Naturopathic Modalities
Aside from being trained as general medical practitioners, Naturopathic Physicians are also trained in a variety of other modalities to further help heal their patients. Naturopathic practice includes the use of any medicinal substances that contain elements which are found in bodily tissues, or can be used by the body for maintenance of life and the repair of tissues. Naturopathic Physicians provide the least invasive, most natural treatments that are determined to be effective and safe. Since they are also extensively trained in pharmacology, they are able to integrate natural treatments safely with prescription medications, often working with other healthcare providers to ensure you the most comprehensive and safest care possible. Some of the common naturopathic modalities include:
Acupuncture: Acupuncture is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) concepts that describe illness as disharmony in the body. Naturopathic Doctors uses case history and physical finding to arrive at a TCM diagnosis. Placement of needles in strategic areas is used to alleviate and correct any imbalances. Acupuncture can help alleviate muscles tension and joint pain. People with headaches and/or migraines often seek acupuncture as it can be very effective in alleviating the symptoms. There is also a great deal of clinical evidence supporting its use for hormonal imbalances and can help to promote fertility, regulate menstrual cycles, and alleviate symptoms of menopause.
Botanical Medicine: It involves the use of herbal teas, tinctures, capsules, and other herbal preparations to assist in recovery from injury and disease. Botanicals have been used safely for generations and are the chemical basis for many synthetic pharmaceuticals. The active constituents of plants can be extracted and used to gently heal the body without the added side-effects of traditional pharmaceuticals.
Clinical Nutrition: Food is medicine! Naturopathic doctors truly believe that adopting a healthy diet is often the first step towards correcting health problems. Many medical conditions can be treated effectively through the power of healthy foods and nutritional supplementation, without the added side effects of pharmaceuticals. Individualized diets are important in the prevention of nutritional deficiencies as well as increasing energy, promoting healthy gastrointestinal function, and maintaining a healthy weight.
Pharmaceutical Medicine: Despite what most people think about naturopathic doctors, they DO prescribe pharmaceutical drugs. Some conditions, such as autoimmune thyroiditis, require the use of exogenous synthetic drugs, and that’s okay! NDs are trained to recognize when patients can benefit from botanical medicine versus when they need pharmaceutical drugs, and they always keep the patient’s health and goals as their primary concern. NDs are also trained to know which botanical herbs are contraindicated when taking certain pharmaceutical drugs and are willing to council patients on appropriate lifestyle changes they need to make.
Mind-Body Medicine and Counseling: Mental state and emotional stressors can influence and even cause physical illness. Through counseling, naturopathic doctors identify risk factors and make recommendations to optimize one’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
Physical Medicine: Naturopathic medicine utilizes therapeutic manipulation of soft tissue, muscles, bones and spine. NDs also use ultrasound, diathermy, exercise, massage, water, heat and cold, and other gentle electrical therapies in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions and pain.
Again, these are only some of the modalities that naturopathic doctors use when treating their patients. Talk to a naturopathic doctor near you if you’re interested in trying any of these treatment options for your health conditions!