Stop Chasing Symptoms

By Andrew Wong, MD, IFMCP

Capital Integrative Health

. https://cihealth.org/

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Stop Chasing Symptoms

A Root-Cause, Integrative Path To Real Healing

If you’re exhausted by short-term fixes and a new pill for every new complaint, you’re not alone. Many people bounce between specialists, collect diagnoses that don’t quite fit, and still don’t feel well. Root-cause, integrative medicine offers a different path. Instead of asking “What prescription matches this symptom?” we ask “Why is this symptom happening—and what would it take for your body to heal?”

What “Root Cause” Really Means

Symptoms are signals, not the problem itself. Fatigue, brain fog, weight changes, skin issues, and mood shifts often originate from upstream imbalances: nutrient deficiencies, insulin resistance, chronic stress and poor sleep, thyroid or sex-hormone dysregulation, gut microbiome disturbances, unresolved inflammation, hidden infections, or environmental exposures. A root-cause approach maps how these systems interact—the gut–brain axis, hormone–immune crosstalk, detoxification pathways—and identifies where the system is stuck.

Integrative – Because One Tool Isn’t Enough

Integrative medicine blends the best of conventional care with lifestyle therapeutics and evidence-informed natural options. Yes, we use standard labs, imaging, and medications when necessary. We also leverage clinical nutrition, targeted supplementation, nervous-system regulation, restorative sleep strategies, movement medicine, mind-body practices, and (when appropriate) modalities like acupuncture. The goal isn’t to be “alternative”; it’s to be effective, personal, and comprehensive.

What To Expect From a Root-Cause Plan

First, we listen—deeply. Your story provides context labs can’t: life events, stressors, diet, environment, and what has or hasn’t helped. Next, we build a focused testing strategy to illuminate the “why,” not just confirm the “what.” From there, we co-create a phased plan: stabilize sleep and stress responses; repair digestion and the microbiome; balance blood sugar and hormones; reduce inflammation; and replete micronutrients. We set clear priorities so change feels doable, not overwhelming. Expect accountability and iteration—we track metrics (energy, mood, pain, bowel habits, cycle quality, lab markers) and adjust as you progress.

Why This Works When Quick Fixes Don’t

Treating symptoms alone is like mopping a floor while the sink is overflowing. You might feel better briefly, but the mess returns. Root-cause care turns off the faucet. By addressing the drivers—rather than silencing the alarms—you’re more likely to experience durable improvements in energy, mental clarity, digestion, weight, skin, sleep, and resilience. It also reduces the “whack-a-mole” effect where suppressing one symptom creates two more.

Is This Approach Right For You?

Choose root-cause, integrative care if you’re ready to participate in your healing, not outsource it. You want explanations that make sense, a plan that fits your life, and a clinician who partners with you. You’re done chasing symptoms. You’re ready to restore function, correct what’s driving your issues, and rebuild health from the inside out—so you can live with purpose, capacity, and joy.