Naturopaths are doctors with a different view on treating patients. Rather
than treating just the symptoms of an illness, they prefer to treat the patient
as a whole.
Naturopaths are also known as naturopathic practitioners, naturopathic
physicians, naturopathic doctors or NDs.
Dr. Diana Christoff Quinn is a naturopathic physician in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
She explains that the care provided by naturopathic doctors differs from conventional
doctors in several ways.
First, naturopaths spend a lot more time with their patients. "At a typical
visit, a naturopathic doctor might spend an hour or more with a patient, as
opposed to the average seven minutes in a [conventional medicine] setting,"
Quinn says.
Next, naturopaths have been trained to treat the whole person. They aim
to identify the root causes of illness. They avoid treating symptoms alone.
Instead, they look for any imbalances that might be causing the symptoms.
"We do this with an eye on the whole person, understanding that all of
the systems are interconnected, rather than separately consider the skin rash,
the asthma and the digestive problems," says Quinn.
Also, the therapies that naturopaths typically use are gentle. In some
case, naturopaths may recommend powerful prescription medications. But in
many cases, they suggest the patient make changes in their lifestyle. For
example, they might suggest exercise or a change in diet.
"Naturopathic medicine is an art. All NDs will practice in different ways
and favor different [methods]," Quinn says. Different methods include lifestyle
counseling, nutrition, herbal medicine, physical medicine such as massage,
and Asian medicine (acupuncture, acupressure and Asian herbs). Homeopathy
is another method employed by naturopaths, which uses natural substances to
treat patients.
Like dentists, naturopaths tend to open their own clinics or establish
private practices. They need business skills as well as medical know-how.
They may also work in hospitals, health clinics and specialized health centers.
Self-employed naturopaths set their own work hours. Some may work part-time
hours only, while others put in 50- or 60-hour weeks.
Naturopaths who work in large naturopathic clinics may choose to specialize
in a specific area of treatment.
"Women's medicine, [children's medicine] and environmental medicine are
all areas of specialty within naturopathic medicine that I see as being in
demand," says Quinn. She adds that naturopaths who provide acupuncture will
be in demand as well.
Depending on where they practice, naturopaths may need a license. A number
of states have licensing requirements. Many others are seeking regulation.
Naturopaths who want to set up shop in regulated areas must pass a test and
hold a degree in naturopathic medicine.
The ways in which naturopaths are allowed to practice varies from state-to-state.
This is because different states have different regulations. Where licensing
laws do not exist, NDs must hold other degrees, such as a doctor of medicine
(MD), to become licensed. It's important to research the requirements in the
state in which you plan to work.
Some naturopaths in unregulated areas choose to practice as NDs. But they
must reduce the services they offer to follow medical practice laws. For example,
an ND in a non-licensed area could not be a patient's primary care physician.
The care they give would complement the care from a conventional medical doctor.
The ND would not be allowed to prescribe medicine or diagnose diseases.
Quinn works in a non-licensed state. She is severely limited in what she's
allowed to do. "We're legally bound from practicing within the scope of our
training," she says. For that reason, the majority of naturopaths are found
in states that regulate the profession.