Integrative Medicine

September 28, 2014

Difference between integrative medicine and functional medicine

Integrative medicine and functional medicine are two completely different approaches to medicine. Each one of them has specific characteristics and is built on its own principles that define how it works, what it seeks to achieve and how this is actually done. Therefore, by evaluating the special characteristics of each one of them, we shall have provided a clear understanding of how different the two are from each other.

Functional medicine

Basically, functional medicine can be seen as an approach to medicine which is focused on identifying the underlying causes of chronic diseases and working to prevent them from occurring in the body of patients. What this means is that unlike other approaches that are concerned with the signs and symptoms of a disease, functional medicine is concerned with tackling the root causes of a diseases and if, possible, preventing the causes from existing within the body of a patient. To this end, functional medicine seeks to ensure that the body is restored to and maintained at an optimum physiological functional level.

How functional medicine works

There are several important things that define how functional medicine works. First of all, the practice is based on the idea that understanding a patient is far much important than understanding only the disease. To this end, functional medicine is concerned with the needs of the patient in terms of overall vitality and how this is affected by the presence of disease.

Second, functional medicine is based on the idea that all of us are completely different from each other. This difference among us is not a mere conjecture but rather a complex creation of genetic and environmental factors that have led to every one of us having a completely different biochemical make up from each other. It is based on this differences that our physiological functioning differ from each other’s.

Third, functional medicine is based on the idea that our bodies operate in a special fashion characterized by complex interconnection among the body systems. All the systems of the body are seen as a maze of interconnected processes which are influenced by the state of each other at any given time. Therefore, a disorder in a particular system or part of the body will definitely affect many other systems and parts.

Fourth, as much as the internal body systems are connected to each other, the body as a whole has the ability to achieve a state of balance and maintain it over a long time. Balance in this case is understood in two aspects: internal balance between all the systems in the body and balance between the internal systems of the body as a single entity and a multitude of factors that form the external environment.

Integrative medicine

At the root of integrative medicine is the need for healing in body, spirit and mind. Since this is the foundation of integrative medicine, the approach can be seen as one that combines conventional therapies with complementary ones as a way of healing an individual in eth body, spirit and mind. This holistic approach to health is a very important characteristic of integrative medicine and differentiates it from functional medicine and other approaches as well.

There are fundamental differences between integrative and functional medicine. Since we have looked at the important principles that define how functional medicine works, we now turn to those of integrative medicine. It is by comparing them that clear differences between the two approaches to medicine become clear.

Important principles of integrative medicine

Just like functional medicine, the practice of integrative medicine is based on particular principles. These are described as follows. The first one regards the range of therapies that are used to treat patients. Basically, integrative medicine is based on the idea that conventional therapies like drugs, surgery and other special procedures used in cases of different diseases work hand in hand with other therapies such as nutrition, physical exercise and even traditional healing methods like acupuncture and specific herbs. The two, conventional and complementary therapies, are seen as being not antagonistic to each other but rather complementary.

The second principle that defines the approach and practice of integrated medicine regards the relationship between the patient and the specialist. The basic idea that defines this relationship is that the two work hand in hand in the process of providing healing to the patient. Although this approach is similar to what is used in functional medicine, its application in integrative medicine is much more emphasized and pronounced than it is in the former case.

The third principle is that healing is not only absence of disease but rather overall wellbeing of the body, sprit and mind. You can note the slight difference between this and what is used in functional medicine. Whereas functional medicine lays much emphasis on healing all the internal systems first before attaining to gain a balance between the body as a whole and the factors in the environment surrounding it, integrative medicine is primarily concerned with ensuring that the body, mind and spirit of a patient are at peace. This is where all the focus is.

The fourth principle that defines how integrative medicine is practiced regards the use of scientific evidence. Since integrative medicine advocates the use of multiple therapies to cure a patient, there is always the need for concrete scientific evidence that the different therapies used are actually effective. Although scientific evidence is required in functional medicine as well, the manner, type and level of emphasis that is attached to it in the practice of integrative medicine is clearly different.

AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, has been on the forefront in promoting the practice of both forms of medicine: functional and integrative. Dr. Dalal Akoury is a certified practitioner of functional medicine with a lot of years of experience in the practice. She has worked with many patients having chronic illnesses often to satisfying results. You are free to contact us and experience not only our unparalleled expertise but also outstanding service in the form of unique and personalized care.

