What is integrative medicine?
Integrative medicine is a way of caring for people that looks at the whole person—not just their illness. It values the relationship between the doctor and the patient, uses proven treatments, and combines different types of care and healthy habits to help them feel their best. At MaineHealth, we listen to what our patients need and create individual treatment plans that use both regular medical care and complementary treatments. This approach can help people with short- or long-term health conditions. Integrative medicine might be a good choice for you if you want to stay healthy and prevent illness, or if you have a condition that hasn’t gotten better with regular medical care alone.
Services may include:
- Lifestyle medicine
- Medical Acupuncture
- Osteopathic manual medicine
- Mind-body medicine
- Basic nutritional counseling
We may recommend services that are not offered within MaineHealth and will help you identify appropriate providers when possible.
How does integrative medicine work?
Many people benefit from integrative medicine. For example, acupuncture may help with pain. Mindfulness meditation may help with sleep problems. Careful use of dietary supplements and botanical medicines may support various health conditions. And, lifestyle medicine may help you better manage a chronic condition.
How can I access integrative medicine services?
Talk to your primary care physician if you want to use this type of treatment. Integrative medicine may also be available to you during your MaineHealth hospital stay. Just ask a hospital care team member for more information.
Are there any risks?
- Don't use integrative medicine therapies in place of standard care. You may miss important treatment that could save your life.
- Natural health products like dietary supplements and herbs aren't regulated. This means the label may not be accurate. They may cause side effects or interact with your prescription medications.
- Consider the cost of integrative medicine. Your insurance may not cover this type of treatment.
Talk to your PCP
Talk to your primary care provider (PCP) if you are interested in using alternative medicine.
Lifestyle Medicine
Lifestyle medicine is a kind of medical care that focuses on positive lifestyle changes to help treat and prevent chronic health conditions.
