Cause vs. Symptoms: How Functional Medicine Approaches Illness Differently

As a patient, I've witnessed firsthand the transformative power of identifying and addressing the root cause of a disease diagnosis instead of treating symptoms. As a functional healthcare provider, I see the power of knowing your lifestyle and discovering how each factor impacts diagnosis, treatment, and long-term health.

I also understand skepticism about what people assume is non-traditional medicine. Some of us grew up when no one, for any reason, questioned their doctors. We didn't challenge lab tests; we rarely sought second opinions. Thankfully, things are different now.

Today, a good doctor welcomes questions and collaborates with multiple providers. In other words, mainstream medicine is finally catching up to the patient-centric approach of functional medicine.

What's Functional Medicine?

According to a National Institutes of Health (NIH) article, the functional medicine model is based on evaluating six core physiological processes:

1. Assimilation (digestion, absorption, microbiota)

2. Defense and Repair (immune, inflammation, cellular renewal)

3. Bioenergetics (mitochondrial function, cellular energy transport, tissue-specific energetics)

4. Transport (cardiovascular, hematological, respiratory and lymphatic functions)

5. Communications (endocrine, neurotransmitters, signal transduction processes)

6. Structural Integrity (subcellular membrane barriers to musculoskeletal function)

The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) offers a less scientific and, therefore, more straightforward explanation, which I'm quoting in full for complete clarity. I'm also including the IFM graphic to further illustrate their definition:

Functional medicine is a systems biology-based approach that focuses on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease. Each symptom or differential diagnosis may be one of many contributing to an individual's illness.

As the graphic illustrates, a diagnosis can result from more than one cause. For example, depression can be caused by many different factors, including inflammation. Likewise, a cause such as inflammation may lead to several different diagnoses, including depression. The precise manifestation of each cause depends on the individual's genes, environment, and lifestyle, and only treatments that address the right cause will have lasting benefits beyond symptom suppression.

The Shift to Preventative Care

Functional medicine has always prioritized patients, focusing on stopping illness before it starts. Now, regular healthcare is beginning to do the same. For example, doctors are now talking more about eating better and exercising to stop heart problems, not just treating them after they happen. Also, with diabetes, there's more focus on monitoring sugar levels based on family history and eating right to prevent it instead of just treating it after onset. This change shows how everyday healthcare is moving towards a functional medicine model to take care of people proactively and personally.

Personalized Healthcare

Personalized medicine means treating each person in the best way for them instead of assuming one-size-fits-all solutions. For example, doctors now sometimes test your genes to find the best cancer treatment for you because what works for one person might not work for another. Today, treating depression involves evaluating lifestyle, health history, and even family background to choose the right therapy or medicine.

Thanks to technology, functional and non-functional medicine providers can gather this critical background information quickly and accurately.

Integrating Technology and Healthcare

Doctors use smart gadgets and apps to track health data and personalize healthcare, as functional medicine has been doing for decades. For example:

1.    Smartwatches are a game changer. They monitor your heart rate and sleep patterns, alerting doctors to unusual changes. This helps them catch problems early and tailor treatments specifically for you.

2.    Diabetes management apps track blood sugar levels in real time and give tips on diet and exercise. Healthcare providers use daily data to personalize treatment and lifestyle plans. 

3.    Telemedicine puts your functional medicine provider on your phone, computer, or tablet.

4.    Smart beds keep you healthy while you sleep. Sort of. The technology analyzes sleep quality, breathing, body temperature, and heart rate, among other biometrics. Functional medicine providers use this data to identify insufficient or excessive levels of certain elements potentially impacting your health.

Everyday items are evolving to support functional medicine, emphasizing a holistic, patient-centered treatment approach.

A Holistic Approach to Mental Health

Functional medicine has always been about meeting people where they are, not where a pharmaceutical company wants them to be. Functional medicine stands out because it looks at the whole person, not just specific symptoms or diseases. It's like putting together a puzzle of your health. Instead of just giving you medication for a headache, a functional medicine doctor will ask about your diet, stress, sleep, and relationships.

They believe everything is connected. Your lifestyle, environment, and emotional well-being all affect your health. This holistic approach is different from traditional medicine, which often focuses on treating specific health issues as they come up. Functional medicine tries to understand and address the root causes of these issues, aiming for long-term health and well-being.

Functional medicine is reshaping healthcare by emphasizing prevention, personalization, and a holistic view of health. Its patient-first approach, focusing on preventing illness and understanding everyone's unique needs, is influencing mainstream medicine.

As technology evolves, healthcare becomes more tailored and efficient. Functional medicine's comprehensive view, considering factors like lifestyle, environment, and emotional health, offers a complete understanding of well-being. This evolution in healthcare is not just about treating illnesses but about nurturing overall health, marking a significant shift towards a more proactive, personalized, and holistic medical model.

A functional blood chemical analysis is a painless way to learn what your body is trying to tell you. Call me at 470-290-8025 or email office@drsusanmonias.com to request a consult. Just start. Get powerful; get smarter about how your body is functioning.