Day Four of Naturopathic Medicine Week What Can You Expect in a First Visit with a Naturopathic Doctor?

Before attending your first visit you will fill out an intake form for the naturopathic doctor. The intake form will ask you questions about your health, such as what are your health concerns and goals, do you have any current illnesses or diagnoses, do you take any medications or supplements, do any of your family members have any health conditions, how is your sleep, energy, stress, what does your typical diet look like, do you exercise, and some other questions. 

During your initial visit, the naturopathic doctor will explain what a naturopathic doctor or naturopathic medicine is and the structure of the visits. We will next review the completed intake and ask you some more questions or get you to describe what your concerns are in more detail. You may feel like you are talking a lot but this is a good sign, providing details about your health gives the doctor a better overall picture of who you are and what your concerns are.  Don't be afraid to ask questions along the way if you need to! Typically, naturopathic doctors will spend anywhere from 60-90 minutes in the first visit together. 

Depending on the concern you are presenting with the naturopathic doctor may conduct a targeted physical exam, for example, if you are coming in with a sore throat the doctor will check out your throat, listen to your lungs, look for signs of inflammation, and perform any other necessary exams or specific in-office tests. 

By the end of my first visit with a patient, I provide a treatment plan with options and discuss how to take any supplement I prescribe or carry out the treatment plan fully. I also like to schedule a follow-up and discuss what we will address in our next visit together. 

After the visit, I dedicate anywhere from 2-3 hours researching my patient's top concerns and developing an individualized treatment plan for my patient. 

If you're interested in seeing a naturopathic doctor click on the Book Appointment button located on the homepage of www.durhamnaturopath.com.

Yours in health,
Dr. Kate Klein, ND