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By Mark P. DiRoma, DC –
There has been a growing movement in the healthcare industry toward patient-centered care that focuses on wellness and improving the quality of the doctor-patient relationship. While this concept of wellness and prevention has just recently moved to the forefront of the medical and insurance community, it has always been the basis of the Chiropractic and Holistic healthcare. For decades, Chiropractors have practiced patient-centered care that encompasses the natural healing functions of the whole body, therefore, the misconception that Chiropractors only treat back and neck pain couldn’t be further from the truth. Today’s chiropractic doctors promote natural drugless, non-invasive health care and rely on the body’s ability to self heal. Sounds ideal, but just how does it work?
Looking at the Whole Picture
Like other health-care providers, chiropractors follow a standard routine to gain information about the patient. Dr. DiRoma takes the time to meet with and listen to each patient, review their health history, conduct a physical examination, and may use laboratory analyses and/or x-rays to gain a better understanding of the patients concerns. Unlike other health-care providers, however, chiropractic physicians also conduct a careful analysis of the patient’s structure and pay particular attention to the spine. Chiropractors take all aspects of your life into consideration and will ask lifestyle questions— Do you eat well? Exercise at all? How do you deal with stress? Do you have children? What do you do for work? And so on.
Determining the Root Source of the Problem
Using this information, a diagnosis is made. Included in the diagnosis is the probable reason for your pain or discomfort. It is important to note that chiropractors seek the origin of the illness in order to eliminate it-they do not simply treat the symptoms. If your roof is leaking, do you simply catch the drips in a bucket for years on end, or do you repair the roof to prevent it from leaking? Similarly, if the migraine headache you’ve had all week is being caused by misaligned vertebra and an irritated nerve, do you continue to take pain killers indefinitely, or do you realign the vertebra to prevent the pain? You get the picture.
Incorporating Functional Medicine
Chiropractors take a holistic approach to address individual needs of the patient, by understanding that the systems of the body work together to function properly.
Functional Medicine is an integrative, science-based healthcare system that treats illness and promotes wellness in a different way from conventional medicine. The approach in functional medicine is to focus first on assessing the biochemically unique aspects of each patient, and to then employ an individually tailored intervention to restore balance to the patient – physiologically, psychologically and structurally. The value of the functional medicine approach is its cost effectiveness and the high rate of patient compliance with treatment.
Incorporating multiple disciplines under one roof allows Dr. DiRoma and his team to approach healthcare from every angle, having access to massage therapy, physical therapy, post-surgical rehabilitation, personalized exercise programs, nutritional counseling, medical weight management programs, lifestyle coaching, stress management workshops and integrative functional medicine.
“By incorporating functional medicine into our practice we are better equipped to get to the core of patients’ symptoms and causes of disease by utilizing blood work, allergy testing, and other techniques. Through testing, we figure out why there are negative reactions occurring at the cellular level. We check for allergies and food sensitivities, and then eliminate those triggers. Once all of the body systems are working together, health improves.”
Why Do We Need Functional Medicine?
Our society is experiencing a sharp increase in the number of people who suffer from complex, chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, mental illness, and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
Functional Medicine addresses the underlying causes of disease, using a systems-oriented approach and engaging both patient and practitioner in a therapeutic partnership. It is an evolution in the practice of medicine that better addresses the healthcare needs of the 21st century. By shifting the traditional disease-centered focus of medical practice to a more patient-centered approach, functional medicine addresses the whole person, not just an isolated set of symptoms. Functional medicine practitioners spend time with their patients, listening to their histories and looking at the interactions among genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors that can influence long-term health and complex, chronic disease. In this way, functional medicine supports the unique expression of health and vitality for each individual.
As a fully integrated Functional Medicine office, we understand that although different patients may be diagnosed with the same condition, they can respond very differently to treatments. For this reason, we tailor a specific plan of action to meet your individual needs, goals & unique medical and physical conditions. We aim to motivate our patients to take a more active and responsible role in restoring and maintaining their own health as well as the health of people around them. This is achieved through the education of chiropractic care and other natural solutions to common health problems.
As holistic health practitioners, we believe in the importance of understanding all of your physical and emotional needs to fully individualize your care. Are you ready to feel like You, again? Our integrative approach to wellness and prevention will transform the way you think and feel about yourself, allowing you to adopt new habits that will permanently impact your every day health. The return of your energy level and over-all well being will restore the qualities necessary to achieve your goals such as confidence, vigor, joy, and enthusiasm. Call 561-731-3361 to schedule a consultation today!
