The Therapeutic Order
A key of naturopathic medicine is to use the least force medicine that will treat the problem. For example, take a person who is spending 9 hours in bed and sleeping 7 hours. If she will sleep better by simply reducing the number of hours spent awake in bed, that is done first. Prescribing a pharmaceutical sleep aid which may have side effects would be done after other lower force treatments were tried.
Here is the Therapeutic Order, NDs start at the top and work down as needed:
• Re-establish the basis for health.
• Stimulate the healing power of nature.
• Tonify weakened systems.
• Correct structural integrity.
• Prescribe specific natural substances for pathology.
• Prescribe specific pharmacological substances for pathology.
• Prescribe surgery, suppressive drugs, radiation, and chemotherapy.