What Is a Functional Medicine Doctor? 

What is a functional medicine doctor? We get this question all the time. At our medical center, we offer functional, integrative, and naturopathic medicine services. Yet, you may be confused about the difference between all these options.

Functional medicine offers a systems-based, holistic, patient-centered, and personalized approach to medicine. Unlike traditional medicine, which only treats your symptoms as they arise, this approach aims to find the root cause of your issues to restore health naturally.

Are you sick of the exhausting process of traditional medicine? Are you ready for something deeper, more effective, and more personalized? Let’s learn more about a systems-based approach to treatment to see if a functional medicine provider is right for you.

What Is Functional Medicine?

Functional medicine is a biology-based approach to medicine that aims to identify and address the root causes of chronic symptoms and disease. Unlike conventional medicine, which often focuses on treating individual symptoms and viewing the body as an interconnected system. The goal of functional medicine is to identify and address the underlying root causes of chronic symptoms and disease. Functional medicine practitioners offer a patient-centered, holistic-minded, and personalized approach, taking time to listen to the patient’s full medical history and considering factors such as diet, stress, sleep, and overall wellness. (1, 2, 3).

What Does a Functional Medicine Doctor Do?

a doctor holding a red heart

A functional medicine doctor takes a holistic approach to healthcare, focusing on treating the root causes of illness by considering factors like genetics, lifestyle factors, and environment. They typically blend conventional and alternative medicine, and as licensed medical doctors (MDs), they can prescribe prescription medicine, but often look to natural and holistic approaches before resorting to medication.

Like traditional doctors, they must attend medical school and complete the necessary training, but what sets them apart is their focus on personalized care and prevention rather than solely managing symptoms. While traditional doctors often focus on specific ailments, functional medicine practitioners aim to improve overall health by addressing the whole body.

Identifying the Root Cause of Illness

In traditional modern medicine, you need to go to a different doctor with different symptoms. If you are dealing with a variety of issues, working with multiple doctors may not allow you to uncover the one root cause of your issues.

If you have digestive issues, you see a gastroenterologist, your eczema is treated by a dermatologist, and your aching joints are treated by an orthopedic doctor. But what if all these issues happen for the same reason—for example, histamine intolerance, autoimmunity, or chronic inflammation? Working with so many specialists will make it more difficult and a lengthy process to nail down the root issue.

Functional medicine doctors work with your whole body. They focus on underlying issues rather than symptom management. Instead of separating each symptom and body part, they aim to find the connection and causes of your issues. Simply put, they want to know why you are ill, to offer a personalized and comprehensive treatment strategy.

Comprehensive Patient Assessment

Functional medicine doctors offer a comprehensive patient assessment in order to develop a personalized treatment plan tailored to each patient. Appointments are longer than at a traditional doctor. Instead of 5-10 minutes, you will spend 45-60 minutes with your doctor, if not more. They will listen to your symptoms, look at your medical history, and ask questions.

They also use comprehensive lab testing, including blood testing, stool testing, urine testing, and food sensitivity testing. They want to understand your diet, lifestyle, and triggers.

Once you understand the root causes of your issues, they can offer a comprehensive plan. The root causes of your symptoms are often complex. They may include a poor diet, environmental toxin load, food sensitivities, allergies, chronic stress, poor sleep, another lifestyle factor, poor gut microbiome health, and genetics. Your personalized treatment plan from a functional medicine doctor often involves dietary advice, lifestyle strategies, supplementation, and stress management strategies.

Common Conditions Treated by a Functional Medicine Practitioner

Functional medicine doctors commonly treat chronic and complex conditions. These may include but are not limited to the following.

Chronic Illnesses

One of the most common reasons people visit functional medicine doctors is for chronic conditions. Functional medicine doctors help to calm chronic inflammation, improve the gut microbiome balance, and address other common underlying issues behind your conditions.

Functional medicine doctors may treat chronic illnesses such as autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, gastrointestinal issues, Lyme disease, mold illness, histamine intolerance, mast cell activation syndrome, insulin resistance, and hormonal issues.

Hormonal Imbalances

Hormonal imbalances that functional medicine doctors treat deserve their own section. Hormonal imbalances are one of the most common issues that people may seek help from a functional medicine doctor. They are also a common underlying issue behind many chronic conditions. Functional medicine doctors can help you with thyroid disorders, adrenal fatigue, menstrual irregularities, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), estrogen dominance, diabetes, and other hormonal imbalances.

Treatment Approaches in Functional Medicine

a woman doing yoga outdoors
Functional medicine offers a unique combination of treatment approaches. Let’s look at them.

