When you have a disease, we usually focus only on that disease, right? For example, when we say, "I have diabetes," we think only about blood sugar. When we say, "I have back pain," we think only about the back. But have you ever thought that the stress you have in your mind, your mental health, your lifestyle, all of these factors affect your disease? Today we are talking about a medical system that focuses on the "whole person."
Simply put, Integrative Medicine is a system of treating you as a whole person , not just your illness. This means that the core belief of this system is that your body, mind, and spiritual well-being are all interconnected and that all three affect your overall health. Therefore, it combines Western medicine, treatments, and complementary therapies to provide you with the best possible health.
The most important thing is that there is a partnership between you and the doctors and other therapists who treat you. That means you are an equal partner in your healing process.
Who provides Integrative Medicine?
This treatment is not something that is done by a single person. It is provided by a team of experts in various fields. They may include:
- Physicians
- Acupuncturists
- Holistic psychotherapists
- Chinese herbal therapists
- Yoga and Tai chi instructors
- Massage therapists
- Nutritionists
- Chiropractic doctors
These people do not replace your primary care provider or specialist. Instead, they work with your primary care provider as a team to help you manage your health. Their main goal is to prevent and manage long-term, chronic diseases. They do not treat acute medical problems. In such an emergency, you should always see your doctor or go to a hospital's emergency department (ETU).
Who are these treatments particularly suitable for?
In fact, anyone, including healthy people, can benefit from integrative medicine. But it can be especially helpful for those with long-term (chronic) or complex medical conditions. You may want to consider this approach if you suffer from any of the following conditions:
- Autoimmune diseases
- Chronic pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Headaches and Migraines
- Side effects of cancer and cancer treatments
- Chronic fatigue
- Frequent colds
- Digestive disorders
- Infertility
- Menopausal symptoms
- Mental and emotional problems (e.g. anxiety, depression)
- Obesity
- High blood pressure (Hypertension)
- Insomnia problems
What are these integrative treatments?
There are many treatments and services that fall under this category. Let's take a look at a few of them and their benefits.
| Therapy | Helpful For |
|---|---|
| Acupuncture Using very fine needles to balance the body's energy flow (Qi). | Joint pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, cancer-related symptoms, anxiety and depression, fatigue. |
| Chinese Herbal Therapy Using formulas made from various herbs and minerals. | Fatigue, digestive problems, pain, menopausal symptoms, colds. |
| Chiropractic Therapy Performing spinal, joint, and soft tissue adjustments. | Back and neck pain, shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, hip, and ankle pain. |
| Culinary Medicine Combining the science of food, nutrition and medicine with the art of cooking. | Diabetes, hypertension, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. |
| Holistic Psychotherapy Using talk therapy, hypnotherapy, and mindfulness techniques. | Treating conditions such as stress, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). |
| Massage Therapy Promote health and wellness by massaging soft tissues. | Muscle pain and stiffness, respiratory problems (such as sinus pressure), back pain, constipation, pain after surgery. |
| Reiki An energy healing method that balances the body's natural energy fields. | Relieving symptoms of conditions such as cancer, chronic pain, stress, infertility, and Parkinson's disease. |
| Yoga and Tai Chi Integrating mind and body through specific postures, movements, and breathing techniques. | Reduce stress and pain, strengthen the immune system, lower blood pressure, strengthen muscles. |
What are the benefits and risks of this?
Benefits
The main benefit of these treatments is that they support your body's natural healing abilities. This reduces your stress levels and creates a relaxed state that is conducive to wellness. When you actively participate in your own healing process, and when you are motivated to make lifestyle changes, this gives you great strength to take control of your health.
Risks
Many of the treatments and lifestyle changes recommended here are very safe and carry minimal risk.
However, the most important thing here is that these treatments are not a substitute for the regular medical care you receive from your family doctor or specialists.
These treatments should be used in conjunction with the regular medical care you are already receiving. It is best for the medical team to communicate regularly with your other doctors about their recommendations. This will help coordinate treatment and avoid unnecessary complications.
Take-Home Message
- Integrative Medicine is a comprehensive approach that treats not only your illness, but also your physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.
- This is not a replacement for your regular medical care, but something to do in addition to it.
- You are an active partner in your recovery process. It is very important to communicate openly with your doctors and therapists.
- Before starting any complementary therapy, be sure to talk to your doctor about its pros and cons.
- Keep your primary care physician informed about all additional treatments you are receiving. It is very important for your safety.
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න