Conditions
Resources & Information
As your medical team, MCHM clinicians diagnose and treat using standard diagnosis terms. but work to reduce imbalances and work towards balance in body, mind, and emotions. We go in-depth to provide excellent evidence based, well researched treatment plans. Consider yourself part of the team to provide your expertise. You are the expert in you.
ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS AND RESULTS DRIVEN
General
Accelerated Aging
Are you 30+ 40+ 50+ and seeing wrinkles that are there anymore- pulling your face. Still looking good and got those fine lines. Feeling a little more tired and struggling to find joy in life that you once had. Aging is its own morbidity and disease. At MCHM, we offer an anti-aging approach to medicine.The anti-aging approach takes some explanation. I have heard the question: “are you going to help me stop getting older?” Chronologically aging or stated in a different way, the number of times that you have rotated around the sun, is going to happen. We want to slow or reverse the course of metabolic aging. Organs decline and there can be changes in the regulation of systems like elevated liver enzymes, tachycardia, irregular bowel movements. Decreased absorption of the nutrient in the gut, decline in our reserves in our sex hormones and enzyme function, developing the brain that requires a tremendous amount of fuel and takes priority over the remainder of the body, these are all parts of metabolic aging. Aging is its own disease. As we say good-bye to Betty White at 99, we can see the possibility of a long life well-lived with little medical problems or decline as we age.
Fatigue
Not being able to get off the couch after work, feeling brain fog, declining progressively, energy zapped from the process of solely ‘making it through the day.’ At MCHM, we have seen so many people suffer with this condition, well until they start working with us. Our multidisciplinary approach of nutrition support, removing toxins, energy support supplementation- both oral and IV, allow for an increase in recovery and energy reserve so that you can build back and take full advantage of the opportunities that life offers. Our physicians work to reduce time and frustration in your recovery from fatigue and on to living your life more fully.
Health Optimization
Our vision at MCHM is that after patients recover from the metabolic or infectious or inflammatory condition that they initially come to us for, that they will continue to work with us to create optimal health. Freeing yourself from dis-ease. Detaching and releasing into a place of ease in the body comes when you gain a sense of control over your body. You make decisions about your body. You are able to handle and improve your body’s health and well-being for the remainder of your life. Healthy at 100! Your MCHM team is eager to support you in your goal of removing dis-ease and embracing ease of your health. Biohacking, i.e. your golden ticket to living a life well-lived, is the act of understanding the complexities of the biological system of the human body to improve the systems with the least amount of risks and the greatest amount of benefits.
Immune
Recurrent Infections
Feeling tired of being sick and tired. Infections that continue for prolonged periods quickly become the priority, dominating your time and reducing your energy. Additionally, continual and prolonged use of antibiotics and steroids can become their own problem. Physicians at MCHM want to help you recover faster and get stronger in your immune system. We understand the complexity of recurrent infections. Working on reducing symptoms as well as applying treatment that address root cause principles to reduce incidence and frequency of infections as well as reduce use of antibiotics and steroids to reduce their consequences for the body. Physician level protocols include custom treatment plan, close follow-up, multidisciplinary team approach, specialty labs, advanced infusions such as ozone therapy, light UBI as well as high dose nutrient infusions.
Allergies
Whether seasonal, environmental, or food, allergies tell us that the immune system is becoming compromised. These allergies and sensitivities begin to mount and amplify one another. Infection can become a regular occurrence and then along comes visits to specialists, long-term medications, surgeries, etc. It doesn’t end and the solution always seems beyond the next door. All the while, you feel more run down and less joyful in life. At MCHM, we realize that you need symptom support while you have root cause analysis and treatment.
Severe Infections
Lyme, EBV, mold, and parasite infections are circumstances that necessitate the treatment plan to be directed by a physician. We have specialty testing to evaluate and treat severe chronic conditions like Lyme, EBV that include RGCC testing, ozone therapy, UBI therapy, NAD infusions, herbal anti-microbial protocols, and physical medicine. Our clinic has successfully worked with patients to either greatly abate or resolve symptoms. We recommend contacting our office for a discovery call.
