Integrative doctors use both conventional and alternative treatments to address patients’ mind, body, and spirit. They focus on lifestyle and symptoms, use mind and body approaches, and may recommend additional treatments from chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists. They often work as an adjunct to conventional therapies.
Integrative doctors are also called holistic doctors. These doctors turn to conventional and alternative treatments to help people heal from illnesses and prevent future health problems. Integrative physicians generally take a holistic approach to care, which involves addressing the patient’s mind, body, and spirit. Most integrative practitioners use less invasive procedures that aim to trigger the body’s innate healing capacity.
Integrative physicians treat the whole person. While conventional medicine may focus on testing, diagnosis, surgery and medication as the only way to treat illness, an integrative physician will assess all aspects of a patient’s lifestyle and symptoms. When patients visit an integrative physician, they are often asked questions related to diet, exercise, stress levels, sleep patterns, digestive and elimination issues, and skin health. Some of the physical and mental conditions that integrative medicine is sometimes used for include cancer, heart disease, digestive issues, breathing issues, depression, and women’s health issues.
Integrative physicians use a combination of mind and body approaches when developing treatments. They usually have extensive knowledge of nutrition, offer dietary suggestions for treating illness, and emphasize the use of supplements and herbs. These practitioners also often focus on a patient’s emotional and mental well-being, sometimes applying mind-body-spirit approaches such as meditation and breathing techniques. Some integrative physicians also recommend that the patient seek additional treatment from chiropractors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists.
A visit to an integrative physician usually involves a long conversation and examination. Depending on the health condition, integrative physicians may also request that the patient undergo various tests. A blood test, stool sample, urinalysis, saliva test, and hair sample are just a few of the special tests that may be required by an integrative physician. By examining the results, the holistic practitioner is able to determine, for example, whether a patient is deficient in particular vitamins and minerals, has a hormonal imbalance, or suffers from excessive toxicity.
Most integrative physicians are consulted as an adjunct to conventional therapies. A cancer patient recovering from the effects of chemotherapy, for example, might seek out an integrative physician to help rebuild her immune system and rid her body of the toxic remnants of chemotherapy. An integrative physician can help this patient strengthen their immune system through dietary adjustments and the use of nutritional supplements. The doctor can also provide guidance on detox procedures using specific herbs and cleansing treatments.
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