A Total-Body Approach for Chronic, Unresolved Pain.
If you are reading this, you are likely frustrated. You have been living with chronic pain, you have bounced between multiple specialists, and you are tired of being offered the exact same temporary solutions: another prescription medication, another steroid injection, or the suggestion that you simply need to “live with it.”
You do not have to live with it, and you do not have to accept the “prescribing cascade.”
At Pitter Patter Podiatry & Integrative Health, we offer a completely different clinical approach. Quadruple board-certified physician Dr. JennaLou Hollnagel-Kauffman utilizes Functional and Integrative Medicine to look beyond your localized symptoms. By bridging rigorous diagnostic science with a holistic understanding of the human body, we map your total systemic health to find the exact physiological root cause of your discomfort.
Systemic Conditions Affecting the Lower Extremities
Patients often ask why a highly trained foot and ankle surgeon utilizes functional medicine. The answer is simple: the lower extremities are often the first place systemic diseases physically manifest. Because your feet bear the mechanical load of your entire body, they are highly sensitive to systemic inflammation, poor circulation, and metabolic distress.
We routinely utilize our comprehensive integrative protocols to treat the root drivers of:
- Chronic Pain
- Plantar Fasciitis (Heel Pain)
- Tendonitis
- Peripheral Neuropathy
- Autoimmune Diseases and Joint Pain
- Arthritis
- Delayed Wound Healing
- Skin Conditions
Chronic Plantar Fasciitis & Achilles Tendonitis
When standard stretching and orthotics fail, chronic fascial and tendon pain is often fueled by underlying systemic inflammation, poor intestinal health, or autoimmune triggers that prevent natural tissue repair.
Peripheral Neuropathy
Nerve damage (presenting as burning, numbness, or tingling in the feet) is heavily tied to metabolic dysfunction, vitamin deficiencies, blood sugar imbalances, and toxic exposure.
Autoimmune Joint Pain
Conditions like Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, parkinsons, and Lupus frequently cause severe, debilitating pain in the small joints of the foot and ankle.
Metabolic Gout & Arthritis
Severe joint flare-ups driven directly by dietary imbalances, uric acid accumulation, and impaired kidney function.
Delayed Wound Healing
Chronic ulcers and non-healing surgical wounds are direct results of compromised cellular health, poor circulation, and severe nutritional deficits.
Diagnostic Protocol
We do not believe in applying generalized, one-size-fits-all medical protocols. To formulate a precise blueprint for your recovery, we must gather comprehensive, high-definition data regarding your internal health.
Before your consultation, we ask that you have your Primary Care Provider (PCP) send over your most recent laboratory results. From there, we order targeted, advanced diagnostic panels that standard clinics frequently overlook, including:
Advanced Blood Panels
Moving beyond standard physical labs to check for hidden inflammatory markers, hormonal imbalances, and specific cellular deficiencies.
Urine & Saliva Testing
Evaluating metabolic function, adrenal fatigue, and exact baseline cortisol levels to understand how your body processes systemic stress.
Peptide-Level Sensitivities
Highly advanced dietary and autoimmune panels that detect severe sensitivities at the peptide level. These panels identify the exact foods triggering your chronic inflammation and intestinal permeability (often referred to as leaky gut).
Your Customized Restorative Blueprint
Once we have mapped your systemic data, Dr. JennaLou works closely with you to deploy a comprehensive, total-body treatment plan aimed at restoring overall health. Your customized protocol covers four primary pillars:
01
Diet and Nutrition
The medical use of 100% oxygen under pressure to accelerate the healing of diabetic wounds, deep infections, and radiation damage to tissue or bone.
02
Structural Mechanics
Correcting physical alignment issues with custom orthotics, footwear modifications, and targeted therapies to remove unnecessary mechanical stress from your joints.
03
Comprehensive Care and Supplementation
Utilizing high-quality, clinical-grade supplements and targeted peptide therapy to naturally support cellular repair, regulate hormones, and decrease joint swelling without relying on prescription painkillers.
04
Advanced Restorative Interventions
When appropriate, we introduce state-of-the-art restorative modalities like cell-free protein arrays (RPA), Class IV Laser Therapy, and IR PEMF boots to accelerate localized tissue repair safely and non-surgically.
Collaborative Care & Dedicated Time
Functional Medicine Fridays
Dedicated Time for Complex Health Puzzles
Integrative health requires meticulous attention to detail and unhurried conversation. Standard 15-minute medical appointments simply do not allow enough time to unravel years of chronic pain. To ensure you receive the elite care you deserve, we reserve our Fridays exclusively for Functional Medicine consultations. During these comprehensive, 1-on-1 sessions, Dr. JennaLou dedicates her complete focus to reviewing your extensive lab work, discussing your medical history in depth, and answering every question you have. Because this is an intensive, highly customized medical service, please contact our office to discuss our transparent pricing structures and secure your dedicated Friday appointment.
Working With Your Provider
A Unified Clinical Front
We believe the best medical outcomes happen when your healthcare team communicates. Dr. JennaLou will actively discuss your diagnosis and treatment strategy with your Primary Care Provider or holistic doctor. By collaborating directly with the providers you already trust, we ensure that you receive the safest, most comprehensive care possible.
Frequently Asked Questions | Integrative Medicine
Why is a Foot and Ankle Surgeon ordering advanced blood and Zoomer lab testing?
The feet and ankles endure the highest mechanical stress of any part of the body, making them highly susceptible to systemic inflammation. A stubborn case of heel pain or a burning nerve is often the physical symptom of an underlying gut issue, autoimmune disorder, or nutritional deficiency. Dr. JennaLou utilizes advanced lab testing to treat the true cause of the inflammation, rather than just repeatedly injecting the foot with steroids to mask the symptom.
Do I need to quit seeing my Primary Care Provider (PCP)?
Absolutely not. Pitter Patter Podiatry & Integrative Health operates as a highly collaborative practice. We view ourselves as a specialized extension of your medical team. We will actively communicate with your PCP or holistic doctor to ensure your treatment plan is unified and highly effective.
What should I bring to my first functional medicine consultation?
To make the most of your dedicated time with Dr. JennaLou, please ensure your PCP has forwarded your most recent lab results and medical records prior to your appointment. Additionally, please bring a complete, accurate list of all current prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, and daily supplements you are currently taking.
How do I know if my foot or ankle pain requires an integrative approach?
If you have experienced an acute injury—like a sudden ankle sprain or a fractured toe—standard structural podiatry is exactly what you need. However, if you have been dealing with the exact same heel pain, joint swelling, or nerve burning for months or years, and standard treatments have repeatedly failed, your pain is likely being driven by an underlying systemic issue that requires a functional medicine evaluation.