Skin
Scar Therapy
Adhesive qualities of scars whether it is from an injury, a surgery like C-sections or joint replacement, or elective procedures like breast augmentation are extremely disruptive to the organization of the body. Reducing restrictions of scars creates lasting improvement to the body’s form and therefore, function. Rather than working with synthetic chemicals, scar therapy injections include natural substances that activate your healing properties. Natural substances can include platelet rich plasma injections, ozone, sterile saline, and/or nutrients. People with extensive scarring or significant chronic pain who have had multiple surgeries choose to work with our physicians to add physical medicine to their treatment plan to improve the response. Most people find improvement in the first 1-3 injections. However, scar therapy may necessitate several treatments for significant results.
Acne
Skin conditions such as acne are often correlated to issues with gut dysfunction, hormone imbalances, overwhelm of liver detoxification pathways leading to toxins going into the organ of the skin. Holistic providers take skin conditions like acne very seriously because they often tell of inflammation, infection, and nutrition deficiencies on the inside. Unlike other holistic doctors who want to heal skin conditions from the inside out, we can work on healing the body from the outside in. With the MCHM physician directed medical spa, you will work with highly skilled medical estheticians so the healing of acne can occur more quickly. By working from the outside in and the inside out, you are healing in multiple areas.
Neurologic
Migraines
Throbbing, pulsating pain and still the need to make it through the day. Fear of the next migraine or what will be a trigger that all of a sudden migraines stays at the back of your mind. Medications are a necessary bandaid for those with migraines. However, finding the root causes of migraines with its lifestyle factors, nutrition deficiencies, environmental factors, and physical components means that you need to take action today and schedule your discovery call to find a physician that will work with you. At the core of the physician support will be understanding food sensitivities as well as the stress-immune connection.
Articles:
The Role of Magnesium in Pathophysiology and Migraine Treatment
The Vitamin D Role in Preventing Primary Headache in Adult and Pediatric Population
Vertigo
Spinning- either you or the room. This feeling often comes out of nowhere at first and then seems to plaque so many everyday activities. Limiting quality of life. Testing to diagnose this condition is easy. Treating this condition requires a larger approach. Hydration, nutrition, the musculoskeletal system, as well as the tension on and in the ear are impactful to the crystals in the inner ear and circular canals. Most people will see improvement with the steps in the take action today section. However, this requires a skilled practitioner of physical medicine. We have clinicians experienced with the successful treatment of this condition in each location.
Fibromyalgia
At MCHM, we recognize that patients with fibromyalgia are strong and are fighters. If you have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, you have been fighting hard your entire life. You have been fighting to protect yourself. At some point, the mind-body connection became consistently and then constantly engaged in the fight. So little is known about fibromyalgia and most of the time, people hear that fibromyalgia is all in their heads. Well, MCHM sees fibromyalgia inside the body with a relationship to our thoughts and feelings. When we work with the body, we have a way to support the mind to release patterns of fibromyalgia.
Fibrous tension and muscle tension can gain a tighter and tighter hold on you until life becomes exhausting. You may feel beat up from all the tension. It may even feel like a vice over parts of your body or the organ tissue holds so much tension that it makes you prone to chronic infections. We need to support you in releasing the patterns of tension and engage the inherent power that exists in you. At MCHM, we work with you to address the tension, improve the nutrient deficiencies, lower the inflammation, and activate the pulsing of life and an energetic body.
Gastrointestinal
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
One of the commercials that are most impressive to me is the stressed out middle aged lady late to eat her lunch who rushes to the food truck. She quickly grabs and downs a hot dog and a milkshake. Then, an on fire abdomen is illustrated over her body and she looks like she feels physically ill. She takes a pill and in no time she is doing great. If you are reading this message on our website, you have already seen the pieces of a this scenario fall apart. Except, now you are stuck on a pill and continue to have symptoms. A pill that you want to but don’t know how to stop taking. For most people that follow our Actions that you can take today, relief will come your way. There are a few people, that the GERD is a more underlying problem. In those instances, working with a physician is highly recommended.
Indigestion / Abdominal Bloating / Altered Bowel Movements
Food seems to sit in your body and takes more energy to digest than it does to provide you with energy. Bloating, after-eating fatigue, cramping, burping are all symptoms that can plague a person. 75% of the immune system lives in the gut because risk for gut infection is high. Every amount of food or liquid mounts a response from your immune system. An over active response from our immune system or a continuous threat of a pathogen will likely keep these symptoms sticking around or easy to return.
