Integrative Insights / Framework Integrative Medicine

Most of us associate “pain injections” with cortisone (steroid) shots or nerve blocks, common interventions that often work very well for acute pain. These allow physicians to quickly get painful swelling under control, and in some cases better confirm the source and location of the pain. But what happens when the injection fails, or the effect wears off? This is where alternative injections therapies shine, in the management of recurring and chronic pain syndromes.  As mentioned above, sometimes the steroid injections and nerve blocks fail. Even when they succeed,

In modern culture, we are sadly all too familiar with chronic stress and the insidious symptoms of high cortisol: abdominal weight gain, insomnia, mood swings, headaches, high blood pressure and increased appetite. Stress was already a way of life long before the COVID-19 pandemic came along, completely flipping daily living upside down. According to the American Psychological Association, 78% of adults reported a significant increase in their stress levels 2020 onward. When you consider how chronic stress destroys a body, this number is even more frightening.  Identifying and treating

In recent years there has been a noticeable increase in radio ads and articles promoting men’s treatment for “low T.” There is an increased awareness and understanding of just how important optimal testosterone levels are for health and longevity. Women, too, suffer when their testosterone levels are low and can also benefit from treatment. It’s no secret that men’s testosterone levels have been in a slow and steady decline for decades now. Why is this happening? The truth is, we don’t know. It may be due to a combination

According to the National Institutes of Health, roughly 5% of Americans have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and many more remain undiagnosed. Of the millions of people with hypothyroidism, the majority have a much more important diagnosis of autoimmune disease: Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s is the leading cause of low thyroid in this country, and although we think of it as a “thyroid” disease, it’s more accurate to call it an immune system disease. When you have an autoimmune disease, your white blood cells create antibodies that target your own tissues

Everyone knows about diabetes, but what about the insulin resistance that comes first? Identifying and treating high insulin early is the key to preventing pre-diabetes and diabetes. Many more conditions, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and heart disease, are easier to manage when insulin is addressed from the start. Long before that rising insulin manifests into a “disease,” it can cause a whole host of unpleasant symptoms such as sugar cravings, fatigue, and easy weight gain. The good news? Insulin resistance responds well to diet changes and natural