Meet the physician
Dr. David Musnick, MD
Board-certified in Internal Medicine (ABIM) and Sports Medicine (CAQ), with deep Functional Medicine training and 37+ years in patient care across concussion, brain-based symptoms and conditions, autoimmune conditions, fatigue, arthritis, gastrointestinal symptoms and conditions, orthopedics, and sports medicine.
37+ years
Patient care
Internal Medicine
ABIM Board Certified
Sports Medicine
CAQ Certified
Functional Medicine
Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner
Clinical biography
The background behind the episodes
David Musnick, MD, has dedicated 37+ years to patient care, with deep clinical work in concussion, brain-based symptoms and conditions, autoimmune conditions, fatigue, arthritis, and gastrointestinal symptoms and conditions, alongside his broader work in Sports Medicine, Internal Medicine, Regenerative Medicine, and 28 years of Functional Medicine. His career includes thousands of complex orthopedic and neurologic cases, long-standing work at his Bellevue practice, and formal collaborations with multidisciplinary teams in Seattle, Bellevue, and Idaho.
He developed detailed decision trees for joint, tendon, muscle, nerve, concussion, and brain-related conditions, published in books such as Metabolic Orthopedics and Integrative Neurology. He routinely lectures nationally on osteoarthritis, cognitive decline, concussion, long COVID, and dysautonomia, and is frequently retained for medical-legal orthopedic consultations and independent medical exams.
A Certified Functional Medicine practitioner for more than 25 years—and one of IFM's earliest teachers—Dr. Musnick spent 33 years in Seattle before relocating to Idaho in 2022.
Clinical focus
Areas of clinical focus
A quick index of the clinical areas covered by Dr. Musnick's background, writing, teaching, and educational episodes.
- 01
Functional Medicine, Internal Medicine, Sports Medicine, and Functional Immunology
- 02
Homeopathy (CEDH method) and Frequency Specific Microcurrent
- 03
Prolotherapy, scar treatments, and ultrasound-guided regenerative injections
- 04
Genomics interpretation and personalized nutrition/supplement mapping
- 05
Medical-legal orthopedic consultations and independent medical exams
- 06
Complex conditions: concussion/TBI, brain-based symptoms, fatigue, cognitive impairment, IBS, SIBO, autoimmune illness, arthritis, mold/biotoxin illness, EDS, hormone imbalances, chronic pain
Treatment tools
Treatments Dr. Musnick administers
Each plan blends hands-on diagnostics with precise therapeutic tools. Here are the modalities he personally delivers:
- Bone Marrow Aspirate injections for osteoarthritis
- EFT Tapping training for stress and anxiety
- Frequency Specific Microcurrent (FSM)
- Genetic assessment and interpretation
- Homeopathy from the French School of Homeopathy
- Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT)
- Neural Therapy
- Peri-neural injections for pain
- Prolotherapy regenerative injections of the spine and extremities
- Non-surgical regenerative treatments for ligaments, tendons, and joints
- Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF)
- Scar assessment and treatment
- Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
- Ultrasound-guided injections
Orthopedic & sports medicine
Care by tissue and condition
Every evaluation captures the involved tissues, neurologic tone, and pain-processing patterns before layering interventions.
Whole-person orthopedic evaluations
Every orthopedic or sports concern begins with an in-depth history and physical exam. Dr. Musnick maps every joint, ligament, tendon, muscle, nerve, and pain-processing pathway involved, then layers supplements, homeopathy, FSM, physical therapy, manual care, and regenerative injections as needed.
Osteoarthritis (OA)
Whole-person plans for knees, hips, neck, thumbs, low back, and ankles: exercise and posture updates, shoe-wear shifts, nutrition and homeopathy, microcurrent, Prolotherapy, non-surgical regenerative options, and Bone Marrow Aspirate. He authored the OA chapter in Metabolic Orthopedics.
Ligament sprains & joint instability
Supports incomplete healing after sprains with targeted PT plus Prolotherapy or other regenerative injections to rebuild collagen, fibroblasts, and stability in knees, thumbs, shoulders, hips, ankles, and feet.
Tendonitis & tendinopathy
Combines ultrasound diagnostics with biomechanical screens. Treatment spans exercise modification, microcurrent, laser therapy, and non-surgical regenerative injections to restore tendon capacity.
Neck & cervical spine
Evaluates cervical pain for joint hypermobility and destabilizing scars. Offers numerous options—including more than 26 years of neck Prolotherapy experience—to rebuild integrity.
Muscle pain, spasm, and trigger points
Identifies the root drivers of chronic spasm and uses FSM, Counterstrain, and trigger point injections to calm tissue.
Ehlers-Danlos & hypermobility syndromes
Delivers comprehensive ergonomics, shoe-wear, microcurrent, homeopathy, and regenerative injections (Prolotherapy and other non-surgical regenerative options) to stabilize lax tissues.
Disc & nerve-root injuries
Helps patients understand whether surgery is necessary or if excellent non-surgical choices—FSM, PT, regenerative injections—can resolve disc and nerve issues.
Functional medicine focus
Functional medicine by system
His functional immunology and neurology background lets him map how each system interacts with orthopedic complaints.
Brain & autonomic system
Concussion
Dr. Musnick created a comprehensive concussion protocol based on brain pathophysiology: assessments, therapeutic nutrition, supplements, exercise, EMF reduction, brain training, and FSM. He contributed a chapter to Integrative Neurology.
