Integrative Medicine: Treating the Whole Body

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Complementary medicine is used together with mainstream medical care. An example, according to the National Institutes of Health, is using acupuncture to help with side effects of cancer treatment. When health care providers and facilities offer both types of care, it is called integrative medicine.
Complementary medicine is growing in the U.S. Americans spend about $34 billion annually on treatments such as acupuncture and herbal supplements, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics.
But do they work? Study results are mixed, but a few are standing up to the scrutiny. For example, a 2012 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine concluded that acupuncture is an effective treatment for chronic pain.
While the scientific community debates efficacy and sorts out the evidence, some physicians are incorporating acupuncture, naturopathic healing, herbs,homeopathy and integrative medicine into their Western practices.
“Many of my patients are looking for solutions beyond pills,” Natalia Denissov, M.D., a Palo Alto Medical Foundation family medicine doctor, says. “Conventional medicine provides the foundation, but sometimes other options can help.”
Integrative Medicine: Treating the Whole Body
Rather than treating a disease in isolation, integrative medicine, one form of complementary care, seeks to treat the whole person. Doctors with an integrated approach look at a patient’s nutrition, fitness, psychological well-being, stress levels and lifestyle, in addition to health problems.
Dr. Denissov puts a heavy emphasis on dietary habits in her practice. “Nutrition is the No. 1 area of health I explore with new patients as well as patients with chronic health issues,” she says. “To me, food is medicine.”
The integrative approach, Dr. Denissov says, isn’t blazing a new trail. Instead, it’s returning to the familiar. “I think this is how medicine used to be practiced, when doctors had more time to get to know a patient and discuss all aspects of his or her life,” she says.
Dr. Denissov often refers patients to acupuncturists, exercise physiologists and naturopathic physicians, who emphasize prevention and natural remedies. “Naturopath doctors are wonderful,” she says. “They have a good perspective on how to provide natural treatments for many conditions, particularly pre-diabetes and high blood pressure.”
Tips for Choosing a Practitioner
  • Talk to your doctor: If you are interested in complementary medicine, talk to your doctor first, particularly if you have health problems or are on prescription medications.
  • Check your insurance: Call your health insurance company to ask about treatment coverage.
  • Look for credentials: “Make sure any provider you choose has completed training at a reputable institution. Credentials vary by state and discipline. Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) is the acupuncture licensure title used in most states. A naturopathic medicine doctor (N.D.) has attended a four-year accredited naturopathic medical school with a curriculum of biomedical sciences and holistic therapies.
(Natalia Denissov, M.D., is a family medicine doctor at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation.)
Courtesy: PAMF Health Blog)

Comments

  1. Pazzta TaliAugust 19, 2015 at 9:33 PM

    People at this acupuncture port credit clinic not only focuses on the problem areas that I highlight but also looks for subtle locations that I am often not aware of but are actually affecting my pain levels. They also makes sure to give me holistic pain relief including stress.

    ReplyDelete

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