Conditions We Treat
Diseases & conditions treated by functional & integrative medicineThis list is not exhaustive and the summaries are brief. It is intended to give the reader an overview of conditions treated by a Functional Medicine Physician.
Advanced testing may be used to help clarify GI dysfunction:
- Digestive function testing
- Enzyme testing
- Permeability testing
- Bacterial DNA analysis
Due to the immense interactions of the GI tract, GI nervous system (ie- gastroenteric nervous system), food interactions/absorption/breakdown, GI immune system, most integrative evaluations include some sort of GI evaluation and treatment.
This heterogeneous group at first glance appears to be a small grouping of conditions but it interdigitates with multiple other disease states. Some chronic infections such as Chronic Lyme Disease are placed here due to their mix of symptoms and close association with Chronic Fatigue syndrome. The group of conditions overlaps with mitochondrial disorders, digestive disorders, immune system disorders and psychiatric illness.
New discoveries have shown a close symbiotic relationship between our body and the bacteria/virus/parasites in our environment. Dysregulation can result in recurrent herpes infections, shingles as well as Chronic Lyme Disease and others. The group is rapidly expanding and as of the writing of this, new discoveries have shown the DNA of H. pylori and Chlamydia pneumoniae in coronary plaques of the vascular system. Now chronic oral infections (periodontal disease and tooth infections) have been seen to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, premature labor and small for gestation births. As of 2015 bacteriophages (viruses that kill bacteria) have been shown to live in our GI tracts and affect our immune system modulation. This grouping can interact with all other systems of the body and at times will require highly personalized treatment protocols.
Over the last decade with the reclassification of mental health diseases by the DSM-V manual in addition to new discoveries in neuropsychiatric function we have learned that many mental diseases are more like disease syndromes that have a neuroinflammatory component. These range from Depression, Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, to Attention Deficit Disorder, Bipolar, Chronic Insomnia and more. These have a close association with conditions that affect brain health. There is an interconnected web between mental health and all the above disorders. A thorough mental health evaluation will include all the systems from the IFM Matrix as well as their interactions the individual in relationship to themselves and those around them.