Digestive disorders involve symptoms that can range from discomforting to debilitating. People suffer with bloating, gas, abdominal pain, cramping, constipation and diarrhea. If you have IBS or an inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn's, you may feel like you live on a rollercoaster ride. Periods of flare-ups and remissions often seem impossible to predict or control. It's especially frustrating for patients who undergo surgery or take medication only to find themselves, once again facing unresolved symptoms.
Aside from medication or surgery, traditional medicine doesn't have much to offer in terms of therapy or support for digestive disorders. These are the means by which symptoms can hopefully be resolved, but they give little attention to what may be done to help the body help itself. A holistic approach to digestive disorders by contrast focuses on just that: restoring function as much as possible, correcting imbalances, and enabling the patient to achieve and sustain optimal health naturally.
Functional medicine is a type of health care that takes a holistic approach, and it is an excellent choice for people struggling with digestive disorders. While you may have concluded there is no way to know what's causing your condition and that causes don't matter, this is not true. It is very possible to identify the triggers behind flare-ups, to understand exactly what is going on in your body related to your digestive health, and to minimize and even eliminate the occurrence of very stubborn symptoms.
The key to achieving results lies in knowledge gleaned through testing. In-depth testing enables a functional practitioner to be able to identify causes. Once you are thoroughly and properly evaluated, it is possible to design a customized therapeutic support plan that is safe and effective. There's no need to take a 'wait and see' approach with this type of plan. Results are measurable. You feel better as your health condition improves.
Working with a functional medicine practitioner is likely to be a unique experience if you've been receiving standard medical care for a digestive disorder. You aren't helpless in a holistic context; there is much you can and need to do to take charge of your own health. The practitioner functions more like a partner who gives you the tools, information and understanding you need to manage your condition.
Functional medicine modalities have helped patients with IBS, ulcerative colitis and Crohn's regain their quality of life. Therapeutic support addresses not only the obvious distressing symptoms involved in digestive disorders but ones you may not have realized were related at all. Joint pain, fatigue, skin conditions, sleep disturbances and depression may all result from problems related to the digestive system.
If you're committed to feeling better and wish to take an active role in your health, consult with us. It's likely you can achieve much better results than you have with other health care options alone, including long-term symptom relief.
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