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# Dr. Lucas MacMillan, Naturopathic Physician

Tomorrow's health care, today.

Clinic Director at Delbrook Integrative Medical Centre in North Vancouver. A registered nurse before I was a naturopathic physician — and still the same clinician who wants to know why something is happening before deciding what to do about it.

[Get Started Today](#)

From Nursing to Naturopathic Medicine

## The question that changed my career

I started out as a registered nurse. During a mental health rotation, a patient asked me something I couldn't answer well: were the medications he was on actually the best thing for his health? He wasn't being difficult. He genuinely wanted to know, and I realized I had been trained to administer care without always being equipped to interrogate it.

That question stayed with me. My wife Brittany, an ICU nurse, was the one who pointed me toward the Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine. What I found there wasn't an alternative to what I already knew — it was the other half of it. If you leave an appointment knowing more about your own body than when you walked in, that's part of the treatment, not a bonus.

“Are these medications actually the best thing for my health?”

A patient's question during a mental health nursing rotation — and the reason I went back to school.

Scope of Practice

## What I actually treat

Most of what I see falls into a few broad areas. If you're not sure whether your situation fits, that's usually worth a conversation rather than a guess.

### Pain & Musculoskeletal Injury

Joint pain and osteoarthritis

Tendon and ligament injuries

Chronic and persistent pain

Sports and overuse injuries

### Hormones & Longevity

Menopause and perimenopause

Testosterone and men's health

Sleep and recovery

Metabolic and weight concerns

### Energy & Whole-Body Health

Chronic fatigue and low energy

Digestive concerns

Lab testing and interpretation

Nutritional and IV therapies

Injection & Regenerative Therapies

## Yes — including the back, the neck, and most places you'd think to ask about

This comes up constantly, so I want to be direct about it. Patients often assume injection therapy stops at knees and shoulders. It doesn't.

### Where I inject

The most common areas are knees, shoulders, hips, and ankles. Beyond those, I also perform neck injections, spinal injections, sacroiliac joints, and the related ligaments around them.

That isn't a closed list. I've treated a wide range of less common areas on request — including the pubic bone — and I'm genuinely open to unusual asks. If you're wondering whether somewhere can be treated, ask me rather than assuming it can't.

### What I inject

I work with the full range of injectable solutions: corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, prolotherapy, and platelet-rich plasma, among others. Which one makes sense depends on the tissue, the timeline, and what you're trying to get back to doing.

### On ultrasound guidance

I use ultrasound where it genuinely adds value — not reflexively for every injection. Some structures simply don't show well under it, and staring at a screen can pull attention away from what my hands and the needle are telling me. What you describe as I work matters too. That said, I can ultrasound-assess tissue any time it's clinically useful, or simply because you'd like to see what's going on underneath.

### The training behind it

My advanced orthopedic injection training — the highest level recognized by my regulatory college at the time, including PRP — dates back to 2016, now over a decade. That level of training covers the entire body, spine and neck included.

### Seriously considering injections?

Most patients start with a brief complimentary phone chat — about ten minutes — so we can work out whether this is the right fit and whether what I offer is actually what you need.

Book a Free Phone Chat

Working Alongside Your Existing Care

## I'm not going to ask you to stop your medications

Naturopathic and conventional medicine aren't opposing camps, and I don't practise as though they are. I regularly work with patients who are on statins, antidepressants, GLP-1 medications, and a long list of other prescriptions — building around those treatment plans rather than against them.

My nursing background means I read your chart the way your other providers do. That makes collaboration straightforward rather than adversarial.

There is one clear boundary worth stating plainly: I do not treat active cancer. Those cases are referred directly to oncology specialists, where they belong.

Testing & Advanced Diagnostics

## I like testing. I don't like testing for the sake of it.

Good testing answers a question you actually have. I use conventional and advanced labs readily, but I hold the large, expensive investigations back until there's a clear clinical need, a genuine point of confusion to resolve, or a patient who understands the trade-offs and specifically wants to go looking.

Imaging and body composition

I'm comfortable working with full-body MRI screening such as Prenuvo, and with DEXA scans for body composition and bone density from BodyComp and other providers. If you've already had one, bring it — I like incorporating that information into my assessment. In some cases I'll suggest one.

Genetic testing

I work with genetic panels including those from DNA Power and other providers, and I'm happy to interpret results you've had run elsewhere.

Functional and specialty labs

On an as-needed basis I use organic acid testing, urine heavy metal excretion testing, chronic infection panels, and a wide range of conventional bloodwork.

How I decide what's worth running

The question I ask before ordering anything is simple: will this change what we do next? If the answer is yes, or if it resolves real uncertainty, it's worth running. If it just produces more data without changing the plan, I'll tell you that too.

Training & Credentials

## The training behind the practice

### Education & Licensing

Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Boucher campus, graduated 2016. Registered Nurse background, with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Grant MacEwan University. Currently registered with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of British Columbia.

### Injection, Regenerative & Hormone Training

Advanced injection therapy training since 2016, including prolotherapy and platelet-rich plasma, completed through Maui Regenerative Medicine, with further specialization through the Naturopathic Academy of Regenerative Injection Therapy. Ultrasound-guided techniques applied across the full body, including spine and neck. Hormone and longevity training completed through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine and the LP3 Network, supporting my work in hormone optimization, sleep, and metabolic health.

