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What Can I Expect During
My First Visit To A Naturopathic Doctor?
Once the patient's history has been taken, the Naturopath
may do a screening physical, which is a standard physical
examination.
After the intake and physical are completed, the Naturopath
will discuss the treatment plan or protocol with the
patient.
If needed, the patient will be referred for laboratory or
other diagnostic tests, or to their medical doctor for
further consultation. Follow-up visits are scheduled from
one to four weeks after treatment has begun. If a chronic
illness is being addressed, the patient can expect to
undergo at least one month of treatment for every year of
illness.
A Typical Visit
Naturopathic doctors take the time to listen and understand
what the patient is saying:
1. Time
Expect to spend time talking with your naturopathic doctor.
A typical initial naturopathic visit runs between 1 – 1 ½
hours. The doctor will listen and ask
questions as you describe your symptoms, your usual day, the
foods you eat, the kind of work you do, the stresses you are
dealing with, and your physical and emotional background.
Follow-up visits run approximately 30 to 45 minutes.
2. Focus
Naturopathic doctor are trained to treat you, not just your
symptoms. Instead of prescribing an antihistamine to you if
you come in with a runny nose, a naturopathic doctor will
work to find out why your nose is running in the first
place. You may have allergies, a viral or bacterial or even
fungal infection. A naturopathic doctor will work with you
to identify and remove the allergy-causing substance, boost
your immune system, or attack the infection.
3. Comprehensive Care
A Naturopathic doctor is trained to treat the whole person.
A digestive disorder can lead to dermatological symptoms,
fatigue, even depression. In conventional medicine, you
would often be referred to three or four different doctors
for treatment. In naturopathic medicine, the doctor assesses
your symptoms as a whole, often finding they are
inter-related. When the cause of the symptoms is treated,
ALL of the symptoms improve.
4. Referrals
Naturopathic doctors are trained to recognize when seemingly
simple symptoms may be a serious underlying problem.
They are trained and encouraged to refer patients whom they
feel may need further diagnostic work-ups or treatments that
are outside the scope of their training.
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