What is naturopathic medicine?
Naturopathic medicine is a unique form of healthcare that views the entire body as a whole and recognizes the body's innate ability to heal. While it incorporates both traditional and conventional methods of treatment, the belief is that less invasive treatments should be utilized first if possible, followed by more invasive treatments when necessary.
Naturopathic medicine looks for the underlying or root causes of disease and addresses imbalances within the body, while remembering that each system of the body and all aspects of your health are interconnected.
The 6 Principles of Naturopathic Medicine
Do No Harm
The Healing Power of Nature
Identify & Treat the Cause
Physician as Teacher
Treat the Whole Person
Prevention
Naturopathic doctors strive to address the root cause of disease. Why are you feeling the way you are or suffering from this particular malady? They also work to promote balance in a patient's body and life in general.
By using information gathered from the patient and any completed exams or tests, they develop an individualized approach for healing. They treat the individual, not the disease. Because naturopathic medicine is so individualized for each patient, recommendations and treatments can vary even among patients with the same condition.
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Therapeutic modalities that are offered also differ from state to state, depending on current licensing laws for naturopathic physicans. For example, in the state of Arizona, naturopathic physicians can be primary care doctors for their patients, perform all standard physical exams and wellness exams, prescribe pharmaceutical drugs, perform minor surgeries, draw blood and give IV therapy, administer spinal manipulations and adjustments, perform acupuncture, etc.
In unlicensed states such as Texas, naturopathic doctors cannot perform physical exams or give the therapies mentioned above. Naturopathic doctors in unlicensed states also cannot be called "physicians" or claim to diagnose or "treat" any condition.
What do naturopathic doctors do?
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. "
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-Hippocrates
How Long has Naturopathic
Medicine been
in Existence?
Naturopathic medicine has a rich and interesting history! The term "naturopathy " has been around since the 1800s, but traditional and natural forms of treatment have been used for much longer. Over 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates, known as the "Founder of Medicine," proclaimed the "healing power of nature." He famously stated that we should "let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." However, it wasn't until 1902 when the very first class of students graduated from a naturopathic school.
Naturopathy was more widely used in the past, and in fact, in 1950 there were still over 20 naturopathic medical schools in existence (compared to 8 today). Recently, naturopathy has begun to make a comeback in mainstream society, with people becoming more conscious of the foods they eat and interested in treating their diseases naturally. There are currently 22 states with licensure for naturopathic physicians. Several states have licensed naturopathic doctors in just the last few years, and more are working toward that goal.
Naturopathic doctors are trained to be primary care physicians who specialize in natural medicine (although the way in which they practice is sometimes limited due to state laws). They attend a 4- or 5-year medical school program at 1 of the 8 accredited schools in the U.S. and Canada. (They complete a 4-year bachelor's degree, as well as other prerequisite courses prior to medical school). While in naturopathic medical school, students study the same subjects as conventional medical students, but also study many natural treatment modalities. Some of the areas of study and training include pharmacology, IV therapy, spinal manipulation, complete physical examinations of the patient, hydrotherapy, homeopathy, nutrition, minor surgery, botanical (herbal) medicine, acupuncture, mind-body medicine, and environmental medicine.
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The first 2 years of the program focus heavily on sciences such as biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, histology, embryology, neuroanatomy, and microbiology. In addition to their ongoing classes, students also attend clinic shifts during the last 2 years of the program, where they are instructed and trained in patient care. After graduation, naturopathic doctors must pass extensive postdoctoral board examinations in order to obtain their license to practice medicine. Afterwards, they can choose to complete residencies, preceptorships, begin private practice, consult for neutraceutical companies, work in the research field, teach at a university or medical school, etc. Naturopathic doctors are required to complete continuing medical education (CME) each year in order to maintain their license.