FAQs
- What is Naturopathic Medicine?
- What is a Naturopathic Physician (ND)?
- How are Naturopathic Physicians licensed?
- What is Clinical Nutrition?
- What is Homeopathy?
- What is Botanical Medicine?
- What is Ortho-Bionomy®?
- What are the benefits of using Naturopathic Medicine?
- What is Dr. Oram’s philosophy for patient care and treatment?
- What makes Dr. Oram’s practice unique?
- What are the rates and fees?
- What are the benefits of visiting Dr. Oram?
1. What is Naturopathic Medicine?
Naturopathic medicine blends centuries-old natural, non-toxic therapies with current advances in the study of health and human systems, covering all aspects of family health from prenatal to elder care. Naturopathic medicine concentrates on whole-patient wellness: the medicine is tailored to the patient and emphasizes prevention and self-care. Naturopathic medicine attempts to find the underlying cause of the patient’s condition rather than focusing on treatment of symptoms. It has been a distinct American health care profession for over 100 years.
Naturopathic medicine is effective in treating most health problems, both acute and chronic. Therapies Naturopathic Physicians use include clinical nutrition, homeopathy, botanical medicine, and spinal manipulation.
2. What is a Naturopathic Physician (ND)?
A Naturopathic Physician (ND) is a primary care general practitioner trained as an expert in natural medicine. She concentrates on whole-patient, whole-person wellness; seeks to treat the cause of an ailment and not just its symptoms; and tailors treatments and medicine to the patient, while emphasizing prevention and self-care. An ND cooperates with all other branches of medical science, referring patients to other practitioners for diagnosis or treatment when appropriate.
NDs perform physical examinations, laboratory testing, gynecological exams, nutritional and dietary assessments, metabolic analysis, allergy testing, X-ray examinations, and other diagnostic tests. They are the only primary care physicians clinically trained in the use of a wide variety of natural therapeutics. They combine and adapt these treatments to the needs of the individual based on a philosophy that acknowledges the patient as a participant in treatment and care.
3. How are Naturopathic Physicians licensed?
Oregon is one of 11 states that has licensing laws for naturopathic physicians. NDs are required to graduate from a four-year, residential naturopathic medical school and pass an extensive postdoctoral board examination in order to receive a license. Licensed NDs must fulfill state-mandated continuing education requirements annually, and have a specific scope of practice defined by Oregon law.
4. What is Clinical Nutrition?
Clinical nutrition is a cornerstone of Naturopathic Medicine. It refers to both the practice of using food to maintain health and the therapeutic use of food to treat illness. Scientific research has shown that many medical conditions can be treated as effectively with food and nutritional supplements as they can by other means, but with fewer complications and side effects.
5. What is Homeopathy?
Homeopathy is a powerful system of medicine that is more than 200 years old. It uses highly diluted substances to cure illness. Homeopathic remedies act to enhance the body’s innate immune response and rarely have side effects. Some conditions that do not respond well to conventional medicine will respond to homeopathic therapies.
6. What is Botanical Medicine?
Botanical Medicine is the use of plants as medicine. Many plant substances are powerful medicines that are safe and effective when used properly. A resurgence of scientific research in Europe and Asia is demonstrating that some plant substances are superior to synthetic drugs in clinical conditions.
7. What is Ortho-Bionomy®?
Ortho-Bionomy® is a bodywork technique developed by a British Osteopathic Physician, Arthur L. Pauls. Ortho-Bionomy® addresses a remarkable number of painful and debilitating physical and emotional conditions as well as being a safe and effective way to ease stress and promote relaxation. It allows integration of one’s physical, emotional and mental experiences. The body’s structure is one of the key focuses of the practice of Ortho-Bionomy®. During the treatment, the patient is moved into the positions that are most comfortable, or relieve pain.
8. What are the benefits of using Naturopathic Medicine?
There are few side effects. Your body becomes stronger while going through the treatment. The medicines work with your body by stimulating your body’s innate ability to heal itself. In this process you become stronger and more vital, and that increase in vitality allows you to get better. Once the illness is over, you will be stronger. Conversely, many pharmaceutical medicines can leave the body weaker and more susceptible to further infection.
9. What is Dr. Oram’s philosophy for patient care and treatment?
Simply put, my philosophy is to understand my patients as individuals, and to treat the whole person. To see and understand my guiding philosophy for my practice, please click here.
10. What makes Dr. Oram’s practice unique?
Patients both new to naturopathic care and who rely exclusively on naturopathic means have found my practice unique. Please click here to better understand what makes my practice unique, and why you may want to consider me for your medical and naturopathic treatment, care and needs.
11. What are the rates and fees?
Rates are outlined in detail here.
12. What are the benefits of visiting Dr. Oram?
If you are looking for treatment with the least-invasive means possible, and desire a whole-person approach, then Dr. Oram is for you. The treatments she provides are all-encompassing. For chronic, or ongoing, health problems, she spends 2 hours with you at the initial appointment. She will often then spend time outside the visit to create an individualized treatment plan, followed by an additional ½-hour visit to go over the treatment plan (no charge for this additional ½-hour). Dr. Oram creates a comprehensive treatment plan that considers you as a person, not just the symptoms you exhibit.
Dr. Oram is the only Naturopathic Physician in the area who has an MD in her office. Dr. Oram routinely consults with Rodney Schaffer, MD on difficult cases.