At Integrated Medicine of Ohio, our goal is to help reduce pain and discomfort for our patients, to help get them to be more functional and give them their quality of life back! Our team of experts works with you to create customized plans to meet your health and wellness goals.
Below are some of the conditions we address. Click on each box to learn more about each respective health issue.
A common ailment, neck pain can be a result of poor posture, a fall, or an automobile collision. It’s also a common symptom of osteoarthritis.
Symptoms
As the shoulder is the most “movable” joint in a person’s body, it is quite susceptible to pain and discomfort. Bone fractures, swelling around the shoulder and its joint, and damage to this area are all causes of shoulder pain.
Shoulder pain can occur from an accident, repetitive movement, or even lifting a heavy object.
Knee pain is quite common. It can interfere with daily routines and turn a patient’s life upside down. The knee is made up of fluid, ligaments, cartilage, and bones, while muscles and tendons help the knee joint to move. When any of these are damaged, knee pain ensues.
Some common sources of knee pain, include:
Hormone imbalances occur when a patient has too little or too much of one or more hormones in their system. It’s an umbrella term for a variety of hormone-related conditions. Some include:
Acne Issues: Fluctuations in hormones are a significant factor in acne, which can explain why many adolescents deal with this during puberty. With that said, adults can experience acne problems due to hormonal imbalances, especially during pregnancy and menopause.
Diabetes: This condition is the most common hormone-related condition in America.
Infertility: Hormone imbalances are the number one cause of infertility in women.
Irregular Menstrual Cycles: A number of hormones are at play during menstruation, and an imbalance of one or more of them can contribute to irregular periods.
Obesity: In some cases, being obese is not about lifestyle, but rather the imbalance of hormones in the body. A fine example of this is the cortisol hormone. In excess, it can be a contributing factor to obesity.
Thyroid Disease: The two main types of this illness are hyperthyroidism (high levels of the thyroid hormone) and hypothyroidism (low levels of the thyroid hormone). Each one has a number of potential causes.
One of the most common reasons people miss work or seek medical attention can be back pain. Patients can suffer from upper or lower back pain, and the discomfort itself be from muscle aches to burning, shooting, or stabbing sensations within the back. In addition, the pain can radiate down the side of a leg. It can cause difficulty in twisting, bending, standing, lifting, or even simply walking.
This condition is a result of destroyed nerves located outside of the spinal cord and brain (peripheral nerves). Neuropathy causes numbness, pain, and weakness, commonly in the feet and hands; however, it can affect other areas of the body, including circulation, digestion, and urination.
Symptoms
Migraines are like headaches, but far more severe and generally felt on one side of a patient’s head. They can be accompanied by vomiting and nausea, plus, create sensitivity to sound and light. At times, migraines can go on for hours or days. The discomfort can interfere with a person’s day-to-day routines.
Inflammation occurs when chemicals from your white blood cells enter your tissue or blood to protect your body from “outside invaders” like viruses and bacteria. However, when it comes to some illnesses, your immune system can signal inflammation when there are no “outside invaders” to battle. With such autoimmune diseases, your body believes regular tissues are infected, creating inflammation, which can cause damage. Increased white blood cells and the things they produce can cause irritation on the inside of your joints, joint lining swelling, as well as cartilage loss.
Symptoms
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects the gastrointestinal tract (intestines and stomach). The condition is a chronic disorder, where patients need to monitor the illness over the long term. Signs and symptoms of IBS include constipation, diarrhea, cramping, stomach pain, gas, and bloating.
Many patients can control IBS through diet and lifestyle; however, some do experience severe symptoms that need to be managed with a healthcare provider.
As the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis develops when the “protective” cartilage that cushions a bone end, wears off. It typically affects joints in the spine, hips, hands, and knees, although it can destroy any joint within the body.
Symptoms
As bone is a living tissue that is consistently being broken down and replaced, with this condition, new bone creation can’t keep up with the loss of old bone. As such, bones become brittle and weak; so much so, that mild stresses like coughing, bending over, or a minor fall, can cause breakage. Most common fractures occur in the spine, wrist, or hip.
