Naturopathic Medicine

Naturopathic medicine is a complete approach to improving your health and treating illness. It uses a combination of natural medicines and hands on techniques to support and stimulate the body’s ability to heal.

Naturopathic medicine assesses and treats the causes of disease through careful investigation into the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of a person’s life. Patients are treated with an individualized treatment plan made up by their doctor.

Licensed naturopathic doctors must complete at least 3 years of standardized pre-medical studies at a recognized university prior attending an accredited naturopathic college. A four year, full-time program in naturopathic medicine is then completed at an accredited naturopathic college – this includes training in basic and medical sciences, diagnostics, and pharmacology as well as in naturopathic treatment modalities, including 1500 hours of supervised clinical experience.

To become licensed, two sets of standardized NPLEX exams must be passed. Naturopathic doctors must take ongoing continuing educational courses to maintain their licenses.

Naturopathic medicine truly excels over conventional medicine at treating chronic conditions and preventing the development of diseases where risk factors exist. Naturopathic medicine treats most health conditions, including allergies, colds, high blood pressure, fatigue, pain and headaches, skin conditions, and digestive problems. Women’s issues and hormonal issues are frequently treated successfully, ranging from menstrual difficulties to infertility to menopausal complaints. Men’s health care, prenatal and pediatric care is also offered.

The first visit is 30-45 minutes long.  It includes a detailed medical history including your current concerns, your past medical history, a complaint-oriented physical exam, and a basic plan for your individual case.

Naturopathic doctors can order a wide range of lab testing and blood work. See our fees and services page for a full list of tests offered through our clinic.

Yes, naturopathic doctors can work in conjunction with conventional medical and other practitioners. Naturopathic doctors may also refer or consult with other health care specialists during treatment.

The response to naturopathic medicine varies from individual to individual.  Generally the longer that you have been experiencing symptoms, the longer it will take for healing to occur. That said, you should have some degree of improvement in the first 4 visits provided that you are following the treatment plan closely. The more effort that you put into your healing process, the more you will get out of the experience.
If you are not experiencing improvement or are not comfortable with your treatment plan, there are many avenues that naturopathic medicine can take.  Naturopathic medicine has so many different types of treatments modalities that there are many ways to treat the same condition and your current plan is simply what the doctor thinks will work best for your situation.  It is important to remember the role that the patient plays as an active partner in their health care.