Is A Naturopathic Doctor A Real Doctor?

Naturopathic medicine is a system that uses natural remedies to help the body heal itself. It supports multiple therapies, including plants, massage, acupuncture, exercise, and nutritional counseling. In the 1800s, Naturopathy was introduced from Germany to the United States, but some of its therapies are centenary. It blends new science with conventional therapies.

Who's doing it?

In hospitals, clinics, community centres and private offices you can find people who embrace natural medicine. They are divided into three classes and all have different histories and training:

• Naturopathic physicians: These are also referred to as Naturopathic Doctors (NDs) or Natural Medicines Doctors (NMD). They also attend a four-year graduate school. They are certified. They learn the same fundamental sciences as medical doctors(MD). However they also research diet, psychology and additional treatments including herbal medicine and homeopathy. Certain countries and territories require certification of naturopathic physicians. This means that they must pass an exam and study continuing education.
• Traditional naturopaths: These practitioners do not attend or earn a certificate from an accredited naturopathic school. They differ widely in education.
• Healthcare Providers: Certain physicians, dentists, osteopathic surgeons, chiropractors and nurses are trained in natural medicine. Most are NDs. Most are NDs. Most are NDs.

Unlike MDs or DOs, Naturopathic Doctors are trained in Naturopathic medicine and preventative medicine. This is sometimes referred to as functional medicine, holistic medicine, integrative medicine, or alternative medicine. It includes Chinese Medicine & acupuncture, nutrition, medicine in botany, medicine of the mind-body, psychotherapeutics, Homeopathic and neurofeedback / biofeedback.

Naturopathic Doctors believe in treating the underlying cause of a medical concern. The focus is identifying why you are experiencing the symptoms you have, and most importantly how to resolve them. A Naturopathic Doctor would explore all these options and draw up a treatment plan to clear up your current infection and prevent it in the future. Conventional doctors may prescribe a drug to suppress your symptoms that will never genuinely help the body heal and resolve the health problem.

Naturopathic Doctors concentrate on treating you as a whole person. In other words, they assume people are more than the symptoms they come to the doctor to get rid of. They want to work with you to make you feel better than ever before, so that several aspects of your health and wellness – mental, emotional and physical – can be addressed. These are all related aspects. For example, anxiety can lead to sleep issues, which can lead to memory issues, weight gain, or low energy. Ensuring all of these factors are addressed is fundamental to Naturopathic Medicine.

Naturopathic Doctor’s Education & Training

A Naturopathic Doctor is a licensed physician in the state of Arizona who carries a license to practice naturopathic medicine. Furthermore, Naturopathic Doctors undergo extensive training and are expected to pass many national exams to become certified. Naturopathic Doctors attend a four-year Naturopathic medical school accredited by the Council for Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) after earning a bachelor's degree and meeting research preconditions.

During a Naturopathic Doctor’s medical education, they learn pathophysiology, medical diagnosis, medical imaging interpretation, medical laboratory evaluation, minor surgical skills, and pharmacology just like MDs and DOs.

In short, the core education is the same – anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, regardless of the type of medicine a doctor practices.