How is a naturopath different from your regular doctor? On this page, I will explain a few points about the difference between a North American naturopath trained at an accredited institution with a family or general practitioner.
First and foremost, the naturopath differs from your regular doctor on many points of philosophy, which were outlined briefly in the Naturopathic Principles. This is a different way of looking at medicine and at healing which really defines the foundation of the naturopathc approach.
Secondly, your average naturopath will spend much more time with you than your regular doctor. There are a few reasons for this. Economically speaking, many GPs are faced with pressing patient visits into a brief period of time. The average doctor visit in the U.S., for example, is something like seven minutes, which I'm sure is partially due to how they are paid, and also due to their training, since in most hospital settings a physician in training learns to get essential info, prescribe, and exit to see the next patient. Naturopaths cannot afford to do this because an understanding of a whole person on seven minutes interview is not likely to be particularly comprehensive, nor is it likely to ascertain underlying issues besides the symptoms most distressing to you. Nor would it provide time to do a good physical examination (which a naturopath is trained to do, exactly like your M.D.). And in the end, it probably would not provide enough information to formulate a truly effective healing program for you. Normally, first office calls will be the better part of an hour, with return office calls in the twenty to thirty minute range. Return office calls are lengthy becaue it takes time to properly explain to you what is going on and to give you the information you need to make your own health choices.
The questions that you are asked during a naturopathic interview include those types of questions that you are used to being asked by your regular doctor, but also include many more questions about your lifestyle habits and personal habits and health goals. Diet is usually thoroughly reviewed, as are bowel habits, exercise habits, and past medical history of yourself and your family.
Your naturopath and your GP will only partially vary in terms of diagnosis. Naturopaths are trained to diagnose in the same way that your GP does, although the naturopath's repertory of diagnoses often includes diagnoses which are not recognized by your GP. Medical records must be transferable between practioners, however, so your naturopathic records will contain diagnoses which other practitioners will understand. This enables the naturopath to communicate with your other health care providers, so that there is no misunderstanding about how you are being advised.
Treatments, of course, vary considerably between the naturopath and the GP (see Healing
Modalities). Naturopaths are trained to use lifestyle approaches with the addition
of the use of herbal medicine, homeopathy, nutritional medicine, manipulation and
physical medicine. Naturopaths have access to professional formulations of herbs
and nutritional supplements not available to the general public which they prescribe
for you from their own dispensaries. A naturopath may also provide you with hands-
The treatment plan that your naturopath formulates with you is also usually very different than your GPs. There will usually be several suggestions for resolution of your particular concerns involving your lifestyle, reading materials, possibly supplements, referals to other practitioners or to a specialized appointment for a specific therapy with your naturopath, etc. And the emphasis will always be on what YOU can do to improve your health, in other words, how you can take responsibility and control in a way that you are comfortable with!
Last updated 5 Mar 99
