Now You Can Have Integrative Medicine NYC

By Olivia Cross


Western medicine is great for life-or-death conditions. It has given us heart transplants, joint replacements and chemotherapy. When it comes to functional disorders, like chronic pain, maternal and child health and maintaining fitness and productivity, it often falls short. This is partly because resources are finite, partly because doctors from different specialties rare, if ever, speak to each other, and partly because of the snob factor when it comes to alternative treatments. Integrative medicine NYC, also called integrated medicine or integrative health, combines evidence-based medicine with alternative therapies.

The integrated, or holistic, approach to health care has opened up a new world of treatment options that the patient of a decade ago could not access. Perfectly viable and effective treatment approaches, such as osteopathy and acupuncture, have been gradually accumulating a validating evidence base.

The integrated, holistic approach to health and wellness treats the whole person, not just a specific organ or organ system. Therapists often maintain an open line of conversation while they are treating their patients. This is so that they can learn more about the patient's lifestyle and personality. In this way, they can tailor their treatment plan to suit the needs of their patient and have a better chance of securing compliance.

While much of western medicine is "crisis management, " the integrated approach is aimed at healing the whole person. A patient walks into the doctor's office complaining that they are tired all the time and have no motivation to do the things they are supposed to do. In the old days, the doctor would reach for the prescription pad and offer the patient antidepressants.

An osteopath or a chiropractor might take a more exhaustive medical history and conduct a more thorough examination before beginning to treat a patient. An untreated musculoskeletal problem can eventually lead to depression, anxiety or even agoraphobia. By realigning the patient's skeletal system, these problems can be rectified before they get out of hand, and corrected without the need of harmful pharmaceutical approaches.

Integrated health care has been riding a wave of popularity since the 1990s, backed by such big names as Andrew Weil, Deepak Chopra and Charles Windsor, Prince of Wales. By the end of the 20th century, the a consortium for integrative medicine among academic health centers had been established, soon growing to a membership of 57 within just over a decade. Among its members is the prestigious Johns Hopkins University Medical School.

The integrated health approach is cheaper and less invasive than conventional medical approaches. It relies less on surgery and pharmaceutical preparations and more on nutrition, yoga, meditation, and tai chi. Stress reduction, biofeedback, and massage are other tools in the integrated practitioner's black bag.

Patients and doctors alike are becoming more open-minded about integrated health. In order to succeed, it depends on a partnership between the healer and the patient. The aim here is to heal the mind and the spirit along with the body. New York City, being one of the most stressful environments on the planet, can certainly gain from a more relaxing approach to health and well-being.




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