Naturopathic care is nothing new. It’s been around since at least the 1800s, but its principles are based on ancient wisdom about the body and its abilities to heal itself. Naturopathic care doesn’t deny that traditional medical care has its place but might argue that it is overused.
But naturopathic care takes a completely different approach to your health than traditional (also called allopathic) medicine. The difference between the two approaches is wildly different. In this blog, the providers at Beeson Wellness Center explain what’s different about naturopathic care.
The naturopathic exam
The first place that you’ll notice a big difference between allopathic and naturopathic medicine is in the exam. You may be used to getting 15 minutes or so from an entire visit with traditional providers, but for most naturopathic providers, expect to spend an hour or two in your first visit.
Part of the first exam will be a detailed investigation about your lifestyle habits. You will likely be asked questions about your normal diet, any medications or supplements that you take, whether you smoke, and how much you exercise.
Another major part of the naturopathic exam is coming up with a plan for your future health, including whatever ailments prompted you to make the appointment for a visit. We’ll make plans together for treatments that can help restore you to wellness.
The naturopathic approach
When you see an allopathic provider, the end result of most visits is a prescription for a medicine you should take. Naturopathic medicine, however, works with your body to heal itself without drugs as often as possible. This approach may sometimes be slower to produce results, but they are more likely to completely resolve your problems.
Some of the components of wellness under a naturopathic approach may include the following:
- Regenerative medicine is used for many chronic conditions, including arthritis and persistent pain. Regenerative medicine includes medical treatments that are on the cutting edge of technology and are far from any “hippie” stereotypes about natural medicine.
- Dietary changes and nutritional counseling often play a significant role in helping you get better. The standard American diet is lacking many essential nutrients and may contribute to several health problems. You may be surprised by how much better you feel after making a few dietary changes.
- Herbal treatments may be recommended instead of drugs. Many of these herbal supplements are well-studied and have been found to be just as effective as (or even more effective than) pharmaceutical counterparts.
- Chiropractic care is sometimes recommended, especially if you’re plagued by chronic back pain. Chiropractic care can manipulate joints and vertebrae back into correct alignment, which often resolves back pain by fixing the problem, rather than just covering it up with pills.
- Other components of naturopathic care may include acupuncture, stress reduction, exercise therapy, or recommendations for counseling.
Naturopathic care treats you as an individual, and our recommendations for what will heal you are as individual as you are. If you’re interested in making an appointment with one of our providers or have further questions about naturopathic care, we would love to talk with you. Call our office today, or request an appointment online.
