Physician Supervised Hormone Balance Restoration
What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic physicians work with their patients to prevent and treat acute and chronic illness and disease, restore health, and establish optimal fitness by supporting the person's inherent self-healing process - the vis medicatrix naturae.
This is accomplished through:
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Prevention
Prevention of disease is emphasized through public health measures and hygiene, as well as, the encouragement and guidance of a persons to adopt lifestyles which are conducive to optimal health.
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Diagnosis
Diagnosis and evaluation of the individual's state of health are accomplished by integrated modern and traditional, clinical and laboratory diagnostic methods.
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Treatment and Care
Therapuetic methods and substances are used which work in harmony with the person's inherent self-help process (the vis medicatrix naturae), including: dietetics and nutritional substances, botanical medicine, psychotherapy, naturopathic physical medicine including naturopathic manipulative therapy, minor surgery, prescription medications, naturopathic obstetrics (natural childbirth), homeopathy, and acupuncture.
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What should I expect from my first visit with a naturopathic doctor?
You should expect a lengthy dialogue with your doctor – not with a nurse, not with the receptionist, not with a lab technician. Most importantly, you should expect a follow-up visit once your doctor has evaluated your history, your concerns, your current health status and any lab tests the doctor has ordered. Listening to and understanding the individual patient is the fundamental basis of naturopathic medicine. This approach allows for individualized treatment, rather than a cookie-cutter approach to patient care.
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What conditions can naturopathic medicine treat?
Because of the naturopathic doctor’s approach of treating the person, not the illness, there are very few illnesses or conditions that naturopathic medicine cannot alleviate. Naturopathic medicine may be a great adjunct to more conventional medicine for ailments that might otherwise be considered outside the naturopathic doctor’s scope. Certain conditions and ailments, however, have been shown to be particularly receptive to naturopathic care. Some, but certainly not all, of these are gastrointestinal disorders, environmental and food allergies, chronic sinusitis, asthma, skin conditions, obesity, blood sugar disorders, painful or heavy menstrual periods, migraines, fatigue, infertility, mood disorders, PMS, menopause, chronic heartburn and insomnia.
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If I visit a naturopath, will I be reimbursed by my health insurance company?
Yes, depending on the company that provides your health insurance. Many of our patient's regularly submit the Super Bill that we provide and are reimbursed by their insurance companies. Some insurance companies will cover blood work ordered by your naturopathic doctor. Some insurance companies will cover your entire visit. The easiest way to determine what aspects of your visit will be covered by your plan is to contact your insurance provider.
Aren't naturopathic doctors against all conventional prescriptions and medical treatment?
Absolutely not. Ever since the discovery of penicillin, scientific advances in pharmacology have saved countless lives and improved wellness for generations of people. There are some modalities in conventional medicine for which naturopathic medicine provides no substitute. However, there are many levels of intervention that can be used to return a person to health and the most modern method may not be the healthiest method for the patient.
As a general rule, naturopathic doctors favor using the least invasive methods. This might mean rest, hydration, or immune-boosting herbs with antimicrobial properties for a respiratory infection. If that approach fails, then a naturopathic doctor might opt to prescribe antibiotics or refer the patient out to another specialist – the health of the patient is the ultimate concern of any doctor, regardless of whether they are naturopathic or medical.
In fact, naturopathic doctors often work with medical doctors to provide adjunct care, such as natural treatments for the side effects of oncologist-prescribed chemotherapy. The basic philosophy of the naturopathic doctor is that the patient has the ultimate responsibility for their own health and always has the final say about what level of intervention is used for their care.