Find the right practitioner for you

There are many healthcare professionals in Australia’s healthcare system, each with their own areas of expertise and place within the healthcare system. Amongst these are various types of healthcare professionals who work within the natural medicine space. Natural medicine is very popular in Australia with over 70% of Australians utilising some form of nutritional and/or herbal support in their day-to-day lives. Natural medicine is a popular choice for individuals who are looking for additional support of their general health and wellbeing alongside the conventional approach.

The different types of natural medicine healthcare professions include Naturopaths, Chiropractors, Osteopaths, Integrative Doctors, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioners. Each type of natural medicine practitioner offers their own unique approach to supporting wellbeing. Whether you need emotional, physical, and/or mental support will be a deciding factor into what modality is right for you, and in some cases, you may need a multi-modality approach

Naturopathy is one of the most popular forms of natural medicine therapies in Australia.² Naturopathy emphasises wholistic treatment and prevention of disease through natural remedies including nutritional supplements, herbal medicine, homeopathy, and flower essences.³ Naturopathy is based on the principle that the body has the innate ability to heal itself. The focus is on the root cause of the health concern, not just symptoms.²

You can find Naturopaths in health food stores, pharmacies, and clinical practice. You do not need a referral from your doctor to see an integrative doctor or Naturopath. For more individualised support with natural medicine, you may wish to see a Naturopath in private practice who can work with you more closely. They will take a thorough case history to investigate any factors that may have led to the illness and develop an individualised treatment program for you, so they can monitor and change as your health improves. This includes investigations such as blood, urine, or stool tests, advising products that are best suited for your individual needs alongside individual dosing requirements and checking for any drug interactions.

Many Naturopaths will have an area of focus or special interest, such as women’s health or children’s health. It is best to find a practitioner that has experience in the area you need support with. Other factors to consider include the service location, whether they offer face-to-face or online consultations, services offered including pathology, costs involved, payment plans provided, and how many appointments are necessary. It is important to ask questions before choosing a Naturopath, to ensure you are comfortable and treated properly. Many Naturopaths and Nutritionists offer discovery calls. Discovery calls are a complementary service, in which you speak to the practitioner via phone call or zoom for 10-15 minute to see whether the practitioner is the right person to support you and your health concerns.   

Chiropractors use a patient-centred approach that incorporates manual therapies such as spinal adjustment, mobilisation, muscle and soft tissue techniques, electrotherapies, exercise prescription, and rehabilitation. This therapeutic approach benefits a range of musculoskeletal conditions.⁴

Osteopaths treat patients as a whole to support the body’s natural healing processes, using traditional and modern healthcare philosophies. Osteopaths use non-invasive forms of therapy such as muscle soft tissue work, joint manipulation, or mobilisation, stretching and exercise, combined with education to relieve pain and discomfort.⁵

Integrative Medicine combines conventional western medicine with evidence-based complementary medicine. This patient-centred practice focuses on treating the whole person, considering the physical, psychological, and social wellbeing of the individual using the safest and evidence-based treatments to achieve optimal health outcomes.⁶

Traditional Chinese Medicine dates back thousands of years and includes acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, and remedial massage. TCM focuses on the prevention of illness as it does on the treatment, with the premise that good health relies on the restoration and maintenance of harmony, balance, and order to the individual.⁷

To help find a practitioner in your area, you can search here on our website. As always, please consult with your doctor or healthcare practitioner for the best way of managing health conditions.