and integrative
medicine

Kimberly Aikens MD





Clinical Pearls


Imagine a world in which medicine was oriented toward healing rather than disease, where doctors believed in the natural healing capacity of human beings and emphasized prevention above treatment. In such a world doctors and patients would be partners working toward the same ends.

Andrew Weil MD

  

THE INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE CONSULTATION


What is integrative medicine? Well, why don't we begin with what integrative medicine is not. Although it may be an important component, integrative medicine is not simply synonymous with complementary or alternative medicine. Rather, it is the integration of complementary modalities with good family practice, internal medicine or pediatrics. Integrative medicine should combine the best ideas and practices of alternative medicine with excellent conventional care with the goal of maximizing the body's own healing potential. It is a holistic approach in which body, mind and spirit are all considered equally important to good health. Integrative medicine focuses on and attempts to maximize the body's own intrinsic ability to heal, using natural, less invasive measures first. It values healing, self reflection, relationships and prevention. Integrative medicine practitioners believe that healing can occur even in the face of diseases such as cancer, heart disease or multiple sclerosis. In this type of practice, physician and patient work as partners toward the primary goal of health and wellbeing.

Daily Aspects of Your Life

Integrative medicine practitioners understand that daily aspects of your life strongly figure into your health. For this reason the following aspects of your lifestyle all will be explored during an integrative consultation-

  1. Diet
  2. Exercise
  3. The mind/body connection
  4. Sleep
  5. Relationships
  6. Support systems
  7. Spirituality


Recommendations

After evaluation of the above lifestyle elements, an integrative medicine doctor might incorporate the following treatment modalities into your care-

  1. Nutritional recommendations
  2. Mind-body medicine recommendations- such work might include such techniques as mindfulness based stress reduction training, progressive muscle relaxation, hypnosis, art therapy, music therapy, journaling and/or psychotherapy referral
  3. Herbs and supplements
  4. Spirituality: prayer, community
  5. Alternative healing systems such as Traditional Chinese Medicine including acupuncture or energy medicine (i.e. healing touch, reiki)
  6. Manuel therapy- i.e. massage, cranial sacral therapy

Your Integrative Medicine consultation will consist of in depth evaluation of your daily life and lifestyle along with evaluation of your traditional western care. A treatment program will be written for you that will include lifestyle recommendations and coaching as well as suggestions for which alternative modalities might be good adjuncts to your traditional care.