Symptoms
It’s important to note that there are no early signs of osteoporosis until bone loss/weakness occurs. After this, patients can see:
A chronic and inflammatory condition, rheumatoid arthritis is a disorder that affects more than a patient’s joints. The illness can destroy various body systems, including the eyes, skin, blood vessels, lungs, and heart.
As an autoimmune disorder, RA develops when the immune system incorrectly goes after its own body tissues. It affects the lining of the joints, which causes terrible swelling and can also (eventually) result in joint deformity and bone erosion.
Symptoms
Being overweight or obese isn’t solely a cosmetic worry; it increases the risk of other health conditions like diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease, and high blood pressure. While there are many reasons why patients suffer from overweight and obesity issues – which include genetics, hormone imbalances, and other factors – even the smallest weight loss can help improve your overall wellness and health.
Whiplash commonly occurs during car collisions, but can also happen with sports activities, and other traumatic accidents. It’s an injury of the neck, due to a fast “back-and-forth”, forceful movement.
Symptoms
Sometimes referred to as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD),acid reflux occurs when some acidic contents from the stomach rise into a patient’s esophagus. This essentially irritates the esophagus, causing painful heartburn and severe discomfort. When not addressed, acid reflux can damage your esophagus over time and create complicated health issues.
When your skin’s hair follicles are plugged up with dead skin cells and oils, blackheads, whiteheads, and pimples can form. Acne vulgaris is the medical term for this condition. While acne issues tend to be associated with teens, the truth is, this can happen to individuals of all ages.
Despite all the treatments on the market these days, acne can be persistent. Depending on the severity, this condition can not only scar the skin but also cause emotional distress.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a brain-based condition that interferes with a child’s daily activities, whether they are at school or at home. Children may have issues controlling their behavior, paying attention, and at times, they can be hyperactive.
If you believe your child may suffer from ADHD, it’s important to bring this to the attention of their pediatrician, to seek a confirmed diagnosis. With that said, the CDC does have an ADHD “checklist” for parents to keep track of. Signs to look out for in your kids include:
Inattention:They may have issues with paying attention when someone is speaking to them directly, staying on task (at school or home), disorganization, and constant daydreaming.
Impulsivity:This sign entails spontaneous decisions without thinking about harm risks or long-term effects. Children with ADHD may often interrupt parents, family, friends, and teachers.
Hyperactivity:A child with ADHD may frequently fidget, tap feet or hands, squirm, and have constant movement. Especially during times when this may not be appropriate.
This is a serious, yet very uncommon, condition where your adrenal glands (that lay on top of your kidneys) are unable to produce enough of the two key hormones, which are aldosterone and cortisol.
Cortisol helps your body respond to stresses, which can include stress around injury, surgery, or illness. It also maintains blood glucose levels, heartand immune system function, as well as blood pressure.
Meanwhile, aldosterone helps balance potassium and sodium in your blood, which controls the amount of fluid your kidneys remove as urine. This ultimately affects blood pressure and blood volume.
Addison’s Disease – Symptoms
As the damage to your adrenal glands occurs slowly, symptoms progress gradually over time. The common ones include:
During a time of illness, injury, and major stress, symptoms of Addison’s disease may come on quickly. This is referred to as an Addisonian crisis, and it’s considered a medical emergency. If not treated right away, it can be fatal. Symptoms of an Addisonian crisis are:
An autoimmune disorder, Hashimoto’s causes the immune system to produce antibodies that go after thyroid cells like they are viruses, bacteria, or something foreign within the body. This ultimately damages cells and can completely destroy them.
Symptoms
Allergies occur when the immune system abnormally reacts to things that are generally harmless to most people. People are commonly allergic to things like dust, plant pollen, pets (cats & dogs), plus some medicines and foods.
When a patient is exposed to something they are allergic to, their immune system makes a mistake by thinking it is harming them. It “overreacts” by believing the allergen is an invader, and it tries to “fight” it off. As such, it createsantibodies known as immunoglobulin E (IgE) andreleases the chemical into a person’s bloodstream. This release causes allergic reactions that can affect your nose, lungs, throat, gastrointestinal tract, and eyes. Therefore, anytime a person is exposed to an allergen in the future, this “triggers” the same allergic response moving forward.