Memory disorders
Full assessment and treatment programs for cognitive impairment, early dementia, and brain fog.
Other neurologic cases
ADD, Parkinson's disease, MS, peripheral and cranial neuropathy, limbic system dysfunction.
POTS and dysautonomia
Whole-person strategies for postural orthostatic tachycardia and EDS-related challenges.
Hormones, sleep, and mood
Hormone imbalance
Adrenal, thyroid, and testosterone imbalance—including Hashimoto's support.
Insomnia
Decades of teaching on non-medication and medication approaches using homeopathy, supplements, tapping, stress management, sleep hygiene, and prescriptions only when needed.
Mood disorders
Depression and anxiety treatment blending supplements, homeopathy, exercise, tapping, and other modalities when medications fall short or cause side effects.
Stress & PTSD
Limbic system reset and anxiety management with tapping, microcurrent, breath work, and nervous-system retraining.
GI, metabolic, and immune
GI disorders
Complex SIBO and IBS cases with motility issues.
Fatty liver
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic: precise diagnostics, diet upgrades, phosphatidylcholine, leaky-gut repair, and FSM to decrease inflammation, swelling, and fibrosis.
Post-COVID & Long COVID
Addresses loss of taste and smell plus multi-organ sequelae with supplements, homeopathy, and microcurrent.
Cardiovascular & lipids
Functional medicine options for patients avoiding statins.
Energy & fatigue
Evaluates hormones, mitochondrial ATP/energy production, and lifestyle factors.
Oxalates
Low-oxalate nutrition coaching.
MCAS
Mast Cell Activation support backed by years of diagnostic and treatment experience.
Allergies & sensitivities
Food, inhalant, mold, sulfur, oxalates, glyphosate assessment.
Evidence trail
Publications, lectures, teaching, and training
Selected publications, lectures, faculty roles, and recent continuing education.
Selected publications9
Integrative Approaches to Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury
Integrative Neurology, Oxford University Press (2020)
Osteoarthritis & Tendinosis chapters
Metabolic Therapies in Orthopedics, CRC Press (2019)
Concussion and TBI
Townsend Letter (May 2019)
Osteoarthritis
Advancing Medicine with Food and Nutrients, 2nd Ed. (2013)
Exercise Prescription
Textbook of Functional Medicine (2010)
Scientific Evidence for Musculoskeletal, Bariatric, and Sports Nutrition
CRC Press (2006) — Osteoarthritis chapter
Conditioning for Outdoor Fitness
Mountaineers Publishing, 2nd Ed. (2004)
Medical Screening & Cervical Instability
Therapeutic Exercise: Moving Toward Function (2005) and Orthopedic Physical Therapy Clinics (2001)
Rowing Injuries
Medical Issues of Active and Athletic Women (1994)
Lectures & workshops7
Forum for Integrative Medicine
2020Concussion/TBI pathophysiology and healing
FSM Advanced Meetings
2019–2021Insomnia, chronic orthopedic pain, and brain injury workshops
IFM Annual Meeting
2017, 2019Chronic orthopedic pain workshop; functional medicine approach to TBI
WA & BC Naturopathic Physicians
2018–2020Concussion/TBI lectures
Andrews University
2019Three-day chronic pain seminar
Bastyr University
2019Chronic orthopedic pain intensive
BetterHealthGuy Podcast
2020Concussion and TBI
Faculty positions4
Teaching Faculty
Institute for Functional Medicine
Sports & Orthopedic Medicine Faculty
Bastyr University · 16 years
Professor, Department of Physical Therapy
Andrews University
Faculty
UW Department of Sports Medicine & Orthopedics and Department of Rehabilitation
Recent continuing education8
CEDH clinical homeopathy
Cogence Immunology training
IFM pain management and autoimmune intensives
FSM Advanced Meetings
SIBO training with Alison Siebecker
EMF protection
Genomics interpretation
Ongoing internal medicine board review
Featured media
View allDR M Experienced Shorts
What Brain Fog Really Feels Like
Dr. David Musnick explains the slow thinking, low mental energy, word-finding trouble, poor focus, and memory slips people often mean when they describe brain fog.
DR M Experienced Shorts
Brain Fog: Testing and Foundational Support
Dr. David Musnick discusses tests that may be considered for persistent brain fog and the foundational steps he uses while investigating possible causes.
DR M Experienced Shorts
Cilantro-Basil Pesto with Broccoli Sprouts
Dr. David Musnick demonstrates a dairy-free pesto with cilantro, basil, broccoli sprouts, olive oil, pistachios, and simple seasonings, then explains why he chooses those ingredients.
Functional Medicine Foundations Live
Autoimmunity Talk (opens in a new tab)
Walk-through of Dr. Musnick's order-of-operations for calming autoimmune flares—what to address before labs, medications, or advanced tools.
Outside the clinic
Mountain biking in Sedona, hiking Rainier, skiing, cooking, nature photography, and time with friends and his daughter all keep him grounded. That blend of outdoor life plus constant learning informs the way he approaches every episode and clinical decision tree.
Educational Only
DR M Experienced, with Dr. David Musnick MD is an educational platform. This page summarizes Dr. Musnick's background to provide context for the podcast and does not create a doctor–patient relationship.
Always work directly with your chosen clinician for diagnosis and treatment. Case examples are de-identified and may be composited to protect privacy.