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Functional Medicine Defined What is Functional Medicine? Functional Medicine is the field of health care that employs laboratory assessment and early intervention to improve physiological, emotional/cognitive, and physical function. This health care approach focuses attention on biochemical individuality, metabolic balance, ecological context and unique personal experience in the dynamics of health. The following are some basic tenets of functional medicine: 1) Uniqueness of patient Unlike conventional medicine, functional medicine emphasizes the physiological uniqueness of each patient. To paraphrase a famous literary quote, proponents of functional medicine believe that each patient's physiological system marches to the beat of a different drummer. Thus, effective treatment should be custom-tailored specifically to meet each patient's unique needs. Functional Diagnostic Laboratory tests support this fundamental principle by analyzing subtle differences in an individual's molecular biochemistry, hormonal secretion patterns, cellular environment, immune responses, etc, allowing for focused, precise, and individualized therapy. 2) Minor symptoms should not be ignored Even slight imbalances in the body can set the stage for more serious diseases down the road. This often happens by virtue of a "ripple effect," whereby a "minor" imbalance sets into motion a cascade of biological triggers that eventually leads to sub-optimal health, chronic illness, and degenerative disease. For this reason, a "let's-wait-and-see-if-this-develops-into anything-serious" attitude is not an acceptable approach in functional medicine. By implementing the most advanced and sensitive technology available, Functional Diagnostic Laboratory tests can reveal the most subtle imbalances within the body, allowing for timely intervention to prevent more profound health problems in the future. 3) Holistic Approach The body is best examined and treated as an integrated whole, not simply an isolated set of parts. For accurate diagnosis and effective treatment, a clinician must consider ALL the possible long-reaching effects of various therapies/treatments on the entire body. Moreover, by assisting and augmenting the body's natural mechanisms of healing, the physician works with the dynamic process of homeostasis, rather than against it. Functional Diagnostic Laboratory supports this principle by offering a broad range of functional assessments covering every major system in the body. By promoting the maximum functioning of all of the body's most important functional parameters,Functional diagnostic Laboratory assessments allow the practitioner to effectively guide the patient toward restoring inner balance and establishing optimal health. This powerful strategy offers a much more effective way of achieving long-range results than that afforded by temporary damage control. What is a Functional Assessment? Evaluating organ "function" versus organ "pathology" is one of the principles of functional medicine, and Functional Diagnostic Laboratory has developed a number of laboratory assessment tools that allow practitioners to understand a patient's functional status. Our tests are non- or minimally invasive, using samples of stool, urine, saliva, blood, and hair. Our results focus on how well the body is doing its job in six important areas: digestion (gastrointestinal), nutrition, detoxification/oxidative stress, immunology/allergy, production and regulation of hormones (endocrinology), and heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular). Functional Laboratory profiles are designed to uncover the root causes of symptoms, allowing the physician to recommend intervention strategies that will solve the chronic problem. Many of our tests use special substances and protocols to "challenge" organs, giving the physician an opportunity to evaluate the function of an organ system while it is stressed, thereby providing information that often is missed using conventional laboratory testing. The unique combination of the individual results provides an integrated analysis that promotes a deeper, more fundamental understanding of many health conditions. Acupuncture All About Acupuncture What is acupuncture? || How does it work? || Does it hurt? Is it safe? || What conditions does it treat? What should I expect on my first visit? Acupuncture is one of the oldest, most commonly used systems of healing in the world. Originating in China some 3,500 years ago, only in the last three decades has it become popular in the United States. In 1993, the Food and Drug Administration estimated that Americans made up to 12 million visits per year to acupuncture practitioners and spent upwards of half a billion dollars on acupuncture treatments. Traditional Chinese medicine hold that there are as many as 2,000 acupuncture points on the human body, which are connected by 20 pathways (12 main, 8 secondary) called meridians. These meridians conduct energy, or qi (pronounced "chi"), between the surface of the body and its internal organs. Each point has a different effect on the qi that passes through it. Qi is believed to help regulate balance in the body. It is influenced by the opposing forces of yin and yang, which represent positive and negative energy and forces in the universe and human body. Acupuncture is believed to keep the balance between yin and yang, thus allowing for the normal flow of qi throughout the body and restoring health to the mind and body. Several theories have been presented as to exactly how acupuncture works. One theory suggests that pain impulses are blocked from reaching the spinal cord or brain at various "gates" to these areas. Since a majority of acupuncture points are either connected to (or are located near) neural structures, this suggests that acupuncture stimulates the nervous system. Another theory suggests that acupuncture stimulates the body to produce narcotic-like substances called endorphins, which reduce pain. Other studies have found that other pain-relieving substances called opiods may be released into the body during acupuncture treatment. Unlike hypodermic needles, acupuncture needles are solid and hair-thin, and they are not designed to cut the skin. They are also inserted to much more shallow levels than hypodermic needles, generally no more than a half-inch to an inch depending on the type of treatment being delivered. While each person experiences acupuncture differently, most people feel only a minimal amount of pain as the needles are inserted. Some people reportedly feel a sensation of excitement, while others feel relaxed. If you experience significant pain from the needles, it may be a sign that the procedure is being done improperly When practiced by a licensed, trained acupuncturist, acupuncture is extremely safe. As a system of health care, acupuncture already has some inherent safeguards. Because the treatment is drug-free, patients do not