What Does a Naturopathic Doctor do?

Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine is a holistic health profession which concentrates on the body’s inherent self-healing capabilities. This field emphasizes prevention, treatment, and optimal health through the use of therapeutic methods and substances that supplement the body’s natural healing mechanisms. One of the foundational principles of naturopathic medicine is to seek, identify, and remove obstacles from the body’s natural healing path. 

As a practitioner of a field that acknowledges and respects the individual’s self-healing process, naturopathic physicians apply methods and substances that minimize the risk of harmful side effects. To this end, practitioners use the least force necessary to diagnose and treat. Rather than eliminate or suppress symptoms, naturopathic medicine strives to recognize and remove the underlying cause of those symptoms. 

As mentioned earlier, naturopathic medicine is a holistic profession. Naturopathic physicians take into account every individual’s unique physical, mental, emotional, genetic, environmental, social, and other factors. They build on the individual’s self-healing capabilities by educating the patient and encourage self-responsibility for their health.

Naturopathic Doctors

Naturopathic doctors are educated and trained in accredited naturopathic medical colleges. The Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree comes from a four-year graduate medical college and requires graduate-level study in conventional medical sciences like cardiology, biochemistry, gynecology, immunology, pathology, pharmacology, pediatrics, and neurology. In fact, naturopathic doctors cooperate with other medical practitioners referring patients for treatment when appropriate. In addition to the conventional medical sciences, the naturopathic curriculum includes coursework in natural therapeutics such as clinical nutrition, botanical medicines, homeopathy, physical medicine, exercise therapy, lifestyle counseling, and hydrotherapy.

Naturopathic physicians are able to respond to the patient’s specific needs with a tailored treatment plan that includes nutritional supplements, botanical medicine, and diet therapy. Considering the holistic nature of naturopathic medicine, the physician takes the time to listen to the patient’s whole story and the context of their illness. This is why naturopathic physicians are often successful at treating chronic conditions that don’t respond to conventional medicine. Naturopathic physicians can translate the patient’s story and design an action plan with priorities as well as a treatment plan that supplements the individual’s healing process.

What to Expect in Your First Naturopathic Appointment?

A naturopathic appointment will likely last longer than one with a conventional physician ranging between an hour and two hours. In addition, the appointment follows extensive paperwork which helps guide the naturopathic physician during the initial interview process. Naturopathic physicians understand the importance of communication and allow their patients the time and space necessary to fully share their experience of their conditions or diseases. As a result, much of your first visit involves the naturopathic physician listening to your story.

In addition to hearing the patient’s subjective story, naturopathic doctors will use laboratory tests and other objective data in order to tailor fit the best treatment for the patient. The physician will combine this treatment with lessons on how the patient can engage with their own health. Follow-up visits will assess how the treatment plan is working and required adjustments will be made.

If you are interested in learning more about naturopathic medicine or would like to meet with a naturopathic doctor, then give us a call at the Harley Institute today.