In naturopathic medicine we always look for the cause of any imbalance in the body rather than simply treating any symptoms that arise. Symptoms are viewed as expressions of the body’s natural attempt to heal but when the origin of a disease is removed or treated the patient is able to recover.
How do we do this? we ask about all aspects of a person's life including lifestyle, stress, emotional issues, diet, spirituality, support, along with their chief complaint.
Some examples of how we look for the cause:
Acne can come about for a variety of reasons such as hormonal imbalances, decreased liver function, stress, and foods. Instead of simply giving our patients a topical cream or antibiotic we chose to address the underlying reason so that they can be free of skin issues for good.
Insomnia can be caused by many aspects of a person's lifestyle such as intense stress, constant worrying, drinking too much coffee during the day, and poor sleep hygiene habits (being on your laptop before bed, falling asleep watching TV). Instead of going directly to prescribing a sleep medication we teach the patient techniques to learn to relax before bed and address the stresses that could be preventing them.
Today is a reminder to look at any symptoms you might be having as your body telling you to look deeper!