Saswati Sarkar
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Written By: Saswati Sarkar | Updated : July 13, 2018 3:11 PM IST
Seeing a naturopath is going to be a completely different experience from your visit to a regular medical doctor (MD). This is not only because their treatment modalities are different, but also because, their approaches towards an ailment are poles apart. An MD looks at a disease from the perspective of intervention or cure, while the focus of a naturopath is prevention. A naturopathic doctor will act as your primary health care physician combining your medical history, lifestyle, mental health and physical examination results. So your expectations from him should also be, well, different! Go to a naturopathic doctor with an open mind and you will come out enlightened and inspired at the end of your visit. Here, we guide you on what you can expect from your first visit to a naturopath. (Just make sure that you have done enough research on his background before reaching his chamber).
Long Conversation
Yes, it's going to be a lengthy affair, ranging from 1 to 2 hours. Since naturopathic doctors look at the root cause of an illness, not only the symptoms, you can expect a lot of questions ranging from your eating pattern, sleep habits, emotional health, genetic predisposition (if any), medical history and much more. While you may feel that a lot of it doesn't have any connection with your current condition, always remember that the relevance of a question is best understood by your naturopath. To have a rough estimate of the time, you can also ask about the duration while booking an appointment.
Physical Examination
On your first visit, all your vital information will be collected. This includes your height, body weight, blood pressure and pulse rate. Your naturopath may also do a physical examination in case of an affected body part. He will check your eyes, ears, heart and lungs too while trying to feel your abdomen for tender spots. You may have to go through orthopaedic tests if there are complaints of joint or muscle pain.
Lab Tests
In some cases, a bloodwork or a diagnostic test may be needed to figure out the underlying cause of a health condition and track its progress. For example, a blood test may be required to check for food allergy or sugar levels.
Treatments
You can look forward to a comprehensive combat plan that will address all of your health challenges. Based on your condition, there will be a diet suggestion for sure. The other treatment options that depend on the nature and severity of your complaint, may include therapies with natural resources like light and water, herbal medicine, homoeopathic prescription, lifestyle counselling and the likes.
All said and done, a little bit of preparation before going to a naturopath's clinic is always a good idea. A smart prep-up plan includes making a list of medicines you are currently having, bringing a file of all your recent diagnostic tests and carrying your diet journal, if you have one!
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