A very common ailment for many, a headache is defined as any pain or discomfort within any area of the head. It can be isolated to one location, radiate across the head, or be felt on one or both sides. Headaches can show up as a throbbing pain sensation, a dull ache, or sharp pain.
With that said, there’s a huge difference between getting the occasional headache, and suffering from this on a frequent basis.
A progressive illness that falls under the dementia umbrella, Alzheimer’s can negatively affect behavior, memory, and the way a person thinks. It can interfere with day-to-day living, and there’s no cure for the disease.
As a chronic condition, Alzheimer’s is a long-term illness, and symptoms can come on gradually, causing a slow decline. Each patient with Alzheimer’s is different; each journey is unique.
Alzheimer’s Disease – Symptoms
While forgetfulness is normal for everyone, those with Alzheimer’s display specific symptoms and behaviors that get worse over time. Some include:
Sometimes referred to as hypertension, high blood pressure is a dangerous condition and one that some patients aren’t aware they have. Interestingly enough, one-third of those who have the illness don’t know, because the symptoms of this condition don’t always appear until it becomes quite severe. The best way to find out about high blood pressure is through regular checkups with a healthcare professional.
With that said, signs of severely high blood pressure are:
This is a mental health condition that involves a persistent feeling of “dread” and can interfere with a patient’s day-to-day activities. It’s not simply a case of worrying, but a constant feeling of concern for a prolonged period of time.
Anxiety Symptoms
A chronic illness, asthma continually affects an individual’s airways because they are inflamed. This creates a swelling that essentially narrows the passageway into the lungs, which causes the air breathed in, to have less room, leaving a patient feeling short of breath. It can also cause wheezing, gasping, and coughing along the way.
Asthma – Causes
Below are some possible causes of the condition. They include:
When a patient deals with balance issues, they can feel as if the room is spinning, and experience dizziness, or lightheadedness. It may also feel as if they are going to fall down or that the room is spinning; whether they are standing, sitting, or lying down.
May systems in the body must work properly to ensure “normal” balance. This includes muscles, eyes, bones, joints, inner ear, heart, blood vessels, and nerves. When these areas aren’t functioning well, balance issues can occur.
Balance Problems – Symptoms
Also referred to as nocturnal enuresis or nighttime incontinence, bedwetting is involuntarily peeing while asleep, even after an age where “staying dry” is expected.
It’s important to note that bedwetting is not a sign of a child that is improperly toilet trained, and overall should not be a worry prior to the age of 7. If it does continue after that time, reaching out to a medical professional for treatment options is advised.
This condition occurs when the brachial plexus experiences nerve damage. This is a thick group of nerves that signals into the hands, arms, and shoulders. When they suffer from damage, they are unable to carry out messages to (and from) the spinal cord. This can cause unusual sensations (burning and tingling), as well as pain and weakness in these regions.
Brachial neuritis falls under the category of peripheral neuropathy.
This condition can be quite painful and occurs when the bursae (small, fluid-filled sacs that cushion the muscles, tendons, and bones near joints) are inflamed. Commonly, locations that are affected are a patient’s hip, shoulder, and elbow; however, some individuals have been known to have bursitis in the base of the big toe, heel, or knee. This condition often happens near joints that perform repetitive and frequent motions.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when a patient’s median nerve compresses while it passes into the hand. This nerve is located in the palm of a person’s hand. The nerve itself allows one to feel their index finger, long finger, thumb, and part of the ring finger. Carpal tunnel can develop in both or just one of your hands and is often seen in people with diabetes, thyroid dysfunctions, high blood pressure, autoimmune diseases, fractures, trauma to one’s wrist, as well as fluid retention from pregnancy or menopause.
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome – Symptoms
Celiac disease affects a person’s digestive tract. It is caused by an abnormal immune reaction to gluten, which are proteins found in wheat and other grains. When a person has celiac disease and they consume gluten, their body has a negative reaction. As those who have celiac cannot “process” gluten properly, a patient’s small intestine can damage. In addition, a person can suffer from uncomfortable and painful symptoms when eating foods with gluten.
