A naturopathic physician will take time with you. During your first appointment, your doctor will take your health history, find out about your diet, stress levels, lifestyle stressors, and discuss why you’re there. What is important to YOU. He may perform an examination and order diagnostic tests. Naturopathic physicians keep themselves up-to-date on the latest scientific research and incorporate this evidence into their treatments. The naturopathic physician will work with you to set up a customized health management strategy.
1. A patient seeing a Naturopathic doctor can expect to spend considerable time in the office. Not only is critical information collected about factors that may have set the stage for (or may be contributing to) the present problems, but a comprehensive understanding of the patient’s habits of daily living, prior illnesses and traumas, environmental exposures, and genetic influences must be gained. Your first visit may last one to two hours and follow-up visits range from 30 to 60 minutes, although this varies depending on the ND. Naturopathic physicians need sufficient time to ask questions and understand the patient’s health goals. NDs also need time to gather information, do an appropriate examination and teach his or her patients about managing their condition and improving their health.
2. Patients may be asked to complete questionnaires on a variety of topics, such as toxic exposures at home and at work/school, a diet history, and characteristics of chronic and acute symptoms. Answers provide the clinician with in-depth health-related information that is difficult to gather by interview alone.
3. Laboratory tests are often recommended, including tests both familiar (e.g., CBC) and less conventional (e.g., stool analysis, vitamin/mineral assessments). These tests help determine which key biological processes are functioning properly and which are not—essential information for the development of a customized, comprehensive treatment plan to restore health.
4. Treatments may include homeopathic remedies, botanical medicines, nutritional supplements, therapeutic diets, detoxification programs, rejuvenation programs, counseling on lifestyle, exercise, and stress-management techniques. Drugs may be used, but only as a last resort, not a go to treatment.
5. The patient is an active partner with the Naturopathic doctor, taking a leading role in improving health and changing the outcome of disease. We exercise shared decision making. Besides taking the time to carefully and fully assess a patient’s root problem, NDs speak and understand the language of conventional medicine. They can diagnose the way MDs do—yet, they bring to the patient a whole new arsenal of treatments and insights. Instead of waiting for a disease to emerge, we will work to head it off before it happens.
For more information about Naturopathic medicine visit the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians