A study involving a painful jaw disorder and the role of naturopathic medicine demonstrates how this holistic approach to care can empower patients to improve their own health.
The researchers behind this investigation will discuss their findings at the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians 19th Annual Convention & Exposition, being held September 8-11, 2004, at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center, Seattle, WA.
Naturopathic medicine is based upon a holistic philosophy, an approach to medical care that emphasizes the study of all aspects of a person's health, with an emphasis on finding the underlying cause of the patient’s condition rather than focusing solely on symptomatic treatment. This delivery of healthcare encompasses safe and effective traditional therapies with the most current advances in modern medicine. Naturopathic medicine is appropriate for the management of a broad range of health conditions affecting people of all ages.
For those who think that this 100+ year old approach to good health is “outside the box,” consider the following:
- Those who graduate from accredited naturopathic schools receive more formal training in therapeutic nutrition than do their medical (MD) or osteopathic physician (DO) counterparts.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that naturopathic medicine be integrated into conventional health care systems.
- More than a dozen states now license the practice of naturopathic medicine.
In 1999 the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), a component of the National Institutes of Health, commissioned a clinical trial, “Alternative Medicine Approaches for Women with Temporomandibular Disorders.” The study, which compares the effectiveness of naturopathic therapies to acupuncture and “conventional” (Western) medical care, was conducted by a team of researchers. They are: Carlo Calabrese, ND, MPH, Professor of Research, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR; Elizabeth Sutherland, ND, clinical investigator and research associate with Kaiser Permanente, Portland, OR; Nancy Vuckovic, PhD, Oregon Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, OR; Cheryl Ritenbaugh, PhD, MPH, Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, Portland, OR; Erin Lommen, ND; associate medical director of the Center for Integrative Medicine (CIM), Inc., Portland, OR; and Anna MacIntosh, PhD, ND, Dean of Research, National College of Naturopathic Medicine, Portland, OR.
Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are characterized by pain and tenderness in the muscles of mastication and/or the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), limitations to opening of the jaw, and clicking, popping or grating TMJ sounds. Using a database of patients living in Northwestern Oregon, the investigators selected women between the ages of 20-50 who had been medically diagnosed with TMJ and co-morbidity factors such as menopausal symptoms, chronic fatigue and depression. These criteria would enable the NDs to create a treatment plan that addressed the “whole system.” A test subject with complex health problem would be the typical patient for the naturopathic physician.
A total of 150 women were enrolled in the study. They were randomly assigned to one of the three study groups: (1) naturopathic care; (2) acupuncture/Chinese medicine; and (3) usual care at the Kaiser Permanent TMD clinic in Portland, OR.