Functional Medicine Vs Intergrative Medicine - What is the difference?

Inside - What is Functional medicine & Integrative medicine. Know the difference between Functional Medicine and Integrative medicine and how each approach contributes to the betterment of healthcare.

The 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 follows a similar holistic method to treat a patient, there are a few distinctive features that make each of these unique.

 

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What is 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 personalized 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.

 

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What is Integrative Medicine?

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

The main focus of the 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 that involve the latest technologies available like peptide therapies. While integrative medicine is more focused on offering alternative modalities of treatment that are more traditional like Ayurveda, Chinese medicine.
  2. Functional medicine helps to make individualized treatment plans and can utilize 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 the 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.

 

Suffering from a chronic disease like thyroid, gut problem, weight issues, autoimmune issues, etc... is not easy. Dr. Gupta is a certified Functional Medicine Physician and his personalized plans have helped thousands of people to reclaim their health back.

Now you can get virtual functional medicine consultation from anywhere in the country, especially if you live in Houston, ToledoNorthern VirginiaLos AngelesNEW YORK & Miami.  Please click below to get started with a 15-minute free evaluation call with Dr. Gupta.

 

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