Functional & Integrative Medicine

Functional Medicine

The Functional Medicine model is an individualized, patient-centered, science-based approach that empowers patients and practitioners to work together to address the underlying causes of disease and promote optimal wellness. It relies on a detailed understanding of each patient’s genetic, biochemical, and lifestyle factors and leverages that data to direct personalized treatment plans that lead to improved patient outcomes. [i]

Treating the symptoms of a disease or illness once they present themselves and begin to affect your health, general well-being, and overall quality of life is the typical standard of care for most health problems and injuries. Common issues like chronic back pain, allergies, migraines, or weight-related health problems may be treated with medication or surgery when the symptoms become unmanageable or threaten your health. The goal of functional medicine is to take a deeper look under the hood, and evaluate each person on an individual level, factoring in everything from your lifestyle and genetics, to your mental and emotional wellbeing to get to the root of your symptoms and health issues, especially for chronic conditions like back pain or high blood pressure. Dr. Melissa Bachman offers functional and integrative medicine services at the Reno Health Institute in Reno, NV.

What is Integrative Medicine?

Integrative medicine is not the same as alternative medicine, which refers to an approach to healing utilized in place of conventional therapies; or complementary medicine, which refers to healing modalities that are used to complement allopathic approaches [i] . Integrative medicine combines treatment approaches from all scientific disciplines depending on whatever is safe and effective for the individual patient at the time. Integrative medicine is an approach to care that puts the patient at the center and addresses the whole person. The full range of physical, emotional, mental, social, spiritual and environmental influences that affect a person’s health are all considered.  Treatment strategies also focus on prevention and foster the development of healthy behaviors and skills for effective self-care that patients can use throughout their lives [ii] .

At Reno Health Institute, we use an integrative approach when it comes to designing your treatment plan, and often combine nutrition and lifestyle-based medicine, mind/body approaches such as deep breathing exercises, herbal medicines, nutraceutical supplements, acupuncture, and pharmaceuticals if needed.

Functional Medicine in Reno, NV

Functional medicine is based on science and research into how the body heals from injury and disease, as well as how to prevent health problems where possible. Rather than focusing exclusively on the symptoms, a functional medicine approach goes to the root of what may be causing the symptoms, and the role that everything from your medical history, diet, physical fitness, emotional and mental health, and other key factors may be playing in your illness and symptoms.

Many health issues that have been traditionally associated with the aging process and taken as a given as we get older may actually be preventable or more manageable by taking a more proactive approach to health and wellness, and focusing on how the body naturally responds to pain and healing.

Depending on the health issue and the patient's unique circumstances, functional medicine treatments can range from lifestyle modifications and changes that include diet and exercise recommendations, massage, acupuncture, mindfulness, and strategies for successfully coping with chronic stress and anxiety.

Find a Functional Medicine Practitioner in Reno, NV

To learn more about functional and integrative medicine and the benefits of a whole body approach to health and wellness, contact the Reno Health Institute by calling (775) 507-4740 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Melissa Bachman today.

Want to learn more about Functional Medicine?
Call Reno Health Institute at (775) 507-4740 to learn more!

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Office Hours

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed