What type of education and training do Naturopathic Doctors receive?
The AANMC member schools are four-year professional level medical programs that result in a doctor of Naturopathic medicine degree/diploma (NMD). Students are educated in all of the same basic sciences as an MD or DO as well as the latest advances in science in combination with natural approaches to therapy, disease prevention, and clinical education. In addition to a standard medical curriculum, the naturopathic physician is required to complete four years of training in clinical nutrition, acupuncture, homeopathic medicine, botanical medicine, physical medicine and counseling.
How long will it take me to feel better?
The speed at which people get better varies from person to person and from condition to condition. Most patients will begin to notice improvement in their chronic symptoms during the first few weeks of treatment, and sometimes faster. In acute illnesses, such as the cold and flu, you will begin to feel better in as little as a few hours.
How will I know if I am getting better?
For many people, improvement is very obvious because their symptoms begin to improve quickly. For others, the first signs of improvement are more subtle. These early signs may include:
- General improvement in your mood and demeanor
- Greater sense of well-being
- Feeling more calm and at ease
- Improved energy
When will my treatment end?
This is a very difficult question to answer because there are many factors that can affect the speed of your recovery, including:
- the severity of your illness
- how long you have been sick
- your stress level
- your attitude
- how closely you stick to the treatment plan
- complications that occur during treatment
Some therapies will need to be continued to maintain progress but most of the time patients are able to resume a normal lifestyle and reduce the number of ongoing treatments.
Do you refer to other doctors and can you work with my primary care physician?
Yes. We believe in a team approach wherever this will benefit you. We frequently refer to medical specialists to assist us in diagnosis and testing, or to help us monitor people with serious conditions. We also will refer you to practitioners who do other forms of treatment if these therapies will help you get better and we do not do them ourselves.