have to worry about taking several doses of a medication or suffering a possible adverse reaction. Properly administered, acupuncture does no harm. However, there are certain conditions you should notify an acupuncturist about before undergoing treatment. If you have a pacemaker, for instance, you should not receive electroacupuncture due to the possibility of electromagnetic interference with the pacemaker. Similarly, if you have a tendency to bleed or bruise easily, or if you are a hemophiliac, you may want to consider a different type of care. In the late 1970s, the World Health Organization recognized the ability of acupuncture and Oriental medicine to treat nearly four dozen common ailments, including neuromusculoskeletal conditions (such as arthritis, neuralgia, insomnia, dizziness, and neck/shoulder pain); emotional and psychological disorders (such as depression and anxiety); circulatory disorders (such as hypertension, angina pectoris, arteriosclerosis and anemia); addictions to alcohol, nicotine and other drugs; respiratory disorders (such as emphysema, sinusitis, allergies and bronchitis); and gastrointestinal conditions (such as food allergies, ulcers, chronic diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, intestinal weakness, anorexia and gastritis). In 1997, a consensus statement released by the National Institutes of Health found that acupuncture could be useful by itself or in combination with other therapies to treat addiction, headaches, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, lower back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome and asthma. Other studies have demonstrated that acupuncture may help in the rehabilitation of stroke patients and can relieve nausea in patients recovering from surgery. As with most health practitioners, the first visit to an acupuncturist usually begins with the practitioner taking a detailed history. Since traditional Chinese medicine takes a more holistic approach to patient care than Western medicine, you may be asked questions that appear unimportant (questions about your sleep habits, your ability to tolerate heat or cold, your dietary habits, etc.) but are actually vital to the type of care you will receive. After reviewing your history, the practitioner will begin diagnosing your ailment. Depending on your condition, you may be subjected to an examination of the tongue, as well as an examination of the pulse – a major diagnostic technique in traditional Chinese medicine. Using all of the information obtained during the history and diagnosis, the practitioner will then determine the cause of your symptoms. Depending on the condition, needles will be inserted into specific acupuncture points on the body. The acupuncturist may use moxa or electrical stimulation to enhance acupuncture's therapeutic effect. Depending on the seriousness and the length of your condition, your first visit may take between 30-60 minutes. It may take several visits to see significant improvement or cure your condition. As with any treatment plan, however, make sure that your questions are answered completely, and that the treatment plan seems viable and reasonable. If you don't understand a particular technique or type of treatment, make sure to ask. Electro-Acuscope and Myopulse Therapy The Electro-Acuscope and MyoPulse are highly sophisticated electronic medical instruments that use very precise amounts and frequencies of energy to diagnose and treat the nervous and muscular system. The state of the art electronics inside both the Acuscope and Myopulse monitor your nervous system and based on the information they gather, calculate the appropriate corrective signal and then delivers it to the selected location being treated. Each machine continues treating the area until the tissue has normalized. It is very much like acupuncture but with the Acuscope, the instrument not only helps find the right spot(s) but also treats the area. Of course there are no needles and the skin is never punctured. Even young children are comfortable with being treated. The Myopulse has a similar effect but is directed to soft tissues like the muscles and scar tissue. The Acuscope detects abnormal nerve fiber impulses due to subtle electrical blockages and imbalances that occur either in tender points called trigger points in muscle or at specific points along acupuncture meridians. When the machine has identified a blockage, it emits a low-pitched tone and puts a digital readout on its small screen. When the tissue being treated has regained its normal electrical state, the instrument emits a clear, high-pitched tone and gives a readout that remains over 100 on the screen. It may seem like the Acuscope and Myopulse heal the tissue. They do not. Both make the body heal itself by stimulating not only the blood supply and oxygen to the area, but also stimulates cellular regeneration. The cells of the human body act like tiny batteries, storing and releasing energy. As a result, the body can be thought of as an electrical organ. Each cell has a measurable electrical charge and energy flows between cells throughout the electrical circuitry of the body. When damage or trauma occurs, electrical energy is reduced and decreases the flow of energy through the tissues involved. This results in your body's inability to repair itself. The Acuscope introduces a healing micro-current to the tissue to assist the body in re-charging the cells to allow the natural healing power of the body. In addition, the Acuscope has been shown to cause the production of pain-reducing chemicals called "endorphins." Endorphins are released when the environment is in balance. This may be why so many people have immediate relief of pain after receiving an Acuscope treatment. This is very different than other electrical devices that either block pain pathways or continue treating without any control. This pain relief should not be confused with devices like TENS units that bombard the tissue with a 1000-fold more current than the Acuscope and block pain signals. It's like hitting the fire alarm with a sledgehammer instead of putting out the flames. Each successive Acuscope treatment has a cumulative healing effect that is expected to have longer and eventually permanent results. The treatment time also gets shorter and shorter as it takes less time to harmonize and energize the cells. There are no side effects from the treatment per se since the Acuscope can not injure or over-treat tissues. There can be a detoxification effect or what chiropractor's term a "healing crisis." This temporary exacerbation of symptoms occurs as the body's electrical system is activated to expel cellular toxins in its attempt to get back to a healthy state. Having treatments several days (3) in a row seems to speed up the process and minimize any discomfort. During and after your treatment, drink plenty of water (eight 8-ounce glasses) and take it easy. This will help you as your body detoxifies and heals.