Underlying most medical problems is the GI system with maldigestion, malabsorption, and insufficient elimination. Gut issues and symptoms are so impactful to the health of all the other symptoms that testing the gut for pathogens, inflammation, and overgrowth, is often the first place to start in the treatment plan. Stool testing for pathogens and immune response is an important part of a physician guided individualized treatment plan. Treatment of gut ailments can be done with antibiotics, but side-effects and resistance are important considerations. Our patients receive an evidence based, well researched treatment protocol that is primarily herbal. In rare cases and after careful considerations, medications are prescribed.
Cardiovascular
Hypertension
Classically appreciated as an elevation in blood pressure, the idea of hyper-tension makes more sense when we look at the breakdown of the term itself. Excess tension or constriction in the body impacts the vascular system. Blood vessels become restricted, which has an inverse relationship to flow. Blood pressure levels go up and the ability of the blood to flow and provide circulation to the tissues and organs goes down. As a result, tissues and organs have less oxygen and more waste accumulates. In this setting, organs age metabolically much faster. There is not one answer or a magic pill to treating hypertension because hypertension occurs for many reasons in the body. That being stated, many ways exist to reduce hypertension that are supportive of the body and have long lasting results. Evaluating hypertension involves lab work, therapies including HeartMath, nutrient support.
Atherosclerosis / Elevated Cholesterol
Hardening of the arteries occurs when cholesterol and calcium plaque collect in the arterial wall. Thickened and inflamed blood vessels can lead to heart attack and stroke. Most people rely on lipid tests to evaluate if atherosclerosis is present. At MCHM, we rely on blood testing that has been available for over 20 years old. As part of an initial panel of labs, you can understand your actual risk for plaque formation, heart attack, and stroke. Most importantly, you can reduce your risk. Then, you can have your labs drawn again to confirm that the treatments are working. Improve your blood vessels, improve your blood flow, and improve your body.
Respiratory
Asthma / Bronchitis
Airway inflammation and airway constriction have multiple causes. Time tested short-term treatment is steroids. Steroids, as immunosuppressants, have long-term lasting effects and consequences for the entire body like cortisol fatigue and bone mineral depletion. We need to steer away from steroids, over time, by supporting the natural ability to reduce inflammation, thus improving the ability to breathe. Airways respond very well to herbal support. Other supports make breathing easier and reduce reliance on medications that suppress the immune system.
Musculoskeletal
Chronic Pain
When the pain stops you in your tracks, your body is forcing you to pay attention. Often pain becomes the main message that our brain receives from the musculoskeletal system. Sharp shooting or dull, achy and worsening throughout the day, why can’t it stop? Pain often derails your plans or you limit your day because of fear, anticipation, or in preparation for having to deal with everyday pain. We can address the pain.
Joint Pain / Osteoarthritis
Waking up in pain or being restricted in what activities that you can enjoy and for how long, make arthritis limit quality of life. In Latin, arthritis means arthr – “joint” and itis -” inflammation.” The diagnosis is merely a description and not an endpoint. Whether the pain is in small joints like fingers or toes or larger joints such as elbows, shoulders, knees and/or hips, treatment begins with reducing the sensation of pain. Then, the treatment is to reduce inflammation. Going a step further, working with our clinicians can support you in finding root cause analysis.
Urinary
Chronic Kidney Disease
Kidney function is evaluated by the lab “GFR” which means glomerular filtration rate, the filtration rate of the filter (glomerulus) of the kidney. When the kidney has a good filter, then the GFR value is 90 or more. However, kidney function is often based on population reference ranges and lab results are reported as >60. Chronic kidney disease starts when the value is less than 90. The kidney is a difficult organ to assist and the current mainstay approach for kidneys is to observe until dialysis is recommended. Kidneys can respond to herbal support and physical medicine.
Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections
Antibiotics, and hopefully at least adding probiotics, is the mainstay for recurring UTIs.The concurrent symptoms including fatigue, pain, affected bowels, and/or chronic inflammation make recurrent UTIs a dreaded inevitable part of one’s life. They limit quality of life and it seems like the next one could be just around the corner. Long-lasting kidney infections along with chronic fatigue can mount if these infections remain unresolved. Root cause analysis is paramount to reducing the frequency and severity of these infections. Here’s the key to lasting treatment, recognizing that the problem is not just in the bladder. Recurrent UTIs come from multi-systemic problems. Working with our clinicians, we work with you to address these problems so that your entire well-being improves and recurrent UTIs are a problem in the past.
