Naturopaths – or naturopathic doctors – are indeed medical professionals. This is the first thing to make clear. Nevertheless, many misconceptions revolve around precisely this point. Naturopathic doctors are those that adhere to naturopathic medicine, defined as medicine that makes use of natural substances and draws inspiration – in the context of modern medical science – from traditional healthcare practices, many of which have been vindicated by the discoveries of modern medicine.
Kiya Longevity, providers of naturopathic health services, say that naturopathic doctors are certainly fully qualified doctors, but ones who specialize in naturopathic medicine. It is certainly true that many non-natural medical treatments and practices are indeed necessary for a lot of conditions, and no naturopathic professional is recommending strictly “natural” remedies for every single affliction.
Nevertheless, naturopathy has been proven effective in treating a range of conditions including chronic pain, anxiety, sleep disorders, and concentration problems. There is little controversy about this; entirely natural medications are available from any pharmacy and are often specifically prescribed by doctors. Naturopathic doctors are merely those that specialize in this specific area.
What is Naturopathy?
But what is the naturopathic tradition and how does it work? Naturopathy is much more than simply “prescribing only natural things”. In fact, this medical tradition has several important principles around which the naturopathic medication they prescribe revolves.
One of those principles is the idea that the human body has an innate healing ability and many lifestyle changes and practices (sometimes involving no medication at all) can help to promote this. Another important principle is that naturopathic doctors do not just prescribe medications but focus on comprehensive treatment plans designed to, over time, promote the body’s innate ability to heal and to ward of diseases and health conditions in the future. Naturopathy achieves this with a comprehensive synthesis of modern medical science and traditional natural medicine.
This point allows us to answer the question in the title of this article. Are naturopathic doctors real doctors? Well, while it could perhaps be argued that you do not need a medical degree to become well-versed in traditional medicine, to combine that with the expertise of modern medical science (which is a central part of naturopathy), you certainly need to be a qualified medical professional. So yes, naturopathic doctors are real doctors.
What Can Naturopathy Treat?
But what can they treat? And when should you go to a naturopathic doctor? Well, as mentioned, nobody is suggesting you call a naturopath after falling down the stairs and suffering a head injury. For that you should always visit the emergency room. However, for many chronic conditions, naturopathic medication can be highly effective. Some of the conditions it is typically used to treat include fatigue, chronic pain, anxiety disorder, sleep disorder, hormonal imbalance, and even things like general stress.
Nevertheless, as mentioned, naturopathy is not just treatment dispensed by the doctor in response to a particular reported condition. So much of it relies on the specifics of the patient. Accordingly, much of a naturopathic treatment plan will revolve around assessing the patient, tailoring treatment specifically to them, and then educating that patient about the best way to proceed and the natural remedies (either medications or lifestyle changes) they should pursue.
Bottom Line
As a final point here, it should be noted that naturopathic medication is not really in the business of quick results, or at least not the type one expects from a drug prescribed for a specific condition. Rather, the focus is always on the longer term, and prescribing a bespoke and comprehensive treatment plan. In this way, naturopathic medicine can achieve long-term results.