The practice of utilizing multiple treatment modalities is the application of several different therapeutic approaches to the same medical problem to provide the maximum benefit to the patient. One of the primary benefits of multiple treatment modalities is that all facets of the problem are addressed in a more comprehensive manner than is possible with a single treatment. Another benefit is that the patient is treated in a more holistic manner; secondary issues such as the psychological impact of illness are also treated. The use of multiple treatment modalities also ensures that each patient receives customized treatment based on his or her unique case.
Many illness and disorders can be treated with multiple treatment modalities. Some examples are psychological issues such as depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Numerous physical medical illnesses including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis are also addressed by multiple treatment modalities. Treating a problem with several distinct therapeutic approaches often increases the probability of positive outcomes for the patient. Doctors carefully consider the patient's particular case and select appropriate treatments based on the cause of illness, symptoms, and a variety of other factors.
An important benefit of multiple treatment modalities is the fact that the combination of different therapeutic practices often results in a thorough, comprehensive plan of care. By utilizing several treatment methods, more aspects of the problem are able to be addressed. When using a single treatment, it is common for only some symptoms to be relieved. When multiple modalities are employed, numerous aspects of the illness are treated. This often increases patient comfort by alleviating symptoms as well as treating the cause of illness.
Another benefit of multiple treatment modalities is the ability to treat the whole patient rather than just the illness. In many cases, illness affects other parts of the body. For example, medical illnesses can bring about mental issues, and psychological disorders are often accompanied by physical symptoms. By utilizing multiple therapeutic approaches, doctors can treat these secondary problems in conjunction with the primary illness. This often results in improved quality of life for the patient. Without these secondary problems hampering recovery and draining their energy, patients are often able to return to a more normal state in a shorter amount of time.
Each patient is a unique individual who experiences illness differently. An additional benefit of utilizing multiple treatment modalities is the ability for the doctor to customize the patient's plan of care to accommodate these variations. Depending on the patient's particular issues, the doctor is able to design a treatment plan based on the physician's expertise. This allows the doctor to treat individual symptoms and help the patient experience improvement quickly in many cases.