Urinary Incontinence
The number one admission to nursing homes is bladder and bowel incontinence. Bladder sling surgery (one or more than one), medications that rarely work or make you feel many side effects, thick heavy chlorine bleached pads, embarrassing personal and social situations, and the list goes on for why someone wants this issue addressed. What is the worst is that people believe that this condition is “just a part of getting older.” At MCHM, diminished function of the bladder and its integrity are able to be improved without surgery or medicine recommendations. Physical medicine rehabilitation from acupuncture or osteopathic manipulation provides tremendous benefit.
Lymphatic
Congestion
The waste accumulation that naturally happens in the body from normal metabolism along with fluid accumulation due to chronic disease like poor vascular circulation, gut and other organ infections, fibromyalgia, etc. Swelling, bloating, congestion, heaviness, and sluggish movement occur when the lymph system becomes congested. Moving the lymphatics helps remove stagnant waste as well as encourage a release of stored waste in the lymph nodes, lymph system, and backlogged in the tissues.
Endocrine
Adrenal Hormone Imbalance
You are a high functioning executive able to take on the world and tackle any problem. Well, at least you were. Now, you do what you have to do. It seems like the only place that life really makes sense is lying on the couch. But, you didn’t work this hard for this long to not enjoy the challenges and satisfactions that life brings. You have lost your energy reserve and an ability to recover. The imbalance that has been created can be improved and you will go on to gain in power, getting stronger and a growing zest for life. The imbalance is in your adrenal glands as well in the hormonal pathways of your body. You need a reset that addresses the root cause. You need to go from driving a pinto to driving a corvette. We are here to help you.
Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
More than one reason exists for why you have dysregulation of blood sugar. DM2 is a chronic medical condition that is about how our bodies process blood sugar as well as stress levels and muscle fatigue. Labs for evaluating blood sugar must include evaluating insulin secretion from the pancreas, insulin resistance in the muscles, as well as fasting, 3 week, and 3 month blood sugar averages. Medications are metabolic disruptors in an already metabolically disrupted state and may not address the reason that your body is struggling with problems with blood sugar. Looking at the many lab values (more than HbA1c and fasting blood sugar) is a key factor to understanding the reasons for blood sugar dysregulation in your body. Treatment is about reversing blood sugar dysregulation to first, prevent the problems that severely affect the vascular system and organs including the heart, kidneys, intestines, and/or eyes and second, to optimize your well-being.
Hypothyroid
Feeling sluggish in your mind and your body can direct people to realizing that the thyroid gland, a major hormone organ of the body, is depleted. Optimal values of TSH, thyroid stimulating hormone, are between 1.0 and 2.0. However, reference ranges of the general population (including those with thyroid disorders) shows 0.5-4.2. TSH is one lab biomarker to evaluate thyroid, but not the most valuable. Looking at how your thyroid functions and if the immune system is involved with a sluggish thyroid must be done with the other thyroid biomarkers that are easily available. Lack of adequate lab evaluation as well as an inadequate thyroid support (glandular as well as nutrient deficiencies) are what continues to keep people feeling sluggish. With adequate lab testing, nutrient and possibly glandular support, as well as considering root cause analysis, the sluggishness in your mind and body can reduce- muscles work better, the mind processes clearer, and your sense of well-being improves.
AutoImmune
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Tired of those red, hot, painful joints? Still waiting for an answer as to why your ibuprofen isn’t working anymore? These could be signs that you have an imbalance in which your immune system is attacking parts of your own body. In essence, you may be having difficulty recognizing “self” from “non-self” in your body, resulting in inflammation, pain or other symptoms. Through a thorough laboratory workup, diet/lifestyle changes, supplements and acupuncture, we can rebalance your immune system, so you can get back to being you!
Scleroderma
If you experience lack of circulation in your hands and feet, swelling or skin thickening in your extremities or even discoloration, then you may be dealing with an autoimmune condition that results in overproduction of collagen, and can affect many different organs in your body. Scleroderma is a condition that can vary in symptom presentation and is highly individualized in terms of severity and progression; Thus, the best way to to understand your individualized presentation is to do thorough exams and advanced testing and offer an individualized plan. AVISE Testing is used to confirm diagnoses, monitor inflammatory processes in your body and check for comorbidities (i.e. “ride along” conditions, as many autoimmune conditions can present with other autoimmune conditions). Food Sensitivity testing and dietary interventions explore how what you eat may be contributing to how you feel. Using this information, your provider will individualize an eating plan geared towards avoiding the foods that exacerbate your symptoms and may be standing in the way of your healing journey.
