Overview
Have you been dealing with recent back pain or chronic migraines? Or have you been stressed and anxious of late and just want to get back to feeling better? An integrative medicine session with us might be just what you need for overall wellness. Here’s what to know about the different types of integrative medicine and its benefits in improving your well-being.
What is Integrative Medicine?
Integrative medicine is a holistic medical practice that uses a patient-focused approach to maintaining health and wellness. A patient’s genetics, lifestyle, and environment, as well as their emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being, all play an important role in treating disease. Integrative medicine may sometimes be referred to as alternative or complementary medicine and can be used in place of or alongside conventional forms of medicine.
Practitioners of integrative medicine believe that diseases arise in your body when there’s an imbalance between your physical, mental, and emotional states. This imbalance can manifest itself physically as chronic pain and injuries or mentally as depression, stress, and anxiety. Integrative medicine therapies work to treat these underlying symptoms to improve your overall wellness and restore mind-body harmony.
What Types of Problems can Integrative Medicine Treat?
Integrative medicine can be effective in treating:
- Cancer
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- Headaches/migraines
- Chronic fatigue syndrome
- IBS
- Stress and Anxiety
- Coronary diseases
- PTSD
What Are the Benefits of Integrative Medicine?
There are multiple benefits to using integrative medicine. Most types of integrative medicine therapy are non-invasive, drug-free, and highly personalized, which is why patients prefer using them. Integrative medicine is effective at:
- Relieving chronic pain in patients with cancer
- Improvements in mood and cognitive function
- Managing symptoms of fatigue and sleeplessness
- Helping patients quit smoking
- Improve weight loss
- Decrease levels of anxiety, stress, and depression
- Improve the quality of life
What to Expect During an Integrative Medicine Appointment
If you’ve never been to an integrative medicine appointment, you might be wondering what to expect during your first hour-long session. A certified osteopathic or naturopathic doctor or trained nurse practitioner at Chris Strickland will begin by asking a comprehensive set of questions to get to know the patient’s current physical, emotional, and mental well-being, as well as their lifestyle choices, diet, and environmental factors that may play a role in the onset of disease.
From there, your doctor will devise a treatment plan that’s individual to you and may include sessions such as chiropractic adjustment, physical therapy, massage therapy, or guided imagery. Depending on your history and symptoms, the therapies recommended may complement or sometimes replace conventional forms of treatment like medications or surgery. While most patients feel relief almost instantly, many continue the various types of integrative therapies in order to maintain their levels of wellness.
For more information about integrative medicine , contact Chris Strickland at (706) 769-9779.
-
Foot Stretching
Category:
Fitness and Your Feet
Foot stretching is a fundamental aspect of maintaining foot health and promoting mobility. Our feet bear the weight of our bodies and undergo considerable stress throughout the day, making them susceptible to tightness, stiffness, and discomfort. Incorporating regular foot stretching exercises into your
Read more
-
Foot Therapy
Category:
Foot Anatomy
Foot therapy, also known as podiatric physical therapy or physiotherapy for the foot, is a specialized branch of physical therapy that focuses on improving foot health, function, and mobility. This article explores the importance of foot therapy, common conditions treated with foot therapy, therapeutic
Read more
-
General Dentistry
Category:
Oral Health Topics
The first line of defense against oral health problems
In general dentistry, the dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of a wide variety of conditions, disorders and diseases affecting the teeth, gums and maxillofacial
Read more
-
Glossary
Category:
Glossary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Amalgam - Material made from mercury and other alloy mixtures used to restore a drilled portion of a tooth.
Anesthesia - Medications used to relieve pain.
Anterior teeth - Front teeth. Also called incisors and cuspids.
Arch - The upper or lower
Read more
-
Grafts
Category:
Treatment, Cosmetic Dentistry
Soft tissue grafts are sometimes performed to treat gum disease, or correct other abnormalities.
The procedure involves taking gum tissue from the palate or another donor source to cover an exposed root in order to even the gum line and reduce sensitivity.
Periodontal procedures are available to
Read more
-
Gum Disease (Gingivitis)
Category:
Dental Problems
Gingivitis is the medical term for early gum disease, or periodontal disease. In general, gum disease can be caused by long-term exposure to plaque, the sticky but colorless film on teeth that forms after eating or sleeping.
Gum disease originates in the gums, where infections form from harmful bacteria
Read more
-
Headache and Migraine Management
Category:
Specialized Pain Conditions
Headaches and migraines are common conditions that cause pain in the head, face, or upper neck area. While headaches are often mild and temporary, migraines are a more severe form of headache that can last for hours or even days.
Types of Headaches
There are several types of headaches, including tension
Read more
-
Hearing Aid Batteries and Accessories
Category:
Hearing Aid Services
Hearing aids have become invaluable tools in enhancing the auditory experience for individuals with hearing loss. Behind the sleek exteriors of these devices lie essential components, including batteries and accessories, which play a crucial role in the seamless functioning of hearing aids. In this exploration,
Read more
-
Hearing Aid Programming
Category:
Hearing Aid Services
Hearing aids have transformed the landscape of auditory care, offering a lifeline to those with hearing impairments. Behind the scenes of these small devices lies a crucial process known as hearing aid programming, a personalized and intricate adjustment that tailors the performance of the device to
Read more
-
Heat vs. Cold Therapy
Category:
How Pain is Treated
The Role of Temperature in Pain Management
Temperature-based therapies, specifically heat and cold therapy, have been used for centuries to manage pain. These non-invasive, cost-effective treatments can provide relief for various types of pain, from muscle strains to arthritis.
Heat Therapy: A Warm Solution
Read more
-
Hematuria
Category:
General Conditions
Hematuria refers to the presence of blood in the urine. It can be either visible (where the urine appears red or brown) or invisible (detected only through a urine test). Hematuria can be caused by a variety of reasons, such as urinary tract infections, bladder or kidney stones, prostate problems, and
Read more
-
Hydrocele
Category:
Male Conditions
A hydrocele is a condition in which fluid accumulates in the scrotum, causing swelling and discomfort. It can occur in men of any age and is more common in newborns and older men. The fluid buildup can be caused by injury, inflammation, or a congenital defect, and symptoms may include a painless swelling
Read more
-
Hypospadias
Category:
Pediatric
Hypospadias is a congenital abnormality in which the opening of the urethra is located on the underside of the penis or scrotum instead of at the tip. This can result in difficulty with urination and can affect the appearance and function of the penis. Hypospadias can range from a mild form, in which
Read more
-
Implants
Category:
Treatment, Cosmetic Dentistry
Before development of dental implants, dentures were the only alternative to replacing a missing tooth or teeth.
Implants are synthetic structures that are placed in the area of the tooth normally occupied by the root. Implants are anchored to the jawbone or metal framework on the bone and act as
Read more
-
Industrial Hearing Testing
Category:
Diagnostic Audiology
In the bustling world of industry, where the symphony of machinery and tools is ever-present, protecting one's hearing is paramount. Industrial Hearing Testing, a critical component of occupational health and safety, ensures that workers are safeguarded from the potential risks of occupational noise
Read more
-
Infection Control
Category:
Oral Health Topics
Standards and Best Practice
With all of the increased media attention on infection outbreaks such as AIDS and multi-drug resistant strains of viruses, it's no wonder people have heightened concerns about infection control during a medical procedure.
Gloves, gowns and masks are required to be worn
Read more