Integrative medicine blends conventional and complementary care, while functional medicine seeks to identify root causes of symptoms first and restore the function of the different body systems.
When you have persistent symptoms or want to prevent health challenges, it’s natural to assume your choices start and end with conventional medicine.
But today’s healthcare landscape may offer more paths to wellness and health than ever, and many approaches consider not just the symptoms, but the whole person living with them as well.
Understanding these options may help you choose a practitioner and a plan that better fits your needs, values, and health goals.
Integrative medicine focuses on “whole person” care (also known as holistic care). It combines (integrates) conventional medicine approaches with evidence-based complementary strategies. For example, prescription medications and surgery with acupuncture and meditation.
An integrative practitioner aims to coordinate multiple aspects of care, often setting up and monitoring the management plan without necessarily providing all the services. Care approaches recommended under an integrative practitioner may include physical, mental, and lifestyle practices to manage pain and support health outcomes.
Functional medicine focuses on finding the root cause of health challenges by looking at the interaction between your body’s systems, genetics, lifestyle habits, and the environment. It views symptoms as clues to underlying system imbalances. The goal is to trace the why behind these symptoms so the root causes can be addressed.
Functional medicine sees illness as a process, not a label or diagnosis. It aims to restore or optimize the body’s function and interaction with the environment.
Functional practitioners also look at how your whole body works (not only the system or area of concern), and focus on how digestion, immunity, hormones, the brain, and other systems function in relation to one another.
Symptom relief matters in functional medicine, but lasting change and restoring optimal function are the main priorities of care. These are often addressed primarily through lifestyle changes, nutrition, stress management, and targeted therapies.
In short, integrative medicine combines conventional medical treatment and nonconventional complementary approaches to manage symptoms. Functional medicine aims to identify the cause of imbalances in the body and to manage them through lifestyle modifications and mind-body strategies.
Integrative medicine
An integrative medicine visit often begins much like a conventional doctor’s appointment. A practitioner will ask about your symptoms, medical history, and current medications, then perform a physical exam tailored to why you’re seeking care.
They will aim to quickly rule out urgent medical needs, order standard labs and testing if needed, and refer you to other specialists.
Integrative medicine visits will also include discussing multiple approaches. For example, an integrative practitioner will want to coordinate care with other clinicians and practitioners you’re seeing to plan and monitor medication use, surgeries, lifestyle habits, mind-body techniques, and other nonpharmaceutical strategies.
What to expect in the first appointment
An integrative medicine practitioner will likely check your blood pressure, heart rate, ears, eyes, skin, and neurological reflexes, and other relevant systems.
Depending on your symptoms, they may order a complete blood count, metabolic panel, iron levels, thyroid function, and other standard tests.
If something suggests a serious condition, they may also order specialized testing, such as MRIs, CT scans, or ultrasounds. Based on what they find, they may refer you to a specialist, such as a neurologist, dermatologist, allergist, or others if you’re not already seeing them.
You are likely to leave with a detailed plan that may include a combination of medications, physical therapy, nutritional guidance, mindfulness practices, acupuncture or chiropractic care, movement therapy, mental health or behavioral support, and other complementary strategies.
Functional medicine
Functional medicine takes a root-cause approach, which may take some time to establish. Care often unfolds as a partnership over weeks or months, with a focus on determining how your genetics, environment, habits, and health status interconnect, and what caused your symptoms.
A functional medicine practitioner will spend more time upfront mapping your medical history and current lifestyle than doing a physical exam.
They are likely to order specialized lab tests like gut microbiome analysis, food sensitivity panels, or hormone tests.
Your care plan may include supplements, physical activity recommendations, stress management techniques, and sleep hygiene guidance.
A functional medicine practitioner may be less likely to refer you out to other specialists, unless they suspect you need urgent care. They will usually wait until the lab results are back to determine next steps and will likely focus on a comprehensive lifestyle modification plan.
For example, they may draft specific guidelines for modifying diet, exercise routines, stress management techniques, and behavior. They are more likely to recommend supplements and mind-body techniques than pharmaceutical management.
Progress may be tracked through follow-up visits, lab reviews, and reports of how you feel.
You may continue to take medications for chronic conditions, but these are often complemented by lifestyle and nonpharmaceutical interventions. A possible goal for a functional medicine practitioner is to optimize your body systems in a way that may allow you to lower or discontinue some medication use.
What to expect in the first appointment
The first appointment with a functional medicine practitioner is usually longer because much of the time will be spent exploring your health story and concerns. They may create a “timeline” that links life events, lifestyle habits, relationships, and exposures to toxins to the symptoms you present.
You can expect questions about what you eat, how much you move, how long and how well you sleep, your stress levels, products you use, family medical history, and early childhood health challenges.
Based on the information you provide, a functional medicine practitioner will start a detailed symptom mapping, connecting different issues to possible systemic patterns. For example, they may try to connect a rash and persistent fatigue to problems with gut health, inflammation, or immunity.
A practitioner will likely order specialized lab tests during the first visit, and follow-up appointments will be used to review the results and continue building your personalized plan.
In the United States, medical licensure is regulated at the state level by multiple health or occupational boards. If you seek care from a healthcare professional, they must first hold an active state license.
