Integrative medicine uses an evidence-based approach to treat the whole person — your mind, body, and soul. Your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs are all involved, so integrative medicine uses a combination of therapies. It “integrates” conventional approaches and complementary therapies to achieve optimal health and healing.
Integrative medicine focuses on you as a whole person and not just your illness or disease. While it seeks to understand the underlying cause of your symptoms or condition, it does so by looking at your complete mind, body, and spirit. Integrative medicine uses an evidence-based approach to improve your health and wellness.
Integrative medicine believes your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs affect your health. It believes those needs rely on each other and affect your entire well-being. There are many different aspects to address, so integrative medicine uses a combination of therapies and lifestyle changes.
With integrative medicine, the relationships between you and your healthcare providers are important. You are equal partners in your healing process. Integrative medicine aims for well-coordinated care among different providers and specialists. It brings together conventional healthcare approaches (like medication and psychotherapy) and complementary therapies (like acupuncture and yoga). In this way, integrative medicine “integrates” all aspects of your well-being to achieve optimal health and healing.
What type of providers deliver integrative medicine?
A variety of healthcare providers delivers care through integrative medicine. These providers may include:
- Physicians.
- Chiropractic doctors.
- Holistic mind-body psychotherapists.
- Acupuncturists.
- Chinese herbal therapists.
- Tai chi practitioners.
- Yoga practitioners.
- Massage therapists.
- Nutritionists.
- Chefs (culinary medicine).
How can integrative medicine help me?
Integrative medicine physicians don’t replace your primary care provideror specialist. They work together with all members of your healthcare team to heal your mind, body and spirit. Their expertise lies in preventing and managing chronic diseases. They don’t treat acute medical problems. For acute care and medical emergencies, you should seek help from your primary care or emergency medicine physician.
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