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Naturopathy is an umbrella term describing a combination of natural treatments that have developed in European countries such as Germany and England over the last 150 years (although the roots of these go back hundreds of years). Just as you get Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naturopathy is like Traditional Western Medicine. We embrace certain principles listed below, and utilise any drugless route to health. We are like G.P’s of natural medicine. We see patients with all manor of health problems who would prefer to have natural treatment rather than medicine from the doctor.
First I take a full history from you. To help us work out together what the contributing factors have been in you developing this problem. We make a list of the current symptoms and your goals for treatment. I may use certain methods to help assess your health. Then I work out a treatment plan for you. This may include some of the following elements depending on what I feel you need:
- Nutritional advice and supplementation
- Herbal remedies
- Homeopathic remedies
- Hands on body work such as osteopathy, cranial osteopathy or InterX therapy (see separate leaflets)
- Detoxification therapy
- Stress reduction advice
- Lifestyle advice: for example topics may be improving sleep, exercise, stretching, breathing and relaxation techniques
Do No Harm: how many drugs or operations can say they do no harm?
Treat the underlying root cause: we don’t just want to remove or alleviate symptoms we want to permanently find a solution by addressing the underlying issues that are causing the problem.
Promote the vitality of the body and use it to help the body heal: even surgery relies on the body’s ability to heal. We encourage and channel this ability.
Ensure good and appropriate nutrition.
Ensure the body can detoxify and eliminate .
Ensure there is a balance between stimulation and rest/sleep.
Help the body to balance when there is stressful emotional situations.
Use natural remedies and treatment techniques which work with these principles such as herbs and homeopathy.
Any problem you would consult your G.P. for (except obvious medical emergencies and communicable diseases).
Colds, coughs, sore throats, glandular swelling, viruses such as glandular fever, inflammation.
Failure to recover after an illness such as flu or a sore throat. Failure of inflammation to recover, such as recurrent tonsillitis, pain after injury that hasn’t resolved.
Skin complaints - eczema, acne, rashes etc
Hormonal conditions - period/ menopausal issues, thyroid and metabolic conditions, blood sugar problem
Allergies
Digestive Problems
On-going aches and pains
Asthma/hayfever
Pain
Most people come once a week initially, then once a month until the problem has resolved. This can be anywhere from between 1 or 2 weeks and 1 or 2 years depending on how serious the condition and your level of vitality or responsiveness.
This is a difficult question to answer, it is much easier to assess after a few weeks as we can then start to see how you are responding. In general the younger you are, the less medical intervention you have had (i.e. medication and surgery) the quicker you will respond. Also if the condition has only been present a short amount of time this also is likely to respond quicker. If you have a chronic long-term condition you may need some patience!
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