Understanding Functional Medicine: A Personalized Approach to Complex Health Concerns

When symptoms do not fit neatly into one diagnosis, patients often need more than a quick prescription or a standard checklist. That is where functional medicine can offer a different perspective. At Savannah Functional Medicine, Dr. Christine Daecher, a board certified Internal Medicine physician with functional medicine certification, uses a personalized approach that considers medical history, lifestyle, laboratory findings, environmental factors, and individual health goals.

What Is Functional Medicine?

So, What Is Functional Medicine? In simple terms, it looks beyond the symptom itself and asks what factors may be contributing to it. Instead of treating fatigue, digestive problems, metabolic concerns, or inflammation as isolated issues, a functional medicine physician looks for connections between body systems.

For example, someone experiencing persistent fatigue may need a broader evaluation of nutritional status, hormone balance, gut health, inflammation, medications, lifestyle, and environmental exposures rather than assuming the problem has a single cause. Savannah Functional Medicine uses appropriate laboratory testing and individualized recommendations to build a care plan around the patient.

When a CIRS Doctor May Be Helpful

Patients who suspect illness related to a water damaged building may specifically seek a CIRS Doctor. Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) can involve complex, multisystem symptoms, and Savannah Functional Medicine offers evaluation using elements of the Shoemaker Protocol, which may include symptom assessment, Visual Contrast Sensitivity testing, laboratory work, environmental testing, and other specialized assessments when clinically appropriate.

This is particularly relevant for people who notice that symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, or unexplained physical complaints seem connected to particular indoor environments.

What to Expect From a Functional Medicine Consultation

A Functional Medicine Consultation is designed to provide time for a detailed conversation. At Savannah Functional Medicine, the initial telehealth consultation lasts about 60 minutes and includes discussion of health history, current concerns, previous laboratory results, potential testing, and treatment options.

Functional Medicine Florida Patients Can Access by Telehealth

For people searching for Functional Medicine Florida, Savannah Functional Medicine provides telemedicine care for patients physically located in Florida, as well as Georgia, South Carolina, and Texas. Patients must be physically located in a state where Dr. Daecher is currently licensed when the appointment takes place.

FAQs

Is functional medicine the same as primary care?
No. Dr. Daecher works as a functional medicine physician consultant, so patients should continue seeing their PCP for routine primary care, acute needs, and maintenance prescriptions.

Does Savannah Functional Medicine evaluate CIRS?
Yes. CIRS evaluation may include multiple clinical and laboratory assessments depending on the patient's history and presentation.

Are consultations available online?
Yes. Savannah Functional Medicine provides comprehensive telehealth consultations.