Difference between integrative medicine and functional medicine

Integrative Medicine and Biomedicine

September 25, 2014

The Difference between Integrative Medicine and Biomedicine

There are several differences between integrative medicine and biomedicine. These are discussed in the sections that follow.

Difference in overall purpose

Integrative medicine is an approach to medicine that is focused on combining alternative therapies with the conventional ones as a way of providing complete treatment to patients. Complete treatment in this case represents overall wellbeing in the body, mind and spirit of a patient. On the other hand, biomedicine is a distinct approach in medicine in which overall health of an individual is seen as a state in which the functioning of all the internal systems of the body is at an optimum level. It can be seen that whereas the focus of integrated medicine is on ensuring that a patient is healthy in body, spirit and mind, the focus of biomedicine is to ensure that all the internal systems are working properly. It is only when the internal systems are at their optimum level that an individual can be said to be in perfect health.

Difference in the role that the patient plays during treatment

It can be said that in both approaches, the patient takes the central position in the treatment process. Both forms lay much emphasis on the principle that good treatment should be patient – centered in the first place. It is this approach that differentiates these practices from conventional medicine.

However, the manner in which the patient is expected to play a central role in the course of treatment differs distinctively in both approaches. In biomedicine, the patient is taken to be the master. It is the uniqueness and specific demands of the patient that determine the nature, type and timing of the therapies used. This differs significantly from what takes place during the course of treatment under the integrative medicine approach. Since integrative medicine entails use of conventional and alternative therapies in the course of treatment, the role that the patient plays during this process is likely to vary depending on whether he or she is undergoing conventional therapies or getting complementary ones.

This is so because whereas the role of the patient in course of complementary therapies like nutritional supplements and exercises may remain central, this may not necessarily be the case in the course of undergoing conventional therapies such as chemotherapy in the case of cancer.

Differences in what constitutes the key aspects of a human being

The two approaches, biomedicine and integrative medicine, differ from each other in the way they view what the elements that constitute a whole person are. Although this may be a difference in principle, it does have an influence in practice since the approaches that are used and the way that they are administered really depends on the underlying principles of the practice.

In biomedicine, a whole person is seen as being composed of three key systems: neurological, digestive and immunological. It can be seen that clearly, the emphasis is on the biochemical composition of the body of a person. It then follows that disease, under this approach, is a result of a form of imbalance in any of these systems. Such imbalances may be caused by a buildup of toxins or poor intake of nutrients. Since this is the case, the approach works by seeking to restore balance to the biochemical functioning of a patient. This is done by recommending the kind of nutrients that should be taken to restore the balance in the three systems and ensure that removal of poisonous byproducts is efficient.

In integrative medicine, an individual is viewed as being made up of three aspects: the physical, spiritual and mental. Therefore, the health of an individual depends on how well the three aspects are functioning. It can be seen that the focus for integrative medicine is wider than that of biomedicine which is based on the biochemistry of the body and its related internal systems.

Differences in the kinds of therapies used

There are also fundamental differences between biomedicine and integrative medicine with regard to the kind of therapies that are used during treatment. For the case of integrative medicine, it should be noted that the approach combines conventional and complementary therapies. The conventional therapies that are used in the course of treatment under this approach vary with the disease that is being treated. A common point is that they include use of pharmaceutical drugs, special procedures such as surgery and other methods whose development and use has been based on rigorous scientific research, technological development and clinical trials.

In addition to these therapies, integrative medicine entails the use of other therapies which are derived from a number of different sources. For instance, different types of physical exercises may be used in the course of treatment. Also, practices such as acupuncture, body massage and use of special nutritional supplements may be used in the course of treatment.

The goal of combining these apparently different forms of treatment is that by doing this, the methods complement each other, thus enabling a patient to have full health in body, mind and spirit.

Although biomedicine may use some of the alternative methods that are used in integrative medicine like naturopathic medicine, the mode of treatment under this approach remains confined to such methods.

Dr. Dalal Akoury of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Centre has been on the forefront in the use of biomedicine and integrative medicine in the treatment of various diseases and conditions, chief among them being cancer. If you have a chronic disease or any condition that requires the attention of a doctor, do not hesitate to contact us for an engagement. We value our clients; that is why we endeavor to offer the most personalized care to them for any kind of condition.

The Difference between Integrative Medicine and Biomedicine