The Connection Between Functional Medicine and Physical Therapy

Jul 16, 2024 | Physical Therapy | 0 comments

acucare physical therapy

Here is a hypothetical scenario. Imagine that your car’s engine is making a loud knocking sound. You do what any responsible motorist does under such circumstances and bring it to a mechanic. After checking your car out, the mechanic recommends the following solution: turning up the radio so you no longer have to hear the obnoxious noise.

 

We don’t have to explain why the hypothetical mechanic’s solution is positively bonkers. And yet we see solutions just like it all the time in the medical world. A patient goes to their doctor complaining of a certain symptom; the doctor prescribes treatment intended to reduce the symptom, and nothing more. Knee pain? Here – have something to dull the pain.

 

Functional Medicine Identifies Root Causes of Chronic Illness

 

Functional medicine takes a radically different approach to treating medical issues. It focuses on identifying and addressing the root causes of chronic illness rather than merely masking its symptoms.

 

For example, suppose you went to a practitioner of functional medicine because you are managing a case of fibromyalgia. Instead of reflexively prescribing painkillers, the physician would investigate things that might trigger your fibromyalgia symptoms such as stress, allergens, and poor nutrition. This is a holistic approach: one that treats the body as a single, interconnected entity.

 

Physical Therapy Complements Functional Medicine

 

Physical therapy is designed to restore the body’s functionality in the wake of an injury, surgery, or other medical condition that causes pain and/or restricts normal movement. The key word here is functionality – a focus on helping the body work correctly instead of masking symptoms.

 

Physical therapy can become especially potent when it is integrated into functional medicine. Once functional medicine has identified a symptom’s root cause as musculoskeletal in nature, a physical therapist is precisely the healthcare professional who can develop the ideal course of treatment. That treatment plan will most likely include targeted exercises that strengthen whichever muscle groups are contributing to pain and weakness.

 

Physical therapy emphasizes the patient’s role in their treatment. This further improves their odds of achieving a full recovery; when patients feel involved and supported, they feel more optimistic, which can in turn lead to improved health outcomes.

 

What Kinds of Conditions Do Functional Medicine and Physical Therapy Treat?

 

Functional medicine can benefit virtually anyone who is managing a chronic condition. Several of these conditions are frequently treated via physical therapy, such as:

 

 

Physical therapy typically isn’t the only treatment advised by a practitioner of functional medicine. But when it is incorporated into functional medicine’s holistic approach, physical therapy can promote faster and fuller recovery than any other form of treatment could have on its own.

 

If you’re currently managing a chronic or acute condition, then we welcome you to contact our clinic in Sioux Falls, SD today. We’ll explain how physical therapy can address the root cause of your condition, and how it can be incorporated into functional medicine’s overarching approach to wellness!