What does a functional medicine doctor do?

Functional medicine physicians use specialized training and techniques to find the root causes of complex diseases. They can investigate several factors that cause a condition, or they can investigate several conditions that cause a symptom.

functional medicine

is a systems biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Each symptom or differential diagnosis can be one of many that contribute to a person's illness.

Functional medicine is a systems biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of a disease. Functional medicine clinics take a holistic approach to understanding who you are, knowing that each person is unique and should have a medical plan that fits your needs. This is the area where Functional Medicine really stands out because laboratories often reveal hidden problems that have plagued the person for decades. Innovative research and personalized treatment plans are the fundamental part of functional medicine that conventional medicine lacks.

These functional medicine intellectual leaders were able to apply new research in a way that often yielded spectacular results for patients who had previously failed treatments. With this in mind, functional medicine clinics take a personalized approach, treating the patient rather than the disease. Functional medicine may differ from patient to patient, but it seeks to focus on these basic principles. By understanding those relationships, functional medicine professionals can have a deeper understanding of the body.

As I looked around that table, I realized that each of these doctors is the type of doctor I wish I could have found when I was younger. In contrast, conventional medicine doctors usually perform a brief evaluation and often prescribe medications to minimize the symptoms you experience. A number of functional medicine physicians in the San Diego area offer a wide range of services to meet your unique healthcare needs. Functional medicine clinics use scientific principles, advanced diagnostic tests and treatments to restore balance in the patient's physiological processes.

Within functional medicine, doctors emphasize compassionate care so that you feel supported throughout the healing process. Functional medicine allows you and your doctor to examine symptoms to establish the affected systems in your body. According to the AMA Journal of Ethics, “training in integrative medicine reaffirms the importance of beneficence, non-maleficence, respect for patients and patient autonomy. Instead of determining which medication will cure a disease, functional medicine clinics have doctors who figure out why you have an ailment in the first place and restore what no longer works.