Integrative medicine
Medical doctors, Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), can get board certification in integrative medicine through the American Board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM), which is part of the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS). This is the only recognized physician board certification in integrative medicine in the United States.
To be eligible, physicians need to have an active medical license, be board certified in another medical specialty (e.g., internal medicine), and undergo fellowship training in integrative medicine.
Board certification is a professional credential that is independent from the state license. In other words, an integrative practitioner needs both to practice as an integrative doctor.
Functional medicine
Functional medicine is not officially regulated by the states as a medical specialty. However, functional practitioners often hold a certification.
The Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM) offers the Functional Medicine Certified Practitioner certification, which means the person has completed formal training in functional medicine concepts. This certification does not replace state licensure.
Functional practitioners can be licensed clinicians from various disciplines, including physicians (MD, DO), nurse practitioners, dentists, naturopathic doctors, pharmacists, and physical therapists.
Insurance plans are usually built to cover conventional, diagnosis-driven care. Functional and integrative medicine often involve personalized, preventive, and alternative care.
Integrative care often includes modalities such as acupuncture, chiropractic, massage therapy, and other mind-body therapies. Depending on your plan, some of these services
Conventional aspects of care, such as prescription medications, physical exams, lab work, and imaging tests, are usually covered under insurance plans, but in some cases, specific billing codes or medical justifications may be required. Even if covered, you may need to ask if these are exempt from deductibles or copayments.
Some services offered by functional medicine practitioners are more likely to be covered when delivered or ordered by a licensed physician (MD or DO). Lifestyle plans, supplements, specialized tests, and extended visits are typically not covered.
Functional medicine practitioners do not usually work with health insurance companies and will inform you that this is the case.
What could help
Health savings accounts (HSAs) and flexible spending accounts (FSAs) may help you cover out-of-pocket expenses for those services not covered by medical insurance.
You may also be able to get partial reimbursement for office visits or lab tests if provided by a licensed clinician.
Many practices can provide a detailed invoice for out-of-pocket network reimbursement. However, it’s a good idea to check with the insurance company before you receive the services.
Consider calling your insurance company and asking about coverage for specific services, whether prior authorization or referrals are required, and how to get a reimbursement approved.
It’s also a good idea to confirm that the care professional you’ve chosen is licensed by the state and that your insurer recognizes their clinician status (in or out of network).
Your choice of care is a personal decision based on your experiences, symptoms, and preferences. Understanding what each modality can offer you may help you make an informed decision when seeking care.
Consider integrative medicine if you’re looking for conventional care that also involves science-backed complementary support like mindfulness, nutrition guidance, or acupuncture.
You may also want an integrative practitioner if you are receiving treatment for a specific condition (like heart health or cancer) but would like to expand your care to include guidance on nutrition, emotional health, stress management, or sleep hygiene.
Functional medicine can be a consideration if you have multiple symptoms that affect different body systems or organs and are interested in finding the root cause and triggers of these symptoms.
Functional medicine may be for you if you prefer a structured, system-based approach to prevention and long-term self-management and are open to making significant lifestyle changes.
For example, if you have a family history of cancer or heart disease and want to take steps toward reducing your risk by moving more, eating differently, and taking supplements, this type of care could be an option to consider.
Functional medicine may also be a preferred option for those who would like to approach their symptoms from a natural management perspective before trying medications.
When scheduling your appointment, it’s a good idea to ask what to bring with you to the visit and how long you can expect to be there.
To prepare for a doctor’s appointment for integrative medicine, consider bringing a detailed list of:
- current diagnoses
- current or past medical treatments
- other healthcare professionals who are members of your care team
- specific goals (e.g., pain relief, energy boost, better sleep)
What to ask
- Do these complementary therapies have scientific evidence? May I see documentation?
- Are these approaches safe with my medications?
- How will you coordinate care with my primary doctor (or other specialists)?
- Will my other doctors have access to my test results or the information I discuss with you?
- How will we track progress and over what timeline?
For a functional medicine appointment, consider:
- creating a timeline of major conditions or health events
- listing major life events that have affected your well-being (including those in your childhood)
- writing notes about your eating, sleeping, and physical activity habits in the last month
- identifying current major stressors and how you’re managing those
- listing your symptoms and rating them from mild to severe or occasional to persistent
What to ask
- Why do you need information about my past experiences?
- Why do I need specialized tests first? Are they all necessary now? Which can wait?
- How will the results affect our management plan?
- How will we measure progress in function and quality of life?
- How can I determine the safety of these supplements?
- Will these supplements interact with my medications?
- Do I need to pause conventional medicine treatments?
Functional and integrative medicine approaches aim to see you as a whole person and go beyond treating a set of symptoms. But they take different paths to care.
Integrative medicine integrates conventional care with evidence-based complementary therapies. Functional medicine focuses on your medical history and lifestyle habits to uncover root causes and aims to provide personalized plans based on habit modification.
Choosing between these modalities depends on your goals. Do you prefer a more traditional approach to health with some add-ons (integrative)? Or are you open to exploring what caused your symptoms in the first place and how you can modify habits to prevent health challenges or find relief from current ones (functional)?
Whichever care path you choose, it’s important to verify state licensure. All healthcare practitioners should have a license in the state where they practice.