By: Jacob Maslow
Functional medicine is a relatively new and powerful approach to medicine. However, those qualities also tend to raise a lot of questions and misunderstandings. In particular, there are five major misconceptions that people tend to have about functional medicine.
The Basic Methodology of Functional Medicine
People typically go to a doctor to treat symptoms. However, if the core element of a disease or injury remains then it’s only going to get worse over time. Functional medicine uses a different approach. The methodology of functional medicine focuses on determining the root cause of symptoms. Symptoms, such as pain, are still treated through functional medicine. However, the primary goal is to discover what’s causing those symptoms and how to treat the root cause.
The Concept of Health
People often think of health as the removal of a symptom and assume that’s the case for all healthcare providers. In functional medicine, health is seen more as a state of optimal functionality. It’s not just how you’d feel if a symptom was taken care of. Health in functional medicine is instead seen as a state where your body is in its optimal state. It’s the best you that you can be. On the one hand, functional medicine seeks to remove symptoms. But on the other hand, it’s also working to improve overall health in general.
The Role of Patient and Practitioner
People often assume that they’ll have quick and superficial interactions with practitioners of functional medicine. That misconception is typically born from the fact that this is the methodology used by traditional medicine. However, functional medicine seeks to understand the person rather than just their isolated symptoms. Again, practitioners of functional medicine are diagnosing the underlying issues causing symptoms. As such the practitioners will talk with, rather than at, patients. Likewise, these discussions are an important part of putting together treatment plans that people can stick with.
Nutrition and Supplements
Functional medicine has become somewhat tied to nutrition and nutritional supplements in the average person’s mind. And there is some truth to the idea that nutrition and functional medicine are related. However, that’s largely due to the fact that nutritional issues are a major cause of illness in the modern world. The same holds true for sedentary lifestyles. Issues with diet and lack of exercise are common causes of people’s health problems. In fact, a recent study showed that 45% of all cardiometabolic disease fatalities could have been avoided with dietary improvements. And that’s just one health issue. Functional medicine will often work with both diet and fitness because of the field’s focus on treating the underlying cause of a medical condition.
The Role of Functional Medicine
People often think of medicine as a singular entity. However, functional medicine is often one part of a larger whole. It lends itself to continual study among healthcare professionals seeking to gain a better understanding of health and wellness. Functional medicine is often integrated into traditional practice or used alongside it. In this respect, functional medicine is both a field of medicine and a methodology by which medicine is practiced.
Medical Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, nor does it replace professional medical expertise or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional.
Published by: Khy Talara
