Can Naturopathic Care Complement Traditional Medicine?
When people begin seeking new health care options and start to explore naturopathic options they often ask the same question: Can I seek natural care and standard care at the same time? People often think they will have to choose between naturopathic care or traditional Western medicine, and only use one or the other. The truth is, you don’t need to choose! Yes, you can absolutely seek natural care and standard care at the same time. In fact, many people do.
Several naturopathic doctors work in partnership with traditional medical doctors. It is a commonly held belief that naturopathic doctors can often complement traditional medical care. Traditional medical doctors are trained to treat specific issues or symptoms, while naturopathic doctors have been trained to look for the underlying causes of a patient’s symptoms. Naturopaths also look at patients in a holistic sense, and care for the totality of their patients. While a medical doctor or surgeon can provide immediate care and relief, a naturopath’s goal is to help their patients achieve lifelong health and wellness and eliminate the symptoms altogether by getting rid of its root cause.
Chronic Headaches
A medical doctor can prescribe countless medications to ease the pain of recurring headaches, and they will take care of the problem. This is important because people have to be able to continue to function in their daily lives. However, the headaches will most likely not go away. A naturopath, on the other hand, will investigate why the headaches keep occurring and prescribe alternative treatments in an effort to eradicate them altogether. This is an ideal situation because the patient gets immediate relief, but is also working towards permanently resolving the issue.
Cancer Treatment
Natural care can improve the results of standard care and it can often help to reduce the side effects of certain treatments. Cancer treatment is a good example. Traditional medicine can offer life-saving treatments such as radiation, or chemotherapy. However, the side effects of these treatments can include nausea, fatigue, and loss of appetite. Many cancer patients work with a naturopath to help manage those negative side effects and help build a healthier core foundation while treatment is in progress.
Diabetes
Diabetes is another good example. Most Type 2 diabetics have to take insulin to help manage their blood sugar levels, which is prescribed by a traditional medical doctor. However, a naturopath might encourage patients to work with a nutritionist to reduce the amount of sugar they ingest.
You can complement your traditional medical care by scheduling an appointment with a naturopath, acupuncturist, chiropractor, osteopath, or homeopath at Coastal Natural Health.