Frequent Asked Questions
What
is naturopathic medicine?
Naturopathic medicine
is primary healthcare from a licensed doctor, without the
use of drugs or surgery. By definition, naturopathic doctors
(ND) treat the nature of the disease or the nature of the
pathology. Naturopaths work to uncover the source of the
illness and treat both the symptoms and the cause. While
naturopathic medicine does encompass many traditional treatments
including acupuncture and botanical or herbal medicine,
naturopathic doctors are also highly trained in the most
recent technology. Naturopathic doctors are trained as general
practitioners in complementary medicine, providing a full
range of diagnostic tests and therapies.
What
is the difference between a naturopathic doctor and a medical
doctor?
Both are doctors. Naturopathic
doctors complete 3 or 4 years of pre-med training (usually
achieving a bachelor's degree) and then have 4 years of
training at an accredited naturopathic medical college.
NDs must successfully complete provincial board exams prior
to being granted licensure. NDs in BC are licensed and regulated
by the College of Naturopathic Physicians.
Medical doctors use drugs and surgery to treat patients;
naturopathic doctors use a multi-faceted non-drug, non-surgery
approach to your health care. Using the most advanced technology
available for diagnosis and treatments, naturopaths look
at the patient's health history and lifestyle and treat
the individual using methods such as supplements, nutrition,
acupuncture and other non-drug alternatives.
Medical doctors are reactive and treat the symptoms of the
disease, which is already in place. The naturopathic doctor's
approach is pro-active and works with you to make changes
to your health and lifestyle to ensure you are as healthy
as possible for as long as possible.
What
are the types of treatments that a naturopathic doctor would
use?
Preventative Medicine - a
comprehensive assessment of an individual's health risks
including diet, exercise and stress. The doctor will then
provide preventative health protocols for the patient to
follow.
Nutritional Medicine - using dietary protocols, nutritional
advice and supplements to heal and repair the body.
Botanical (herbal) Medicine - NDs are professionally trained
herbalists and know both the historical uses of plants as
well as the modern pharmacological mechanisms.
Homeopathic Medicine - small amounts of natural substances
are used to stimulate the body's self-healing abilities.
Manipulation and Physical Medicine - corrections of stress
or trauma induced misalignments of muscle, connective tissue
and the skeletal system. The therapeutic use of water, light
electricity, ultra-sound, massage and exercise.
Traditional Chinese Medicine - includes the use of acupuncture
and Chinese herbs.
What
conditions and illnesses do naturopathic doctors commonly
treat?
Naturopathic doctors treat
virtually all acute and chronic conditions. Many patients
visit an ND when they feel that they have exhausted their
options, and are extremely surprised (and grateful) to find
that the ND can greatly relieve not only their symptoms
but also help to heal the cause.
Many others see an ND as a pro-active approach to their
lives. These people are not suffering from chronic conditions,
but want to optimize their health and wellness and are making
an effort to improve their lifestyle in a variety of ways.
What
are the advantages to seeing a naturopathic doctor?
The goal of a naturopathic
doctor is to understand the individual health needs of each
patient. NDs take a more traditional approach and spend
a great deal of time with each patient in order to understand
each person, and their specific health issues.
NDs look to the underlying cause of the condition, not just
the symptoms, and use treatments that are defined by the
individual and their health at that time. A naturopathic
doctor will take more time with you, to do an initial assessment,
which may include a full physical exam.
What
can I expect on my first visit to a naturopathic doctor?
As Naturopathic Medicine treats
the underlying cause of the disease, Dr. Sciortino will
conduct a comprehensive visit. She will gain an understanding
of where your healthcare issues are originating by gathering
information on your health history and your family's conditions.
She will be interested in your lifestyle, eating habits,
exercise, stress, and exposure to environmental toxins.
In some cases she may use a physical exam to help determine
where the problems lie. This information will enable her
to start you on the path to improved health and well-being.
How long will it take to complete
a course of treatments?
The response to treatment varies with respects to individual
and the extent of the trauma to the ligament or tendon as
well as individual rates of healing. From a clinical perspective,
some people may only need only a few treatments while others
may need 10 or more. The average number of treatments is
4-6 treatments.
Before utilizing this form of treatment, follow up with
Dr. Sciortino to best advise what treatments may be used
in combination, such as acupuncture and ultrasound to attain
the best results.
Fees for
naturopathic medicine?
Good health is an investment.
Invest now and it will pay an immediate return to your quality
of life. When you consider how important it is to maintain
your car, it's considered smart to spend money on maintenance
and upkeep. It lengthens the life of your car and keeps
it running efficiently. You certainly do not want your car
to breakdown going up a steep hill. If you would do that
for your car, wouldn't you do it for yourself?
You are worth it. Give it a few months and you will be amazed
at the return-on-investment.
The services of a Naturopathic Doctor are usually covered
by extended health care. A detailed bill will be produced
so you may be reimbursed for the amount that your insurance
provider offers.
Unfortunately, Provincial subsidies for naturopathic medicine
were cut by the Liberal government on January 1, 2002. At
present there is no MSP coverage available for visits to
an ND unless you are on premium assistance.
Is naturopathic medicine covered
under MSP or extended healthcare plans?
Many extended healthcare plans cover naturopathic medicine
visits and laboratory testing fees. MSP partially covers
the cost of your naturopathic medicine visit if you qualify
for premium assistance under the medical services plan of
BC.
Principles Of Naturopathic Medicine
- First Do No Harm (Primum
No Nocere) Use methods and medicines that do
not cause adverse reactions using treatments that will
enable proper care and prevention.
- Co-operate with the Healing Power of Nature (Vis
Medicatrix Naturae) Naturopathic Medicine creates
treatment programs that enable the body to heal itself
through support and functional treatment.
- Identify the Fundamental Cause (Tolle
Causam) The naturopathic doctor seeks to address
the underlying causes of disease, rather than suppress
the symptoms.
- Heal the Whole Person through Individual Treatment
(Tolle tottum)
Naturopathic doctors treat each patient individually and
take into consideration physical, mental, emotional, genetic,
environmental and social factors that may attribute to
one's health.
- Teach Principles of Healthy Living and Preventative
Medicine (Docere)
"Doctora" means teaching, it enables the naturopathic
doctor to share information and knowledge with their patients
to promote self-responsibility for health care.
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