Naturopathic Medicine
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic Medicine is a primary health care alternative that integrates modern scientific knowledge with traditional, natural medicine. It utilizes conventional medical practices such as physical exam, differential diagnosis, knowledge of pharmacology, and physical medicine, as well as natural approaches such as botanical medicine, homeopathy, traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture and nutrition. Naturopathic Medicine views disease as a process rather than an entity, thus symptoms are viewed as warnings to improper functioning of the body. While under naturopathic care, patients receive individualized treatment plans tailored to target the root cause of health concerns and promote healthy living. To accomplish this, Naturopathic Doctors focus on all aspects of individual health; mental, emotional, and physical and utilize the natural healing power of the human body.
Naturopathic Principles
First, to do no harm, by using methods and medicines that minimize the risk of harmful side effects
To treat the cause of disease, by identifying and removing the underlying cause of illness, rather than suppressing symptoms
To teach the principles of healthy living and preventative medicine, by sharing knowledge with patients and encouraging individual responsibility for health
To heal the whole person through individualized treatment, by understanding the unique physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, and social factors that contribute to illness, and customizing treatment protocols to the patient.
To emphasize prevention, by partnering with the patient to assess risk factors and recommend appropriate naturopathic interventions to maintain health and prevent illness.
To support the healing power of the body, by recognizing and removing obstacles to the body's inherent self-healing process.
How Can Naturopathic Medicine Help You?
Naturopathic Medicine has shown success in treating a wide range of conditions
Acute Conditions such as:
- Colds and Flues
- Urinary Tract Infections
Chronic Conditions such as:
- Diabetes
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Arthritis and other Rheumatic Conditions
- Asthma and other Respiratory Conditions
- Seasonal Allergies
- PMS, Menopause, and other female related conditions
- BPH, Prostatitis, and other male related conditions
- Infertility
Naturopathic Medicine also focuses on areas of health promotion including:
- Weight Loss
- Health Eating
- Daily Exersise
- Stress Management
- Pre-Pregnancy and Pre-Natal Health
Naturopathic Medical Services
Botanical Medicine: May plants have significant healing properties which can be used to treat a wide range of conditions with limited side effects. Naturopaths utilize various preparations of herbs including tinctures (alcohol extracts), dried herbs, salves, ect.
Nutritional Medicine: An assessment of diet provides information on the adequacy of nutrition and daily intake of nutrients can be optimized through diet changes or daily supplementation. Natural micro-and macro-nutrients can also be given in the therapeutic doses to treat various ailments.
Diet and Lifestyle Counselling: Diet and lifestyle changes are the first line treatment for many conditions and integral in establishing health promotion. Diet counselling starts with taking inventory of current food intake and making recommendations to create a healthy diet. Lifestyle counselling includes such recommendations as daily exercise and stress management.
Counselling: Naturopathic Doctors are trained in basic counselling and can help work through common mental-emotional issues such as grief, depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, ect. .
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture: Traditional Chinese Medicine focuses on energies flowing through meridians of the body and believes that disease occurs when the flow of energy is interrupted. Acupuncture and Chinese herbs can be used to rebalance the energy flow throughout the body. Acupuncture can also be used to treat a wide range of muscle and bone conditions.
Homeopathy: Homeopathy utilizes the principle of "like cures like". Substances are given at low doses to treat symptoms in a sick person that would be elicited if a health person ingested the substance.
Manipulation: Naturopathic doctors are trained to perform basic manipulations to remedy fixations in any joint in the body.
Physical Exam: In order to determine a diagnosis and ensure adequate care. Naturopathic Doctors perform full physical screening exams as well as concern directed exams. Vaginal speculum exams, clinical breast exams, and male digital rectal exams are also offered.
Physical Medicine: Orthopedic testing can be performed in office to diagnose or monitor any muscular or joint condition. Therapeutic exercises can also be prescribed to treat muscular and joint conditions.
Blood Draw and Lab Diagnosis: Lab tests can be requisitioned for a fee when they are indicated for diagnosis or to monitor the progression of a condition.