for properly. Within your body are multiple systems that cooperate to maintain optimal health. Sometimes illness, stress, injuries or other conditions can cause one or more of your body’s systems to stop working effectively. This can lead to the development of unpleasant symptoms.

Sometimes your body just needs a nudge to get back in proper balance and return to a state of optimal function. Functional medicine works to aid the body in this process. It often includes a variety of approaches to help restore homeostasis in the body, such as:

• Counseling
• Herbs
• Lifestyle alterations (including nutritional changes and exercise)
• Supplements
• Homeopathic remedies
• Medication

By taking a multi-pronged approach to helping you improve your health, functional medicine doesn’t just cover up your symptoms. It addresses them at the root and seeks to correct them. Functional medicine works well for various ailments, but it’s particularly helpful for autoimmune diseases, obesity, diabetes and other chronic diseases.

Improve Your Life With Functional Medicine Today

There is no reason to live with chronic pain and dysfunction when there may be multiple treatments available. Functional medicine can not only help your body heal from current chronic conditions, but it may also help prevent such conditions from developing in the future. 

If you’re ready to see if functional medicine can work for you, schedule a consultation with Holistic Vitality Center today. We offer a variety of services aimed to boost your overall health and comfort, including acupuncture, massage therapy, chiropractic, physical therapy and functional medicine.

Contact us online, or call us today at (919) 848-3333 to get the care you deserve from professionals you can trust!

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