Now You Can Have Integrative Medicine NYC

By Olivia Cross


When it comes to emergencies like strokes, heart attacks and automobile accidents, we are all grateful for high-tech, high-powered conventional medicine. When afflicted with less life-threatening but nonetheless debilitating conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia or ADHD, western medicine often falls short. Maybe it's lack of resources, maybe its lack of interest or maybe just snobbery. A new approach is emerging that combines what are sometimes called alternative treatment approaches with evidence-based medicine. In particular integrative medicine nyc is gaining momentum.

Integrated health offers patients a wealth of options that were not available ten years ago. Treatments that were once considered fringe therapies, such as chiropractic and acupuncture, are steadily developing an evidence base that gives them the credibility they once lacked.

Integrated health also embraces a holistic approach to health maintenance. Osteopaths and chiropractors have been doing this for years. That is why they are so friendly and chatty while they are manipulating your muscles, bones and joints together. They are not just making conversation like your hairdresser or barber, they are gaining vital clues about your personality and lifestyle so they can provide a treatment plan that is tailored to your individual needs and situation.

While much of western medicine is "crisis management, " the integrated approach is aimed at healing the whole person. A patient walks into the doctor's office complaining that they are tired all the time and have no motivation to do the things they are supposed to do. In the old days, the doctor would reach for the prescription pad and offer the patient antidepressants.

An osteopath or a chiropractor might take a more exhaustive medical history and conduct a more thorough examination before beginning to treat a patient. An untreated musculoskeletal problem can eventually lead to depression, anxiety or even agoraphobia. By realigning the patient's skeletal system, these problems can be rectified before they get out of hand, and corrected without the need of harmful pharmaceutical approaches.

Integrated health care has been riding a wave of popularity since the 1990s, backed by such big names as Andrew Weil, Deepak Chopra and Charles Windsor, Prince of Wales. By the end of the 20th century, the a consortium for integrative medicine among academic health centers had been established, soon growing to a membership of 57 within just over a decade. Among its members is the prestigious Johns Hopkins University Medical School.

Integrative approaches to health care are less invasive than conventional medicine and, in many cases, less costly. Rather than surgical or medical modes of treatment, holistic practitioners are more likely to rely on tai chi, meditation, nutrition, and yoga. Biofeedback and stress reduction are also well-used tools in the holistic practitioner's repertoire.

Doctors and patients alike are warming up to the practice of integrated health. To be successful, it requires a partnership between patient and healer. The goal is to treat the body, mind, and spirit at the same time. As one of the most stressful cities on the planet, there is a strong argument for incorporating a more holistic, balanced approach to the maintenance of health and wellness in New York City.




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