Naturopath Physicians
An ND, or naturopathic doctor treats illnesses much differently than a conventional MD. Rather than prescribing medication to alleviate the symptoms, a naturopath finds the underlying cause of the problem and treats it with noninvasive methods including nutrition, homeopathic medicine, herbs, acupuncture, and counseling. If you aren’t currently dealing with a medical issue, the naturopath will help you to find ways to change your lifestyle and improve your health, which may prevent problems.
Many patients have had bad experiences with doctors, and are hesitant to seek medical advice. I went through an experience like this with a family member who had suffered a severe back injury at work, and had also been diagnosed with diabetes. Due to his high blood pressure, diabetes, and an irregular heartbeat, doctors wouldn’t perform back surgery that was causing him constant pain. One doctor went so far as to call him “a surgeon’s worst nightmare” and stated that if he were brought into the ER following a severe car accident, he wouldn’t operate. The solution the doctors came up with was strong narcotics. When the “pain specialist” who was highly recommended came into the examining room, he was asking questions, taking notes, and was halfway out the door within 5 minutes after writing the prescription that was going to take the pain away. The pain was still there, but he was so heavily medicated, it didn’t bother him until the meds started to wear off. Fortunately, he is no longer taking all this “junk” but had I known about naturopathic medicine at the time, the situation would have been much different.
A naturopath will usually spend about an hour with each patient. The doctor will get information about your physical and emotional state, as well as your lifestyle. the doctor may do bloodwork and based on all the information, will choose a plan for your treatment. Naturopathic medicine is based on several fundamental truths.
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The body can heal itself
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Treat the cause of the illness, but don’t suppress the symptoms.
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Use non-invasive treatments such as homeopathic and herbal medicine, and nutrition.
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Treat the mind and body.
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Preventive medicine.