“Are there any risks associated with having naturopathic medicine?”
I am planning to take up naturopathic treatments for my migraines, which are frequent. Are there any risks associated with naturopathic medicines?
10 Answers
Like any medications there can be side effects or risks. It's best to talk to your prescribing provided to learn more about them.
You would want to make sure the underlying reason for your migraines are evaluated and treated. Naturopathic medicines can interfere with medications and can also have adverse reactions. It is important to consult with a board licensed Naturopathic physician to make sure the treatments are safe for you.
As with any medical treatment, there can be adverse reactions. However, using naturopathy one is less likely to have any compared to conventional medicine.
If you’re *not* doing the migraine treatment under the care of a naturopathic doctor, as with any treatments, natural or not, if a person does them incorrectly, there is a potential for negative effects. When done correctly / under trained supervision, the risks are minimal and are significantly less than with conventional medicine/pharmaceuticals. The naturopath overseeing your migraine treatment would walk you through anything if there was risk, such as if a particular nutrient or herb interacts with a prescription you’re taking (they would give you specific instructions to take them safely).
Have you consulted with your naturopathic physician? He/She will be your best advocate since they will know your history and will make sure there are no interactions with anything you are on at this time.
There are risks for anything you take. Just because something is natural it doesn't mean it is safe. Naturopathic medicine uses many modalities to help restore health. Botanicals (herbs), homeopathic medicines, supplements as well as medications may be used by a Naturopathic doctor and there are risks for any type of treatment you utilize. Natural medicines generally use treatment that have less inherent risks than medication but that is not true all the time. Make sure you discuss with your doctor your risk and benefit ratio related to any condition you are treating. Modalities that help restore normal physiology is the best approach to long lasting results.