Symptoms in Children
Symptoms in Adults
This condition is essentially extreme fatigue that doesn’t go away. Even with rest, the fatigue never leaves, it can’t be explained due to another underlying medical issue. There are some theories that say chronic fatigue is caused by physiological stress, a viral infection, or even a combination of other factors. There are no tests that can be done to diagnose someone with chronic fatigue syndrome, your doctor simply rules out factors when making a determination about the disorder.
Chronic Fatigue – Symptoms
Colic is an intense, prolonged, and frequent crying and/or fussiness of a completely healthy baby. The baby’s stressful state occurs for no real reason, and there’s no amount of attention or consoling that can make them stop crying.
Colic – Symptoms
Depression is a mental health disorder. Feelings like anger, sadness, or loss can affect one’s mood, behavior, and everyday life.
Depression – Symptoms
Diabetes is an illness that affects how a patient’s body “uses” blood sugar or glucose. Chronic diabetes is categorized into two types, which are Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The basic foundation of diabetes is that no matter what type a person has, there is more sugar in your blood than there needs to be, thus causing your blood sugar levels to be higher than they should be.
Symptoms
Vertigo is essentially dizziness that gets to be so bad it makes it seem as though everything is moving and/or spinning at all times. It’s important to note that “dizziness” can be used to describe a number of sensations like a feeling of “spinning”, faintness, wooziness, unsteadiness, or weak.
Symptoms
The ear is made up of three parts, which are the inner, middle, and outer areas. All these elements are needed for hearing. In fact, sound waves enter the outer ear, then reach the middle (making your eardrum vibrate), and these “vibrations” head to your inner ear. In addition, the inner ear controls your balance.
There are a number of ear-related conditions that can affect balance and hearing. Some include:
Tinnitus: A “roaring” in the ear that can be a result of medicine, loud sound, or other causes.
Ear Infection: This illness is most common in babies and children.
Ear Barotrauma: The condition causes injury to the ear due to changes in water or barometric (air) pressure.Meniere’s Disease: This is due to fluid issues within the inner ear and can cause a build-up in pressure, dizziness, tinnitus, and hearing loss.
Also known as atopic dermatitis, this condition causes inflamed, itchy, and dry skin. While it tends to occur most in kids, it can develop at any age. Eczema is irritating and can flare up at times where symptoms worsen; however, the illness is not contagious.
Symptoms
A fracture refers to a “break”, which commonly occurs in a bone. If the bone breaks through the skin, this is referred to as a “compound” or “open” fracture.
Fractures generally occur due to falls, work accidents, sports injuries, or auto collisions; however, at times, other causes include osteoporosis or low bone density.
Also referred to as “adhesive capsulitis”, this condition causes pain, discomfort, and stiffness within the shoulder joint. Symptoms start off slow and then worsen as time wears on. With that said, signs of the condition do eventually get better, within one to three years.
Keeping a shoulder still over a long period of time enhances the chances of frozen shoulder. This can occur after breaking an arm or having surgery.
Symptoms
Generally, this condition develops in three stages.
While frozen shoulder will not likely recur in the same shoulder, the probability of it moving to the other one is high.
A condition that causes widespread pain and discomfort across the entire body, fibromyalgia sufferers also deal with mental distress, sleep issues, fatigue, and emotional problems. Signs and symptoms of the condition often start after a major event (i.e. surgery, infection, physical trauma, or psychological stress). With that said, some patients experience gradual symptoms over time with no rhyme or reason.
Symptoms
An immune system disorder, Graves’ disease is caused by hyperthyroidism (the overproduction of thyroid hormones). While there are a variety of disorders that can cause this, the most common is Graves’ disease. As thyroid hormones affect a lot of systems in the body, the symptoms of this illness can range widely. The illness is more common among females and those younger than 40.
Symptoms
The most common signs of the condition include:
This condition is defined as a collection of blood outside of blood vessels and is commonly due to a blood vessel wall injury. This prompts a patient’s blood to spill out of the blood vessel and into tissues nearby.
