Low Back Pain
Our UVic naturopath is also a registered acupuncturist! Dr. Brewster Scott ND, R.TCMP. works on Sundays. For more information about each practitioner, reviews, blogs, rates and exact hours please visit the information tab, found under the main menu.
Naturopathic medicine provides integrative treatments that incorporate a number of disciplines including nutritional consultations, lifestyle modification, herbal prescriptions, supplement recommendations, lab testing, acupuncture, homeopathy and spinal manipulation.
Although many modalities are used, some common principles are at the heart of all treatments given by naturopathic doctors: The one that underlies all of the following is the use of least force measures.
Naturopathic doctors, firstly help our clients to establish the appropriate conditions for health and healing, whether that is through changes in diet, activity level, changing habits or change of environment. The intent is to remove the obstacles to healing. Then naturopathic physicians help our clients stimulate their body’s innate ability to heal. This is often accomplished with the application of hydrotherapy, relaxation techniques, and sometimes acupuncture or homeopathy.
If necessary, naturopathic doctors will address weakened or damaged systems or organs through the use of targeted herbs, supplements, dietary changes, and pharmaceutical measures. Naturopathic doctors will correct structural integrity through the use of soft tissue manipulation, spinal manipulation, acupuncture, homeopathy, targeted exercises and herbs. In some cases, naturopathic doctors also address advanced pathology using the least force required: using specific natural or artificial substances, modalities or interventions. If none of these measures are effective, naturopathic doctors would then suggest therapies to suppress a disease.
Naturopathic medicine follows the following tenets:
1. First do no harm
Naturopathic medicine works with least force measures first, working to add only what would be beneficial to a patient at any given time. It employs the correct intervention in the correct intensity at the correct time, with the effect being to help patients come to a positive change in their health and wellbeing.
“Leave the drugs in the chemist’s pot if you can cure your patient with food” – Hippocrates
“He who cures a disease may be the skillfullest, but he who prevents it is the safest physician”. – Thomas Fuller
2. Treat the cause
Naturopathic medicine searches for the cause of a disease and engages the root of an individual’s health concern. Whenever possible, naturopathic doctors use interventions that do not mask the disease state, but work to resolve it.
3. Doctor as Teacher
Naturopathic doctors work to empower the patient with the knowledge to take charge of their own health and wellbeing. They encourage the patient to become active participant in their healing process.
“You are responsible for you.” — English proverb
“It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.” – Chinese proverb
4. Treat the whole person
Naturopathic medicine takes into account the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual aspects to health. It individualizes treatments to best address all components in ways that resonate with the unique presentation of the individual being treated.
5. Prevention
Naturopathic medicine looks to optimize the health of an individual, so as to prolong the amount of time a patient spends in states of health. Naturopathic doctors find areas of a person’s life that could lead to disharmonies in the future, and help them to address those issues before they are a larger more pressing issue.
“When you’re thirsty, it’s too late to think about digging a well.” — Japanese proverb
6. The healing power of nature
Naturopathic medicine acknowledges the innate ability of the body to heal, and whenever possible, employs methods to stimulate this natural ability.
“Each patient carries his own doctor inside him.” – Norman Cousins
We happily accept patients from the greater Victoria area. We are UVic’s complementary healthcare clinic. Our approach is comprehensive; we work closely with each other to help restore our clients back to optimal health. Our clinicians deal with a wide range of symptoms including: muscular dysfunction, joint pathology, gastrointestinal problems, lack of energy, insomnia, anxiety, and depression. We use techniques such as diet changes, massage, joint manipulation, eastern techniques like needling and others to combat these common conditions.
