Integrative medicine combines alternative medicine with conventional medicine. It aims to treat the whole person, rather than just the symptoms. It uses methods such as homeopathy, acupuncture, and herbal medicine.

What is integrative medicine?

Integrative medicine is a type of care that combines conventional medicine with complementary and alternative therapies, such as chiropractic, acupuncture, herbal medicines, meditation, or massage. The goal of integrative medicine is to promote wellness of the mind, body, and spirit by treating the person as a whole. This approach to care can be beneficial for people dealing with a variety of conditions from chronic pain to cancer. Some people choose to incorporate integrative medicine alongside conventional medications to find relief from their symptoms. Others may choose to use holistic methods alone to manage their condition or prevent an illness. Talk to your dentist if you’re interested in incorporating integrative medicine into your treatment plan. Your doctor can provide guidance on which types of therapy will best suit your needs.

Research shows that integrating different therapies can help improve overall health and quality of life. Some benefits of integrative medicine include decreased pain and inflammation, better immune system function, and improved mood.

If you suffer from chronic headaches or migraines, consider visiting a chiropractor for an adjustment to your cervical spine. The nerves that come out of your spine control your head and neck. When those nerves are irritated, you can experience pain and discomfort in areas like your neck and head. A chiropractor can help correct any misalignments in the spine that can help relieve the symptoms of this condition.

Benefits of integrative medicine

Some patients find that “alternative” treatments such as acupuncture and herbal remedies can help to relieve pain or discomfort and encourage natural healing. If you choose to incorporate alternative therapies into your treatment plan, be sure to consult with your dentist before beginning any treatment. Your dentist may advise against certain remedies that could interact with medications prescribed by your oral surgeon or other procedures that you plan to undergo in the future. You may also want to discuss the use of certain types of supplements with your dentist as many of them can interfere with certain dental procedures, including teeth whitening procedures. For example, some forms of vitamin C may cause the teeth to become more sensitive to whitening products. Talk to your dentist to determine if there are any types of alternative medicines that you should discontinue before undergoing any type of dental treatment.

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**This blog topic was created from A Lifetime of Smiles by Dr. Ken Cory**

Author Bio - Dr. Kenneth Cory is a general and cosmetic dentist with over 25 years of experience. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry and has dedicated his career to the study and development of the latest dental techniques and technologies. To learn more about his practice, contact him at [phone-number] or visit his [Web link].