We’ve heard most of the myths about naturopathic medicine, and while we’ve answered many questions, the role of pharmaceuticals in naturopathic medicine comes up often.
Because our medicinal toolkit includes herbal remedies, refers to traditional wisdom, and looks for natural options for healing, many assume naturopathic doctors don’t consider or prescribe pharmaceutical interventions.
We’d like to clear up a few things.
Quick Links:
- Can Naturopathic Doctors Prescribe Medication?
- Is Naturopathic Medicine ‘Anti-Pharmaceutical’?
- How Pharmaceuticals Fit Within the Therapeutic Order
- When Might a Naturopathic Doctor Recommend Medication?
- Why Your Complete Health History Matters
- Can Naturopathic Doctors Help Patients Reduce Medication?
- What Is Medication Management?
- Combining Pharmaceuticals With Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Natural Therapies
- Pharmaceutical Care for Acute and Chronic Conditions
- Choosing the Treatment That Best Supports the Patient
Can Naturopathic Doctors Prescribe Medication?
Yes. Like MDs, naturopathic doctors receive extensive training in pharmaceuticals and pharmacology as part of their degree. The state where they practice determines how much a naturopathic doctor can prescribe.
As primary care providers, naturopathic doctors are trained to diagnose, prevent, and treat illness, and sometimes that includes pharmaceuticals. However, they rarely reach for the prescription pad first.
Is Naturopathic Medicine Anti-Pharmaceutical?
No. While pharmaceuticals aren’t typically the first choice in naturopathic medicine for addressing health concerns, that doesn’t mean naturopathic doctors are opposed to them.
NDs follow a framework called the therapeutic order, which helps determine a patient’s appropriate level of care. Often, this means exploring symptoms to identify the best, least invasive treatment plan.
However, if necessary, naturopathic doctors can and will prescribe more aggressive or conventional pathways to healing, including prescriptions.
Sometimes a patient comes in already on a prescription to address a health issue, and in some cases, that’s the best option. In other cases, naturopathic doctors may continue the prescription while looking for alternatives. Abruptly stopping a prescription can sometimes cause complications, and that’s never the goal. In fact, “first, do no harm” is the very first tenet of naturopathic medicine
How Pharmaceuticals Fit Within the Therapeutic Order
Naturopathic medicine is guided by the therapeutic order.
The therapeutic order first asks NDs to determine the level of treatment an individual patient needs. Some health concerns can be addressed through small changes in daily behaviors. While it doesn’t prohibit pharmaceuticals, it also doesn’t look to them as the first (or only) option.
When changes to the foundations of health, sleep, nutrition, hydration, emotional well-being, and movement can improve healing and balance, those options come first.
However, medication may also be appropriate depending on the symptoms, the patient, and other lifestyle factors. Often, these two approaches are used together, with the patient working on lifestyle factors that affect their health and pharmaceuticals complementing that work, then gradually being phased out.
The goal is always treatment and care appropriate to the patient at the time.
When Might a Naturopathic Doctor Recommend Medication?
In some circumstances, such as an acute condition, NDs may recommend medication. For example, if your symptoms significantly impact daily life or lifestyle, or if other treatments are unlikely to succeed.
In the case of chronic conditions or where there is a risk of complications, NDs may look at the level of care required and determine that the best place to start is with medication.
For example, if a patient presents with an acute infection, antibiotics may be the first step. Similarly, high blood pressure that isn’t responding to less invasive options may require medication.
Naturopathic doctors may also review and suggest changes to daily factors like stress, nutrition, movement, sleep, diet, and more, but the goal is to make those changes alongside more immediate symptom relief or reduced overall health risk.
Why Your Complete Health History Matters
Before prescribing, your naturopathic doctor will get a complete health history (as they do during any initial visit). If you have new conditions or concerns, they may also review your health history to identify gaps or new information.
But why does that health history matter so much? It’s pretty simple: the symptom you come in with is almost never the full story. We’re not looking to treat or mask symptoms, but to get to the root causes of health issues or illness and work to improve or resolve them.
Your family history, along with your individual health history, including past treatments, vitamins/medications, allergies, current health concerns, most recent labs, and other symptoms, helps your ND better assess what’s contributing to your health issue.
Patients often leave out over-the-counter medications and supplements, but sharing a full list may help your ND identify duplicate ingredients, potential interactions, or supplements that no longer help you.
