Treatments
What Does Naturopathic Care Look Like?
Naturopathic medicine is not defined by any single therapy. Naturopathic Doctors share a comprehensive, patient-centred approach to care that considers the many factors that can influence health and uses individualized treatment to support each patient’s needs, priorities and goals.
Your care may look very different depending on your health concerns, your ND’s clinical focus and expertise, and the scope of practice permitted in the province or territory where they practise. Treatment decisions should also consider the best available evidence, clinical judgment, your preferences and the other care you may be receiving.
A Broad Therapeutic Scope
Naturopathic Doctors are educated in a range of therapeutic approaches that may be incorporated into care depending on the individual patient. Naturopathic care may include comprehensive health assessment, physical examination, review and interpretation of laboratory findings, nutrition and lifestyle interventions, nutritional and orthomolecular supplementation, botanical medicine, and other therapeutic approaches taught within naturopathic medical education. NDs are trained to evaluate the evidence for supplements and botanical medicines, including appropriate use, dosing, safety, potential effectiveness, and interactions with prescription medications, other supplements, and treatments.
Depending on the province or territory and the ND’s individual qualifications, practice may also include additional clinical services such as ordering laboratory tests, prescribing medications, administering substances by injection or IV, acupuncture, and other regulated procedures. Some of these activities require additional education, certification or regulatory authorization, and scope of practice varies across Canada.
The Approach That Connects Naturopathic Practice
Although the therapies used by individual NDs can vary considerably, naturopathic practice is connected by a shared approach to care.
This includes:
- considering the whole person rather than an isolated symptom or diagnosis;
- supporting health promotion and disease prevention;
- identifying biological, behavioural, environmental and social factors that may be influencing health;
- developing individualized care based on each patient’s needs and goals;
- emphasizing patient education, informed choice and shared decision-making; and
- collaborating with other health-care professionals when appropriate.
Naturopathic care is not about using every available therapy. It is about selecting approaches that are appropriate for the individual patient, supported by the available evidence and delivered within the ND’s training, competence and professional scope.
Territory
Acknowledgement