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Integrative Medicine
What is Integrative Medicine?
Integrative Medicine is a perspective of healing based on the whole patient and the need to find appropriate and effective modalities that will allow the patient to heal to their maximum capacity. Western medicine and other modalities are utilized throughout the evaluation. The goal is to help the individual effectively utilize both alternative and conventional medical methods available.
What happens in an Integrative Medicine session?
Initially you will have a “sit down” discussion with a doctor about your condition(s). The doctor looks at information gathered and submitted by the patient prior to the visit. If the information is not previously submitted, we will discuss whatever information we have available. Information regarding your condition, complaints, habits, diet, social life, family, beliefs, and hobbies, is evaluated and recorded. Then a complete physical examination is performed. After the evaluation of the past medical history, your present issues, and the examination, the physician will discuss their impression of issues affecting you. You are given time to have your questions answered. The doctor goes over the information that is available, puts it into perspective, and makes recommendations.
The suggestions may include, but are not limited to the following:
Dietary changes
Nutritional supplementation
Homeopathic prescriptions
Herbal remedies
Lifestyle changes
Referral for Acupuncture or other modalities
Changes in medications
Obtaining additional information or tests
The patient can choose to follow these issues here at MCIM or with their provider of choice.
What outcome can I expect?
For most people, the initial outcome is a sense of knowing more about their conditions and a sense of empowerment about how to improve things themselves. When everything is put into perspective, there is less worry about things that may be of less importance. There is also some relief in knowing, (whenever possible) when symptoms are actually related to one another and what may be their possible causes. The consultation usually does not solve all of the problems, but does provide professional, sensible guidance and a starting place from which to begin a comfortable program of care, healing, and happiness.
What type of conditions and patients are appropriate for an integrative medicine evaluation?
Treatment of all conditions from a – z can be approached from an integrative medicine perspective. Asthma, allergies and mold problems, digestive disorders, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndromes and other medical problems are a few of the conditions seen. Many common conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and fatigue may respond to augmentation and review of the present therapies patients often receive.
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