As patients make more of an effort to maintain a healthy lifestyle, more physicians have incorporated integrative medicine into treatment plans, according to THOnline.com.
Here are four things to know:
1. Eighteen percent of Americans use herbal supplements, surpassing that of chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation (8.5 percent) and yoga (8.4 percent), as found in a U.S. National Center for Health Statistics report.
2. A reported 92 percent of Americans believe massage therapy is an effective treatment for minimizing pain, and 74 percent say it should be considered a form of healthcare.
3. Integrative medicine entails treating the patient as a whole person as opposed to only treating their symptoms.
4. Many integrative medical providers may staff their practices with dietitians or may prescribe alternative therapeutic approaches including acupuncture or massage therapy to supplement their conventional care treatments.
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