What is functional medicine?
Functional medicine is a form of integrative care used to identify and correct the root causes of disease. Functional medicine differs from traditional medical care based on the specificity of laboratory testing used to diagnose your condition and the methods used to resolve your symptoms and help you feel your best.
Traditional lab testing is generally not specific or sensitive enough to catch the minor fluctuations in your blood chemistry that signal sub-optimal health. You may be experiencing symptoms, but with traditional lab work, your primary doctor may not find anything wrong.
With functional lab work, the Midwest Integrated Medical Center team is able to take a more thorough look at how your body and organs are working to identify any irregularities that could be causing your symptoms. Functional lab work also offers the ability to check for early signs of pathological changes and diseases that may affect you over time. Midwest Integrated Medical Center addresses these issues as well to reduce your risk of developing health problems in the future.
Can I benefit from functional medicine?
Functional medicine is for anyone who wants to feel better, reduce uncomfortable symptoms, and have more energy. Functional lab tests may uncover:
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Glucose imbalances
- Hormonal imbalances
- Detoxification issues that affect your liver, gallbladder, and kidneys
- Immune system dysfunction
- Inflammation
- Adrenal imbalances
- Methylation issues
While some of these issues may be more obvious — like chronic pain and inflammation — other less obvious issues may be causing symptoms of fatigue, low mood, and an inability to lose weight. By getting the full picture of your health through functional lab work and analysis from the team, you can begin to heal.
How does functional medicine treat my symptoms?
Functional medicine aims to address the root cause of your symptoms, rather than simply masking your symptoms with medications. Our staff analyzes your functional lab work and meets with you to understand your lifestyle, health concerns, and treatments you’ve tried in the past.
Based on this information, the team works with you to develop a treatment strategy to reduce your symptoms and improve your overall health. Your treatment strategy may include education about nutrition, stress management, and exercise, and coaching to help you make healthy lifestyle changes.
Midwest Integrated Medical Center's team may also recommend supplements, rehabilitation, or other minimally invasive treatments – like regenerative medicine or injection therapy – to reduce inflammation, help you lose weight, or gain more energy.
Functional medicine can help you get to the root cause of your symptoms so you can start to heal. Learn more about functional medicine by calling or scheduling a visit online at Midwest Integrated Medical Center.
Dr. Cooper see's patients in the following cities: Woodbury, MN River Falls, WI New Richmond, WI Stillwater, MN "
