By far, the most popular question we get in our office is, “What makes a naturopathic doctor different than my primary care physician?” MDs (also known as allopathic doctors) and NMDs are trained in the same way–both attend a four year accredited medical school and take the same classes. Both allopathic and naturopathic doctors take pharmacology classes and are trained in all the same medications and conventional therapies. The difference is that naturopathic doctors are also trained in natural medications and remedies. Allopathic doctors are not, and their training in alternative therapies is very limited. Furthermore, allopathic and naturopathic doctors can prescribe all the same conventional prescription medications with one difference–naturopathic doctors are not permitted to prescribe narcotics. Because naturopathic doctors cannot prescribe narcotics, they are trained, like Dr. Raithel, in natural pain management therapies.
When you walk into our office, you’ll notice the shelves of brown bottles by the front desk. What is in these bottles is what makes naturopathic doctors unique. These are the herbs that the doctors prescribe–all natural, often times completely organic, and not tainted with the fillers and “extra stuff” that pharmaceutical companies put into their pills. The pills and medications that you pick up at your local pharmacy that are prescribed by your primary care physician are using the same compounds that are found in our brown bottles. After all, much of western medicine owes itself to nature, because that is where most of the discoveries of cures comes from. You can also look at it like this: if you have to take a certain prescription medication, wouldn’t you prefer to take the natural option? The form of the drug that isn’t mixed with “extra stuff” that causes unwanted side effects? Ultimately, all the herbs and supplements that we sell in our office are prescription grade, meaning that one of our doctors must prescribe them. Unlike a general supplement shop, we do not sell to the public because it would be considered medical neglect to give such powerful natural therapies without an understanding of your case history, labs, and current pharmaceutical prescriptions.
If you would like to learn more about naturopathic medicine and speak to one of our doctors about your primary health concerns, we offer free 15 minute consultations. Once you become a patient, our doctors will strive to give you the optimum care that your body needs, with every herb or supplement specifically prescribed for you. We take pride in building personal relationships with our patients, spend as much time with them as needed.