How Functional Medicine Differs from Conventional Medicine

​Dr. Arthur Copes is a Baton Rouge, Louisiana holistic care provider who directs the Bio Wellness Center and utilizes a naturopathic approach to health issues that range from headaches to weight gain. One of the foundations of Dr. Arthur Copes’ practice is a commitment to functional medicine.

With conventional approaches, a symptom-based diagnosis code is obtained for virtually any health issue. Treatment then proceeds within parameters defined by the code and corresponding insurance.

Medical treatment typically relies on Louis Pasteur’s germ theory in focusing on eliminating bacteria through antibodies, and suppressing symptoms. When one round of antibodies is ineffective, a stronger drug may be utilized, degrading the body’s immune system. When medications fail, the physician may recommend surgery to remove the problematic region of the body.

By contrast, functional medicine seeks out underlying causes of pain and illness. Rather than viewing illness as a sum of isolated symptoms, it uncovers issues that include the pathological, hormonal, parasitic, and genetic and those that relate to environmental exposure. This systems-oriented discovery process includes various tests, from the hormonal to blood work.