Elena Hart, MD, is a physician with a background in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation who specializes in Functional Medicine at Carolina Total Wellness. Her medical training gives her a distinctive perspective on complex health concerns, particularly those involving interactions among the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, metabolism, immune function, and overall physical function.
Dr. Hart earned her medical degree from LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans and completed her residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at LSU Health Sciences Center. She is also a member of the Gold Humanism Honor Society and has completed extensive training and certification in Functional Medicine through the Institute for Functional Medicine.
Before joining Carolina Total Wellness, Dr. Hart practiced Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, caring for patients with conditions involving the brain, spinal cord, nerves, muscles, and joints, as well as individuals managing chronic and complex illnesses.
Through that experience, she became increasingly interested in understanding why certain health problems persist and how factors beyond an individual diagnosis may influence a patient's symptoms, function, and overall health. Functional Medicine offered an opportunity to expand that perspective by examining health through a broader, systems-based approach.
At Carolina Total Wellness, Dr. Hart evaluates each patient's medical history, symptoms, lifestyle, laboratory findings, and other potential contributors to illness in order to develop an individualized treatment plan. Her background is particularly valuable when evaluating patients whose concerns involve multiple body systems or whose symptoms do not fit neatly within a single specialty.
Dr. Hart combines the diagnostic framework of conventional medicine with Functional Medicine principles to help patients better understand the factors that may be influencing their health. She emphasizes thoughtful investigation, compassionate care, patient education, and practical strategies designed around each individual's needs and goals.
Her goal is to help patients move beyond fragmented care by considering the connections between symptoms, body systems, and overall health while maintaining a medically grounded and highly personalized approach.
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