What is Functional Medicine?
Functional medicine is different than traditional medicine as instead of looking at and treating health problems as isolated diseases, the whole person is examined to find the cause of the disease and revealing underlying dysfunctions and imbalances.
Identifying and treating the underlying root causes, has a much better chance to successfully resolve a patient’s health challenge. Using scientific principles, advanced diagnostic testing, and treatments other than drugs or surgery, Functional Medicine restores balance in the body’s primary physiological processes.
Although mainstream medicine is needed for acute interventions like a heart attack, surgery, etc another approach is needed in addition for the chronic, debilitating conditions as diabetes, arthritis, etc.
To battle chronic health conditions, Functional Medicine uses two scientifically grounded principles:
- Add what’s lacking in the body to nudge its physiology back to a state of optimal functioning.
- Remove anything that impedes the body from moving toward this optimal state of physiology.
Functional medicine aims to understand underlying causes and symptoms of a chronic disease or illness. Qualified practitioners may treat the patient once they determine preventative measures, the origins of the illness and steps necessary to begin proper treatment.
Highlights of functional medicine include:
- Patient-centered care as topmost priority to treat the patient’s health as a whole, not just the disease or condition itself.
- Interaction of many inclusive factors such as how lifestyle practices, patient medical history and physiology of the body can determine the best way to treat symptoms.
- Combining both traditional and alternative practices such as Advanced Laboratory tests to identify the root causes of one’s health problem, prescription drugs or supplements, changes in diet/nutritional intake, exercise and stress management techniques.
- For treatment, Functional Medicine practitioners use a combination of natural agents (supplements, herbs, nutraceuticals and homeopathics), nutritional and lifestyle changes, spiritual/emotional counseling, and pharmaceuticals, if necessary, to stimulate a patient’s physiology back to an ideal state. Educating one about their condition, will give one a feeling of empowerment to take responsibility of their own health, ultimately leading to greater accomplishment in healing.
As an example, conventional doctors would normally prescribe pharmaceuticals like Prilosec, to treat acid reflux or heartburn. When the patient stops taking these medications, heartburn returns.In contrast, a Functional Medicine practitioner might find that a patient’s acid reflux is caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria. Eradicating the Helicobacter pylori may lead to the end of heartburnsymptoms, permanently. Also, it is important to note that in Functional Medicine, treatment for similar symptoms might vary tremendously for different patients. Factors that can come into play in producing the same symptoms include toxic chemicals, pathogenic bacteria, parasites, chronic viral pathogens, emotional poisons like anger, greed or envy, and structural factors such as tumors or cysts.
When you consult a Functional Medicine practitioner, the first step is always your history and to make sense of a complex story. The next set of clues comes from a comprehensive physical examination. The final set of clues comes from advanced laboratory testing. Innovative, cutting-edge lab tests help the practitioner look deeply into a patient’s physiology to discover how it has been compromised and how physiological balance can be restored. After diagnosis and treatment, a Functional Medicine patient can expect his or her symptoms to diminish in severity, with a new sense of well-being and substantial boost in health and vitality.
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"I have had been having spinal decompression therapy for the last month. I have had excellent results. I was having sciatica and neuropathy; after the first treatment the neuropathy was so much less! Dr Iris and the office staff are very professional, efficient and caring. Overall my results have improved tremendously with spinal decompression therapy. I would recommend Dr Rosenfeld to all patients with back problems, she listens and will work with you to improve your life."
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"Dr. Iris is a wonderful and caring doctor. I have been fortunate enough to be her patient since 2012, when my large toddler was causing havoc on my back. She was easily able to get me out of pain and back to functioning order and has been doing so ever since.
She has an amazing intuition when it comes to the body. She is able to find the little spots that are out of alignment, even if I'm not able to locate them myself, and put them back where they belong.
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I have experienced relief, blessed relief!
"I have neck pain. I recall various incidents that triggered it… reaching into a desk drawer, sleeping on a new pillow, etc. I have seen other chiropractors and some helped and others didn't. My mom introduced me to Dr. Rosenfeld and I have experienced relief, blessed relief!"
My back is a lot better
"I have suffered back strain on and off since December 2006. Picking up something or my weight caused it and I could not go to work so it was pretty severe. I saw another chiropractor on and off and got some good results but it didn't last. I found Dr. Rosenfeld on the internet and through my husband's insurance. My back is a lot better and now we are working on neck pain and stress in my upper shoulders from work and day to day activities. Massage has helped as well."
Dr. Rosenfeld has given me lasting relief from pain
"In 1982 I was catapulted from a motorcycle causing whiplash, neck and low back injuries. Many years of an untreated condition and compression created much pain, discomfort and subluxation. After seeing another chiropractor for 15 years it was time for a change. During those 15 years I had many visits and physical therapy that gave me temporary pain relief and muscle toning and strenuously. Temporary relief. I was referred to Dr. Rosenfeld by Barbara Anderson who is a Rolfing therapist. Dr. Rosenfeld has given me lasting relief from pain and the ability to maintain a longer adjustment much and I have much gratitude and appreciation!"
The results were truly outstanding after only a few weeks of treatment.
"I developed lower back pain following very light work in my garden! The condition had been underlying since a recent flight from New York. I had previously had a similar episode over 10 years ago. The back pain was preventing me from carrying out most of my daily living events. I needed immediate help on a Saturday morning and found Dr. Rosenfeld through a Google search on the internet. The results were truly outstanding after only a few weeks of treatment. I was well on the way to recovery assisted by a new "toolbox" of exercises provided by Dr. Rosenfeld. I am now fulfilling the majority of my daily living events - even cleaning my car. My goal is now to resume my jogging routine which my back condition has prevented me from doing."
With Dr. Rosenfeld I felt comfortable that she would take care of me.
"I had a neck injury seven years ago and have continued to have periods of bad times. I recently had a knee replacement which threw my back and neck out to the point I could not walk. I lost my job, can't work and can't work out. I just felt down. I had a bad experience with a chiropractor a long time ago. With Dr. Rosenfeld I felt comfortable that she would take care of me. Within a couple of visits I could walk and the pain was not so terrible and now we are working on the neck to try and relax it. I also use the natural products as well as the exercises given to me by Dr. Rosenfeld to try to get the best results. When I feel better life is better and everyone and everything is better. I tell people to try chiropractor care because if they try it they will be surprised."
I chose Dr. Rosenfeld to help me continue on the road to good health.
"I had just moved to this area. I had been seeing another chiropractor on a regular basis to help with knee problems and other aches and pains that cropped up. After I moved I chose Dr. Rosenfeld to help me continue on the road to good health. I had also received physical therapy for my knee. Physical therapy worked well but only focused on my knee. Chiropractic treats my whole body. Other areas of my body need adjusting to help keep my knee functioning well. I found Dr. Rosenfeld through the yellow pages. I am now in my 5th year of chiropractic care and I wonder how I got along without it in the past. My knee is doing well and I am continuing to run."
After seeing Dr. Rosenfeld, I have no pain in my neck and great mobility.
"I first came to the office in 07/07. I came to the office because of pain in my neck and shoulders that I have had on and off for years. I also had very limited mobility. In the past I have been treated by other chiropractors with only temporary relief. We changed insurance plans and after much research I called Dr. Rosenfeld. After seeing Dr. Rosenfeld, I have no pain in my neck and great mobility. There is still some aching in the shoulder, but the mobility is much improved."