Women's Health
Pelvic Pain
For many these symptoms are ignored as “just normal aging.” Pain is a message from the body that there is a problem. If people are lucky they are recommended to go to pelvic floor physical therapy (often covered by insurance and PT is not available through MCHM). MCHM sees the patients that do not achieve results with physical therapy. We recommend meeting with a physician as infection, misalignment, and inflammation can play a role in the problem. Our physician directed treatment plan offers an array of tools to support the multi-faceted components of pelvic pain including platelet rich plasma injections (known as the O-shot), specialized medical skin treatments, bladder and vaginal ozone insufflation.
Menopause
It’s there, we all know it; that first hot flash, the change in sleep patterns, maybe even some increased anxiety or mood swings. While it’s a natural process to go through perimenopause, and ultimately menopause, it doesn’t have to be painful. While bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can be very helpful in some women, there is no specific “pill for your ill.” It is important to look at the whole picture, which includes not only your hormone status, but your detoxification pathways (i.e. how you are processing hormones and toxins), food sensitivities, as well as other potential root-cause contributors. You are a dynamic being, and if we are doing our jobs right, you will be optimizing and regenerating your natural physiological processes, making you a better version of you! For this reason, we don’t offer hormone pellets, as we want your treatment plan to grow with you during your regenerative process. Additionally, as in any time of transition, we explore how your mind and spirit are influencing your physical being to better balance your entire system. Oh, and we can help with your hot flashes.
Fertility
Trying or thinking about getting pregnant? Have a long history of oral birth control use or even a history of miscarriages? Starting with assisted fertility treatments? Well, optimizing fertility? Our MCHM team will meet with you, listen to your story and struggles and come up with a plan to prepare you for conception. Through comprehensive assessments, lifestyle/diet modifications, acupuncture, and/or IV infusions we work to balance your entire system so you are ready to receive a child, however that may look for you. While we prefer to work with you for a few months prior to you actively trying to conceive, our ND’s will meet you where you are at to help you along in your fertility journey. And why stop there? Once you get pregnant, we are here to help you navigate all of your trimesters, with natural, adjunctive suggestions to support healthy pre- and post- natal periods, while you work with your OB/GYN and/or midwife. We work with your other providers to offer safe and effective strategies to manage minor complaints of pregnancy, manage anxiety/depressive symptoms when your normal medications are unavailable to you, and prepare you for the best labor and delivery you can have.
Breast Implant Illness
While gaining exposure in recent years, the symptoms associated with Breast Implant Illness (BII) have not been clearly defined and there is no definitive diagnosis for BII. Still, if you are experiencing excessive fatigue, unexplained rashes or skin problems, increased joint and/or muscle pain, headaches, mood changes, hair loss, brain fog and changes in sleep patterns AND you have breast implants or recently removed your implants, you could be suffering from BII. Sometimes, these symptoms may arise immediately after surgery, others they can present later, and can persist after implant removal as well.
Lack of recognition of BII as a well defined condition can make it difficult to feel heard and understood, but at MCHM we are happy to work with you. Often this starts with a consultation with one of our physicians, to thoroughly review your specific constellation of symptoms, then determine if any laboratory testing is indicated. Based on these discussions, we will recommend a course of treatment that may include physical medicine (i.e. OMT or acupuncture), as well as diet and supplements targeting your natural detoxification processes and to balance your immune response.
Psychiatric
Anxiety
Feelings of overwhelm along with a physiological reaction to situations cause a state of alarm and uncertainty. Addressing the underlying cause of nutrition deficiencies, possible infection, overwhelm from inflammation, and likely hormone imbalances supports the body to find a place of joy and ease. Anti-anxiety medications are often a difficult part of treatment of anxiety. Many people are concerned that they can’t get off their meds. With medical supervision, many of the patients who come to MCHM are able to successfully reduce and eventually remove medications.
Depression / Loss of Joy
Having difficulty concentrating on work? Running out of energy and being short-tempered with the people that you love. Feeling a loss of joy and excitement can be very difficult to tolerate especially when you just see it getting worse. At MCHM, we offer our patients a deeper dive into recovering from loss of joy with more intensive lab tests and lab reviews. With the support of our physician services, detailed individualized supplement regimen, infusion regimen, and qualitative outcome measurements.
Examples of Medical Conditions
We Treat
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