Personalized Nutrition and Supplements

Functional medicine doctors use detailed lab testing to identify the underlying root causes of your issues. They will also go through your diet and lifestyle to understand what could be improved.

To correct nutrient deficiencies, improve your gut health, balance your hormones, and address other root problems, functional medicine uses personalized nutrition and supplements. You will be recommended vitamins, minerals, herbs, probiotics, and other supplements along with dietary strategies you can use to increase your well-being and vitality (4).

Mind-Body Interventions

Diet and nutrition are not enough. Chronic stress, poor sleep, a sedentary lifestyle, and other poor lifestyle choices are common contributing factors and root issues in chronic health conditions. Functional medicine doctors tend to recommend stress management strategies, including meditation, mindfulness, guided relaxation, and yoga (5).

They will advise you on proper sleep hygiene to help you get 7 to 9 hours of restorative sleep each night. They may offer other lifestyle modification strategies, including regular physical activity, healthy social connections, and work-life balance, which are all important for your physical and mental well-being (6, 7).

How to Find a Qualified Functional Medicine Doctor

Finding a qualified functional medicine doctor requires some research to ensure they have the right credentials and approach for your needs. Here are a few things to consider:

Certification and Training

Working with a qualified functional medicine doctor is important. Look for functional medicine doctors who are trained and certified through reputable organizations, such as the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) (5). This institute offers comprehensive education related to the functional medicine model.

Beyond this certification, you can look at their continuing education experiences, their participation in professional organizations or conferences, or their other professional work. Their bio can give you a clue, but you can always ask.

You should know that not all functional medicine practitioners are medical doctors. Many functional medicine doctors have traditional degrees, such as Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO). Many are naturopathic doctors (NDs). Some are nurse practitioners (NPs).

However, other professionals, such as chiropractors, physical therapists, nutritionists, and acupuncture therapists can get certified in functional medicine. We recommend that you work with a medical doctor or naturopathic doctor who is trained in functional medicine.

Assessing Patient Reviews and Case Studies

Looking at a bio or choosing a doctor based on an interesting podcast appearance is a good start, but may not be enough.  Evaluating the doctor’s success stories and patient feedback is a great idea. You can look at their website for case studies, patient reviews, and testimonials that highlight successful treatment outcomes, patient satisfaction, and the doctor’s ability to address complex, chronic conditions.

You may also look at Yelp and Google reviews, reviews on their Facebook page, and reviews elsewhere on the internet. You may also search local groups or Reddit for more personal experiences. Consistent positive feedback is a good sign that you found a skilled and compassionate functional medicine practitioner.

Functional Medicine vs. Integrative Medicine

What is the difference between functional medicine and integrative medicine? Considering the similarities between the two, it can be confusing to navigate this question. Let us help you.

Similarities and Overlaps

The main similarity between functional medicine and integrative medicine is their shared goal of providing holistic healthcare, emphasizing whole-person care, and focusing on disease prevention. Both look at the body as an interconnected system. They offer individualized treatment to address physical, emotional, and environmental factors that affect your health.

Both tend to use nutritional strategies, supplements, stress management, lifestyle strategies, and other complementary therapies to improve your health. Their common aim is to empower you, the patient, to take an active role in your health through various natural strategies.

Key Differences

While the goal and holistic approach of functional medicine and integrative medicine are similar, their methodologies are different. The main goal of functional medicine is to find the root cause of your condition and address that through treatment.

Integrative medicine, on the other hand, uses a combination of conventional and alternative treatment methods. This means that they may offer tests, medication, and treatment options you would see at a traditional doctor. In addition, they will offer complimentary strategies, including nutrition, supplementation, exercise, meditation, lifestyle changes, acupuncture, bodywork, and more. Integrative medicine practitioners combine modern medicine with complementary, alternative options, while functional medicine focuses on digging deeper to identify and correct root health issues.

Should You See a Functional Medicine Doctor?

a doctor holding their hands into the shape of a heart
Functional medicine is gaining popularity. This is no surprise. You may also be disappointed in modern medicine: running from doctor to doctor, only to get a 5-minute consultation without answers.

Functional medicine doctors spend time with you and want to understand your symptoms and health issues. They use a personalized, root-cause approach that addresses chronic conditions often overlooked by conventional medicine.

Their goal is to empower you with dietary and lifestyle strategies, supplementation, stress management techniques, and other complementary strategies to improve your health. Instead of putting a bandaid on the problem, they can help you with a sustainable solution.

If you’re looking for a doctor who cares about your long-term health and will find the root cause of your health issues, consider visiting a functional medicine center. Take the first step toward a healthier life by scheduling an appointment with us here.