What do we talk about when we mention integrative medicine? The answer may be unknown to many people, but many medical professionals have an open and learning attitude that allows them to offer solutions to patients.

Do you know how to distinguish between integrative medicine and biological medicine? Once again, from Biosalud Day Hospital we want to shed light on these concepts that are sometimes misused and, in fact, assimilated to alternative therapies. We believe that integrative medicine has great benefits for the patient and that is something we see every day in our practice.

What is integrative medicine?

Integrative medicine is medicine that takes into account the medical aspects of the disease, the emotional aspects and the lifestyle. In addition, it considers the application of invasive therapies, thus ensuring that the side effects of the treatments on the patient are minimised.

When we talk about biological medicine, we are talking about a branch of medicine in which scientific and proven techniques are used to diagnose patients. It is therefore essential that practitioners have a broad knowledge of biochemistry, pathological anatomy, general anatomy and also physiology.

Once patients are diagnosed, part of the treatment may be to boost the activation of the immune system, if it is failing, so that the immune response is adequate. This is done by using knowledge of nutrition, genetics, or by assessing the patient's age and medical history. We could consider that the range of treatment possibilities for diseases that have been scientifically diagnosed is widened. and with a scientific diagnosis.

How is integrative medicine different from other alternative therapies?

This would be the second big question and the answer is important: alternative therapies claim to treat illnesses without the people who apply them having adequate medical knowledge or a qualification certifying that they have undergone medical studies.

The use of an alternative therapy - and not all alternative therapies are the same - may be recommended as a complementary method. For example, at Biosalud we consider important and are strict in the dietary guidelines that we provide to our patients as part of their treatment. We value the so-called "natural", but we do not make it exclusive.

Benefits of integrative medicine

I am sure that many people also wonder about the advantages of this type of medicine. In addition to the treatments already proven by science, there are other benefits that are important to appreciate:

- Personalised therapy. No two bodies are the same, nor are the factors that influence the onset of the disease the same. For this reason, treatments must be unique and personalised. In addition, associated with the disease is a state of mind that must be taken into account. A patient is a person with problems and this means that we must treat them closely, dedicating time to them, so that we can find out what their needs are.

- Stress factors such as queues or quick consultations are reduced. There are some patients who need calm because the disease makes them feel stressful or sad, for example. If there is one thing that characterises integrative or biological medicine, it is this: we dedicate time to the patient and apply the treatments in a caring environment, spaces for care and tranquillity.

- Knowledge on the part of the patient. The fact that we are dealing with a calm and personalised process means that the patient internalises their problems perfectly and can assimilate them better than in a quick consultation. Being aware of their problems and being aware of the solutions is undoubtedly fundamental for a real recovery.

- It is very effective for patients with chronic illnesses. Those with long-term or lifelong illnesses need to look at healing in a different way, as there will always be flare-ups or times when there are relapses or worsening, however mild they may be. Therefore, it would be interesting to see healing as a process in which we take into account different factors: social, physiological, psychological and nutritional. When one of them fails, if we strengthen the others, we will notice a significant improvement.

If we have helped you to learn more about integrative medicine and its benefits, you already know that another type of treatment process is possible.