In order to better understand functional medicine it is necessary to first discuss the methodology of conventional medicine. Traditionally, a physician will collect data in the form of medical history, physical exam findings,and diagnostic testing and formulate a differential diagnosis.A differential diagnosis is a list of possible problems or diseases that fit the data.In some cases, such as trauma, the diagnosis is readily apparent and treatment can be addressed rapidly. In medical cases, the differential diagnosis can be quite extensive. Regardless, the disease process recognized as being most likely is where treatment will begin.
Functional medicine on the other hand does not stop at diagnosis. Rather, the diagnosis is recognized as a constellation of symptoms, representing a more widespread, upstream dysfunction. By seeking to identify and treat the root cause of the condition that is being expressed, the goal is to return the body to balance, and allow it to heal itself. This could be particularly effective for more nebulous types of conditions, such as chronic fatigue, low energy, autoimmune disorders, hormone imbalance, leaky gut syndrome and SIBO, irritable bowel syndrome. It can also be effective in treating hard to manage chronic conditions, such as type two diabetes, Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease.
Certainly there have been numerous technological advances in the medical field, but these have primarily been in the realm of surgical interventions, diagnostic imaging and pharmacology. The art and science of medical practice, however, has remained essentially the same.This has perpetuated the modality of “find the ill then prescribe the pill”. Patients with multiple diagnoses are likely on several different medications, increasing exponentially, the likelihood of unwanted side effects and adverse drug reactions.
The functional medicine approach is to treat each patient individually, acknowledge that we are all unique, and to recognize that dysfunction in the body manifests as expressed conditions that have patterns similar from person to person but may differ in root cause. Shifting from the management of disease model to that of recognizing the condition of dysfunction, and its causes, enables the functional medicine practitioner to formulate an individualized treatment plan to limit, repress or resolve those expressed conditions.
