In 2016, 84.6% of Americans saw a health professional. Most of them likely saw medical doctors, or MDs, which can prescribe medication, order tests and help treat diseases.

But what about functional doctors? Are functional medicine doctors worth all of the hype they’re getting? In this article, we’ll discuss what exactly functional medicine is versus traditional medicine and whether it might be right for you.

Read on for more information about functional doctors, what they do and how they do it.

What Is a Functional Doctor Anyway?

A doctor that practices functional medicine can be any kind of doctor. You don’t need to have a specific title to be one. Therefore, you can visit naturopaths, MDs, chiropractors or DOs who are all trained to work as functional doctors

At the core of his or her practice, a functional doctor works to identify your body’s functions and spend in-depth time with their patients. Instead of simply listening to their symptoms and giving their patients a pill, functional doctors like to get a complete picture of what’s going on before prescribing a course of treatment.

This might mean a detailed medical history, blood tests, urine tests, saliva DNA tests, or anything to get the complete picture of your health at that exact moment. With the increasing ratio of issues and diseases, the demands for doctors i.e Functional doctors, cardiologists, ENT specialists, or even the phlebotomists job market is expected to grow by 26% in the next 10 years. You can also join this field as phlebotomist by joining online phlebotomy courses and getting certified as trained phlebotomists as some states require phlebotomists to be licensed.

While functional doctors may prescribe medications, many of them focus on natural protocols to help realign the body naturally. This means they may prescribe supplements, diet and lifestyle changes and other things to bring your body back to its original, and “normal” state.

Why Do People like This Approach?

Modern medicine has become very clinical and not personal. Many people prefer functional doctors because of the fact that they look at the whole picture. Once you have a functional doctor, they won’t just treat your cold or flu, but look for the reasons why your body is ill and your defenses are down.

Your doctor might suggest that you were run down because you’re too stressed, have not been taking care of your body or have not been taking the time to exercise. Your doctor will likely also assess your levels of vitamins and minerals and ensure that your flu or cold was not caused by one of these issues.

In today’s modern world, many people not only embrace this full body approach but shun modern medicine. While most people don’t shun it completely, many decide that they don’t want to overload their body with toxins or deal with the side effects of the medications. As such, they prefer to go with a more natural approach.

Many people also like the idea of functional medicine, in that it heals the body from the inside out. Functional doctors believe bodies have the ability to heal themselves of most illnesses. They use natural tools to help get the body back to its prime.

For example, if you have depression, your functional doctor would not send you to a psychiatrist immediately. Instead, he or she would discuss your lifestyle, take blood-work, assess your vitamin levels. They would generally do a variety of other things before determine it is a chemical imbalance.

A functional doctor tries to find the root cause of an illness before passing the buck on to someone else to treat you.

Functional Medicine Doctors vs Conventional Doctors, Who Should I see?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer for this question. Some people substitute one for the other, while others visit both kinds of doctors for varying kinds of treatments. Some people may seek to see a functional doctor for treatment of the whole body, while they see a conventional doctor for specialized things.

Other people prefer to see a functional doctor over a conventional one and vice-versa. It depends on how well you get along with your doctor and how much you like his or her approach.

Like with any kind of medical professional you see, it will take a while to find someone you work well with. Once you do, you may find you only want to see a functional doctor.

Some medical professionals, like the famed Dr. Axe, say that most people choose one or the other. They may, however, prefer a traditional doctor who takes a functional approach to medicine. In this case, it is where functional and traditional medicine overlap.

Are Functional Doctors Using Techniques Rooted in Science?

There is some controversy over whether or not functional medicine has any basis scientifically. Most of the protocols doctors prescribe are based on anecdotal evidence.

However, there are different bodies of evidence available for what works with conventional medicine, so in a way, functional medicine is not all that different. Instead, functional medicine uses research that could be ahead of its time.  CBD oil can fall in both categories and can help reduce pain and help you feel better within minutes.  If you are looking for a supplier consider using Life Patent.

Who Should Use a Functional Doctor?

Anyone can use a functional doctor, but they are best for people who have chronic illnesses or conditions they would like to manage. A functional doctor may follow you a lot more closely than others and can help you mitigate pain without taking pain pills. Consider them another part of your tool kit in helping you feel safe and healthy at home, like a medical alert system.

Functional medicine can also help you prevent other diseases from occurring later in life. This is because this approach can help you change your diet, lifestyle and exercise routine. Therefore, it is good for individuals who want to continue to be in good health for the rest of their lives, even if they aren’t necessarily sick now.

So, Are They Worth the Hype?

Most people who see functional medicine doctors would say that they are worth the hype. Many people have found relief in going to functional doctors, and have found their overall health to have improved from doing so. Whether you go is up to you personally, but you could drastically improve your chances of healing and helping you combat future diseases.

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