Symptoms depend on the location and size of the hematoma and generally include pain, disfiguring bruises, redness, and swelling; however, depending on where they occur, patients can also experience:
This condition is defined as not being able to conceive (get pregnant) after one year (or more) of “trying” (unprotected sex) with your partner. Infertility can occur in both men and women, and there are a number of causes and factors on both sides when it comes to this condition.
Insomnia is quite common, and it’s a disorder where patients find it hard to fall and stay asleep. They also may feel tired when they wake up in the morning and awaken multiple times during the night. The condition affects energy levels, moods, overall health, and quality of life.
There is acute (short-term) insomnia, which occurs for possibly weeks or days, and most adults have suffered from this at one point or another. However, long-term insomnia can last for a month and more.
Also referred to as a decreased desire to have sex, low libido can affect both women and men. It’s common for a person’s interest in sex to change over different times in their life due to age, stress, and hormones. With that said, low libido can create issues for a person, affect their overall well-being, and create anxiety in their relationship.
Sometimes, the condition is caused due to a medical issue, emotional distress, or lifestyle choices.
This condition unravels when the immune system attacks its own organs and tissues. The inflammation caused by this autoimmune disease can affect many different parts of the body, including the kidneys, skin, blood cells, lungs, joints, brain, and heart.
As the symptoms of lupus mimic other conditions, the disease can be hard to diagnose. The most definitive sign of the illness is a facial rash that looks like a butterfly, across both cheeks of a patient; however, this does not occur in all lupus sufferers.
An enzyme that breaks down the homocysteine amino acid, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) also has a gene code that can mutate, which distracts the enzyme’s ability to function. Everyone inherits two MTHFR genes from both parents; however, when these genes mutate, it can cause increased levels of homocysteine in the blood and contribute to a number of conditions, including:
This is a condition where the ball of a patient’s foot becomes inflamed or painful. Those that participate in activities that involve jumping and running are more susceptible. Other causes include wearing shoes that are too loose or too tight, as well as foot deformities.
The good news is that metatarsalgia isn’t overly serious but can sideline a person, significantly. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment are needed.
Symptoms
This condition is defined by the rapid fatigue and weakness of any muscles within the body, under voluntary control. It’s caused due to communication breakdown between the nerves and muscles. While there’s no cure for myasthenia gravis, treatment can help with the signs and symptoms of the disorder.
Symptoms
A chronic pain condition, myofascial trigger points places pressure on sensitive “points” within a patient’s muscles causing pain in these areas, as well as other (unrelated) parts of the body. This is known as “referred pain”.
This disorder is generally caused by repetitive motions within sports, hobbies, or jobs, where a muscle has been contracted often and regularly.
Symptoms
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is defined as a number of emotional and physical symptoms that females experience after they ovulate, heading into the start of their menstrual cycle.
Emotional Symptoms
Physical Symptoms
A progressive condition, Parkinson’s disease affects a person’s nervous system. Signs and symptoms slowly surface and may be barely noticeable. While tremors are common with the disorder, the illness can also cause slowing of movement or stiffness.
It’s important to note that symptoms of Parkinson’s can be different for each patient. Early signs often start at one side of the body and progress to become worse, even after it affects limbs on the other side.
While there is no cure for the disease, treatment can improve a patient’s symptoms, significantly.
A pinched nerve can be quite painful and develop within a number of areas in the body. It occurs when a significant amount of pressure is placed on a nerve by surrounding tissues like muscles, tendons, bones, or cartilage. This can cause discomfort, weakness, and numbness.
Symptoms
Also referred to as Willis-Ekbom disease, restless legs syndrome (RLS) creates an intense need to move your legs, typically due to an odd sensation. This generally occurs in the night or evening, when a patient is lying down or sitting, and moving your legs eases the uncomfortable sensation. It can start at any age but does worsen as you grow older. RLS can cause issues with sleep and interfere with daily routines.
A common skin disorder, rosacea creates flushing or blushing on your face, as well as noticeable blood vessels. It can also cause small bumps, filled with pus and other facial skin irritations. These symptoms can flare up for weeks and months at a time, and go away, only to re-emerge. Sometimes, the condition is mistaken for other skin issues, including allergies and acne.
