Read this article to find out more about functional and learn if it’s the right option for you and your health.

In Florida, we believe the sun and salt air can cure just about anything. But there are times when you might need to see a doctor, even in the Sunshine State. This guide will tell you why you should consider a functional medicine doctor like Dr. Llaird Likens instead of your conventional medicine doctor. We will cover:

• Functional medicine doesn’t just mask symptoms, it finds the source of symptoms
• Functional medicine is an alternative to surgery
• Functional medicine prioritizes nutrition as a part of your overall wellness
• Functional medicine looks at your health as one whole picture 

Read on to compare the two approaches and find out if functional medicine is right for you.

Conventional doctors can use medication to mask symptoms. Functional medicine seeks to find the source of symptoms.

Symptoms are a signal from the body to you that something is wrong. Masking them does not lead to healing. However, conventional medicine often jumps quickly to medication to deal with symptoms. 

Rather than suppressing symptoms with medicine, Dr. Llaird Likens will investigate those symptoms to find the root cause. Then, once the root cause is discovered, Dr. Likens will provide treatment to alleviate the condition and give the body the chance to heal itself. 

Conventional medicine can often lead to surgery. Functional medicine can prevent surgery.

Dr. Likens is always happy to help a patient heal and find relief. When an impending surgery can be avoided, that’s the cherry on top. 

Northwest Florida resident Joseph Kalbaka had been suffering since 1967 with pain and stress on his shoulders, neck and lower back. Traditional medicine told him he needed to completely fuse his back through highly invasive surgery.

Instead, Joseph sought alternative treatment. Dr. Likens was able to prescribe a treatment plan including chiropractic care and acupuncture and Joseph is now managing his pain through continual treatments and without surgery.

Conventional medicine doesn’t focus enough on nutrition. Functional medicine uses diet as a tool in part of an overall wellness plan.

Your body is capable of tremendous healing if you give it the right environment. Functional medicine providers seek to help you establish that environment, in large part through diet. 

What you eat can have a profound effect on your energy, inflammation levels and overall health. While conventional methods typically look to medicine to provide solutions, functional medicine seeks to provide the body with nutrients so that it can heal naturally. Dr. Llaird Likens specializes in clinical nutrition and can help you make lifestyle adjustments that lead to feeling much better. 

Conventional medicine isolates body parts, symptoms and conditions. Functional medicine looks at the body as a whole.

Conventional medicine can tend to treat symptoms independently from one another and also send you to specialists for different issues. This approach compartmentalizes your health and can keep any particular provider from seeing the whole picture.

Dr. Llaird Likens provides a thorough examination of the body and lifestyle upon your first visit. That allows him to get a full picture of your health in order to determine everything that is contributing to your condition and symptoms. He can connect the dots between symptoms and true underlying causes that you might not have even considered.

Many times people find their way to a functional medicine doctor because they are desperate to find relief. For example, Ashley S. came to see Dr. Likens as an active person who could find answers about her pain from conventional medicine doctors.

“Dr. Llaird is the best Chiropractor. He is incredibly knowledgeable and he really addressed the source  of pain that all of the other Doctors’ overlooked. He was a life saver for my active lifestyle!”

The focus functional medicine puts on your overall and underlying health is the reason you should consider stopping in to see Dr. Llaird Likens. If you have any questions, call us today so we can help you get started. Dr. Llaird Likens accepts insurance and offers self-pay options. He services those living or visiting in Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Midway or Mary Esther.