Why is the field of naturopathy debatable?

Despite growing acceptance and popularity, naturopathic medicine remains a controversial therapy because unlike conventional medicine it is not science-based medicine. Naturopaths follow an approach which is non-invasive and in general avoids the use of surgery and drugs.

Doctors practicing naturopathy are aimed at promoting a drugless approach to diagnose and heal a human body. According to the philosophy of the field of naturopathy, every living organism has a ‘life force’ which acts to promote healing and restore it to health. Naturopathy doctors claim that this field of science is old with certain references in the Vedas. However, naturopathy remains to be surrounded by some debatable discussion about it being or not being a science-based practice of medicine.

Controversial claims

Despite growing acceptance and popularity, naturopathic medicine remains a controversial therapy because unlike conventional medicine it is not science-based medicine. Naturopaths follow an approach which is non-invasive and in general avoids the use of surgery and drugs. Practitioners of conventional science-based medicine point out that the core principles of naturopathy vitalism and self-healing are not consistent with scientific practices. They add that naturopathic medicine includes practices that are pseudoscientific, ineffective and even dangerous.

They point out for instance, that homeopathy, which is touted as another alternative system of medicine was created in 1796 by Samuel Hahnemann around his doctrine of like cures i.e. a substance that produces symptoms of a disease in individuals who are healthy will treat similar symptoms in people who are sick. Homeopathy is thought to be a pseudoscience, and homeopathic medicine is seen to be more about producing a placebo effect than effective cures.

Holistic approach

Naturopathy doctors take the ‘whole person’ approach to promote healing. This means that naturopathy doctors are of the view that their medicine works on three levels of the body – mind, body and spirit. They claim that the treatment aims to address the root cause of an illness rather than the symptoms.

Naturopathic doctors, as the name suggests, use natural remedies to help the body heal itself.

Typically, naturopathic doctors examine their patients for one to two hours during which they will ask questions about the patient’s health history, dietary preferences, lifestyle etc. Some lab tests may also be required.

Patients may also receive advice on diet, stress, exercise and prescriptions of complementary medicine like homeopathy, herbal medicine, and acupuncture. Naturopathic manipulative therapy also uses touch, including massage and pressure, which is called naturopathic manipulative therapy.

Naturopathic medicine has been found to be effective in many health issues of which the more common are allergies, headaches, fertility issues, obesity, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic pain etc. However, it should not be used to treat serious health conditions in place of conventional medicine. Naturopathic medicine is also known to help people who want to improve their general health, and is not limited to treating diseases. It is also advisable to let your doctor know that you are taking naturopathic medicine, supplements etc.

Naturopathic doctors practice after successfully completing a four-year course from a recognised institute. The course content includes the same basic sciences as conventional medical doctors but in addition it also covers nutrition and psychology, herbal medicine and homeopathy.