### Continuing Education

Ongoing continuing education spans hormone therapy, pharmacology, immunization, and clinical toxicology, reflecting a commitment to staying current across both naturopathic and conventional medicine. I also offer a wide range of conventional and advanced lab testing, and continue training in functional medicine and intravenous therapeutics.

Speaking, Media & Publications

## Talking about this work publicly

I'm a frequent guest on television and podcast programs, including nineteen episodes of Run With It covering topics from hormones and injury recovery to sleep and pain management, as well as 21st Century Pain Solutions .

My contributions extend to print, with articles for regional publications and a licensing exam resource, plus a featured webinar for the American Association of Naturopathic Medical Colleges, a North American organization, speaking to nurses and other healthcare providers exploring a transition into naturopathic medicine.

Beyond media, I've presented directly to local businesses on topics ranging from hormones and menopause to testosterone, sleep, exercise, and recovery.

### Where you'll find that work

Run With It — recurring guest, Doctor's Corner segment

21st Century Pain Solutions — podcast guest

AANMC — featured webinar presenter

NPLEX Review — publication contributor

Evidence Informed Joint Mobilization — contributor

Sportswave, Sherbrook Record, Snowshoe Magazine — articles

A Note From the Other Side of the Table

## Then I became the patient

I trained in martial arts from the age of fourteen, most recently Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, until a significant injury ended that chapter. I herniated discs in my neck, and the change to my daily life was substantial.

I had been treating injuries like mine for years. What I hadn't done was live one. Working through the system as a patient — specialist referrals, waiting on MRIs and EMGs, explaining the same history over and over — made me a better practitioner. I understand the waiting, the uncertainty, and how much it matters when someone explains what they're actually seeing.

These days you'll find me hiking the North Shore with my wife and daughters.

Common Questions

## Questions patients actually ask me

Do you do injections in the back or neck, or only knees and shoulders?

Both. Knees, shoulders, hips, and ankles are the most common areas I treat, but I also perform spinal injections, neck injections, sacroiliac joint injections, and injections into the surrounding ligaments. My level of orthopedic injection training covers the entire body. If you're wondering about a specific area, ask — I've treated plenty of unusual requests.

Will you tell me to stop taking my prescription medications?

No. I regularly work with patients taking statins, antidepressants, GLP-1 medications, and many other prescriptions, and I build around those plans rather than against them. My background as a registered nurse means I'm comfortable working alongside your other providers rather than in competition with them.

Do you work with Prenuvo full-body MRI results?

Yes. I'm familiar with Prenuvo and other full-body MRI screening, and I'm glad to incorporate those findings into my assessment. Bring the report with you if you've had one. In some situations I'll recommend a scan, though I don't treat it as a routine first step.

Can you interpret DEXA scans, genetic tests, or functional lab results I've already had done?

Yes. I regularly work with DEXA body composition and bone density scans from BodyComp and other providers, genetic panels including DNA Power, organic acid testing, urine heavy metal excretion testing, and chronic infection panels. If you've already invested in testing elsewhere, I'd rather use it than duplicate it.

Will you order a lot of expensive tests?

Not by default. I use testing readily where it changes the plan, but I hold back the large, costly investigations until there's a clear clinical need, real diagnostic uncertainty to resolve, or you've told me you understand the trade-offs and want to look anyway.

What is the difference between prolotherapy and PRP?

Both are regenerative injection therapies that aim to stimulate healing rather than simply mask pain. Prolotherapy uses an irritant solution to prompt a healing response in ligaments and tendons. PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, uses a concentrated portion of your own blood to deliver growth factors directly to the injured tissue. Which one suits you depends on the tissue involved, how long it's been an issue, and what you're trying to get back to doing.

Do you use ultrasound for every injection?

No, and that's deliberate. I use ultrasound guidance where it genuinely improves precision. Some structures don't image well, and watching a screen can distract from what my hands and the needle are telling me. I can ultrasound-assess tissue whenever it's clinically useful, or simply because you'd like to see what's happening underneath.

Is a naturopathic physician the same as a naturopath?

In British Columbia, naturopathic doctors are regulated health professionals. I hold a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine degree, am registered with the College of Complementary Health Professionals of British Columbia, and carry prescriptive authority. British Columbia is one of the provinces where the title "naturopathic physician" is permitted, which is why I use it.

What conditions do you not treat?

I do not treat active cancer. Those cases are referred directly to oncology specialists. Beyond that, if something falls outside what I can genuinely help with, I'll tell you plainly and point you toward the right person.

Where are you located and are you accepting new patients?

I practise at Delbrook Integrative Medical Centre in North Vancouver, British Columbia, where I am also the clinic director. I am currently accepting new patients.

## Ready to take the next step in your health?

Book a consultation with Dr. Lucas MacMillan and discover how naturopathic medicine can work alongside your current care to help you feel your best — today and tomorrow.

Get Started Today

Delbrook Integrative Medical Centre · North Vancouver, BC · Accepting new patients