Your health history, including sleep, exercise, diet, and stress levels, may affect your health. A full picture helps your doctor develop an individualized treatment plan that fits you and your life.
Can Naturopathic Doctors Help Patients Reduce Medication?
Yes, when it’s feasible and medically appropriate.
Again, naturopathic medicine looks for the least invasive way to support your health. That means once you and your ND have discussed your full health history, completed an exam, reviewed any labs/tests, and talked about lifestyle factors that could contribute, they can assess whether you can reduce or phase out your current medication.
Be sure to discuss how you might wean off a medication and create a schedule for reducing it, so you can carefully monitor for any issues. In some cases, essential medications may not be adjusted at all.
What Is Medication Management?
One thing your ND can help you do is manage your medication. Medication management begins with a full inventory of the medications, supplements, vitamins, and over-the-counter medications you may be taking. And once reviewed, you and your care team can better determine whether your current medication schedule is still appropriate.
From there, you’ll discuss your health concerns and goals, what each medication is addressing, whether it’s working, and whether you’re experiencing any side effects. Your ND can look for duplicate ingredients or possible interactions.
A medication review aims to determine whether your current plan still meets your needs. You may find that some medications can be discontinued while others can be adjusted. Your ND may consult the prescribing doctor to better assess whether to include it in your overall treatment plan.
With a thorough review, you can decide together whether your current plan is still the best option for you.
Combining Pharmaceuticals With Nutrition, Lifestyle, and Natural Therapies
In conventional medicine, the prescription is often the only tool, or at least the focal point, of treatment. Naturopathic medicine looks at it a bit differently.
If your ND prescribes a medication, it’s only a part of your health plan. They will also help you build a plan around other factors that influence your health, including movement, nutrition, sleep, hydration, stress management, and emotional and spiritual needs.
For example, with diabetes, insulin (medication) may be part of the plan, but nutrition, exercise, and regular monitoring are also important.
In some cases, your naturopathic doctor might recommend vitamins, supplements, or herbal remedies, but only after considering your health and medication history.
Pharmaceutical Care for Acute and Chronic Conditions
For most people, an acute or chronic condition will eventually require pharmaceutical care.
For acute conditions tied to bacterial infections like bronchitis, ear infections, or skin infections, an antibiotic may be the best course of action to treat the problem immediately. For acute situations like an asthma flare-up, a corticosteroid inhaler may be appropriate.
Antibiotics do not treat viruses, so for issues like the flu, NDs will support your health through foundations like rest, fluids, and nutrition.
Antibiotics also do not heal tissue. So treating the body with nutrients and herbs, and supporting tissue healing with certain lifestyle changes, can promote tissue healing during and after antibiotic use, help restore function, and reduce the likelihood of scarring or weakness.
For chronic conditions, pharmaceuticals may be part of a longer-term plan and, again, not the whole plan. For example, with blood pressure, lifestyle changes may help an individual keep their blood pressure within a target range. The same holds for high cholesterol. If these adjustments are successful, NDs may wish to review medication.
In contrast, other chronic conditions like type 1 diabetes require medication for life. Every individual is different, as are their health conditions and goals. That’s why it’s always best to work closely with your doctor to monitor, adjust, and make the decisions that meet your needs.
Naturopathic Medicine: Choosing the Treatment That Best Supports the Patient
Most Americans have grown accustomed to a doctor’s visit ending with a prescription. The truth, however, is that prescriptions aren’t always necessary or the best course of action. But when you treat the symptom, not the root cause, they’re often the easiest and fastest fix.
Naturopathic medicine focuses on root causes and on understanding how or why a health concern has appeared. That means addressing underlying factors, not just symptoms, and often requires a closer look at overall health, existing conditions, daily habits, and medications and supplements.
With that focus in mind, the therapeutic order helps your ND identify the best treatment approach for your current health needs. Sometimes that means adjusting daily habits or supplements. Sometimes it means prescribing medication or continuing a prescription that’s working well. Decisions are based on the individual, their health, and their goals.
Curious about talking to an ND about your medication or other health concerns? Schedule a free 15-minute “Meet the Doc” appointment and get to know the naturopathic doctors on our team.
If you’re a current patient and want to review medications, supplements, and treatment goals, reach out to schedule an appointment today!