Symptoms
Sciatica is a condition surrounding the sciatic nerve, which is located from the lower back to the hips, butt, and each leg. Sciatica sufferers feel a pain that travels down all the areas of this nerve, causing extreme discomfort, which significantly interrupts day-to-day routines. In addition, it can create inflammation and numbness in the leg affected. While the pain can be debilitating, the good news is that treatment can help clear this issue up within a matter of weeks.
Sometimes referred to as systemic sclerosis, scleroderma is a term that refers to several disorders that center around the tightening and hardening of the skin. It can also create issues in the digestive tract, blood vessels, and internal organs. There is no cure for the condition, but treatments can help slow down and ease symptoms, as well as enhance the quality of life.
A condition often diagnosed in children; scoliosis is when the spine suffers a sideways curvature. Most cases are mild; however, some curves will progressively get worse as a child gets older. Sadly, severe cases of the disorder can cause disability. In fact, a significant spinal curve may decrease the space in a child’s chest, causing problems for the lungs.
Symptoms
Seizures are unrestrained and sudden electrical disruptions in the brain. They can create changes in a patient’s feelings, level of consciousness, behavior, and body movements. There are a lot of different seizures, that range in severity and symptoms. Most last from approximately 30 seconds to as long as two minutes. If a seizure is over five minutes, it’s considered a medical emergency.
They can happen after a closed head injury, infection, illness, or stroke. With that said, most times the root of a seizure is not known.
Symptoms
An immune system condition, Sjogren’s syndrome is characterized by two symptoms, which are dry mouth and eyes. It can often be accompanied by other immune system illnesses like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). With this disorder, the moisture-secreting glands and mucous membranes of the mouth and eyes are hit first. This results in reduced saliva and tears.
Also referred to as a herniated disc, this occurs when one of the discs (cushions) that sit between the vertebrae stack that make up your spine experiences an issue. Slip discs happen when the nucleus pushes through an opening in the annulus. While this can develop within any part of the spine, commonly it happens in the lower back. This can result in discomfort, muscle weakness in the leg or arm, and numbness.
Stress is a normal reaction to life events, and happens to everyone at one point or another. When patients experience challenges or changes, the body produces both a mental and physical response.
Physical Response Symptoms
Mental Response Symptoms
When the blood supply element of the brain is disrupted or decreased, a stroke can occur. This prevents the brain tissue from receiving nutrients and oxygen. As such, brain cells can die within minutes. A stroke requires prompt treatment and is considered a medical emergency.
The silver lining in all this is that there are fewer fatalities around strokes these days, and getting early and effective treatments after one can help prevent disability and discomfort, helping to enhance a patient’s quality of life.
Injured ligaments, tendons, and muscles are the most common “soft tissue injuries”. They tend to happen during exercise or sports; however, at times, they can occur during day-to-day routines. Some examples include contusions, strains, sprains, as well as bursitis, and tendonitis.
This condition occurs when the tendon is inflamed or irritated. As such, tenderness and discomfort can be felt outside of a joint. While it can happen in any of the tendons, it generally occurs around the heels, knees, elbows, wrists, and shoulders. Some common ailments that fall under the “tendonitis” umbrella, include:
While tendonitis is when your tendon is inflamed due to an injury; tenosynovitis occurs when the sheath or sleeve of the tendon tissue is irritated, too. This can make a patient’s symptoms far worse and quite painful. While this can occur anywhere on the body where tendons and muscles reside; however, it commonly occurs on:
This condition can cause painful sensations that feel a lot like an electric shock to one side of the face. Trigeminal neuralgia deals with the trigeminal nerve and can cause a tremendous amount of pain in a patient’s face, even with the simplest activities (e.g. putting makeup on or brushing your teeth). Attacks may be initially mild and short, but as things progress, the bouts can be longer and more severe. The good news is that treatment can help ease the symptoms of this disorder.
When an injury breaks the skin or body tissue, a wound develops that can be painful and requires extreme care. This includes scrapes, cuts, puncture skin, and scratches. This can happen during a sports activity, car accident, surgery, on a traumatic event. They aren’t generally serious; however, they do need to be managed and watched over during the healing process.
