Under the concepts of naturopathic medicine, assessment is oriented toward determining what is impeding your body's ability to function normally and then treating this root cause using natural therapies such as diet, supplements, herbs, homeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine, among others. While some of the conventional medical approaches may help in this determination, they may not necessarily apply to a naturopathic approach.
The first steps in evaluating patients who complain of any forms of indigestion including gas and bloating or constipation would include a thorough medical history symptom intake and performing a complaint based physical examination. At our clinic, during your initial 1 hour one - on - one consult with our Naturopathic Doctor, Sushma Shah, you will be undergo a comprehensive symptom intake in detail, in order to find out what is the root cause of your symptoms and at the end of the visit, you maybe required to do some blood and urine testing.
Additional testing may be suggested based on the digestive symptoms you may be experiencing. If you are having symptoms such as severe constipation, bloating, burping, diarrhoea, weight loss, abdominal pain and cramps after meals, anemia, blood in the stool, lack of appetite (anorexia), fever, or vomiting may require specific testing.
Her assessment is oriented toward determining what is impeding your body's ability to function normally. She may require you to do some specialized stool, urine, blood and saliva testing in order to correctly diagnose what is causing the disorder in the body. She will determine what assessment tools would be most helpful in establishing a treatment strategy specific to your health needs.
Following this visit, you will be coming in for your second visit, in which she will be doing a full physical check up, including a breast exam (for females), a traditional Chinese medicine tongue and pulse diagnosis, body fat analysis and blood glucose testing.
Candida overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract is now becoming recognized as a complex medical syndrome known as chronic candidiasis or the yeast syndrome. Symptoms include: Multiple food allergies, or allergic to all foods( pan allergic), alternating diarrhea with constipation.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is described as a severe, debilitating fatigue, lasting at least six months (of new and definite onset), associated with at least four of the following symptoms: impaired memory or concentration, sore throat, muscle pains, joint pains, unrefreshing sleep and post-exertion malaise.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) - a diagnosis of exclusion, this condition is often misdiagnosed. Severe food intolerances / allergies may exhibit symptoms that are similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome such as pain, cramping, gassiness, sudden bouts of diarrhoea, and constipation.