Share:
Anthroposophic medicine
contents
definition of Terms
Nature and man
What is illness - what is health?
diagnosis
The anthroposophical image of man
Physical body
etheric body
astral body
Ego-body
Interplay of the four natures
Anthroposophic medicines
production method
composition
Different forms of therapy
Summary
Anthroposophic medicine according to Rudolf Steiner rates the physical body as a visible expression of the individuality of man. (Image: mariesacha / fotolia.com) definition of Terms
Anthroposophic medicine is elusive and difficult to explain. It deals with each person in his very own personality and individuality.
It describes itself as an integrative medicine, as it uses both methods and diagnostic types from conventional medicine, as well as humanities findings. For anthroposophic therapists, laboratory examinations, medicines, medical techniques, surgeries and intensive care are just as important as looking at the human being as a whole, as a construct of body, soul and spirit.
Before the patients undergo any laboratory or other examinations, in an anthroposophic practice, the human being is closely monitored. Appearance, posture, gait, handshake, body language and facial expressions are noted. Other important components for the medical history are mood, sleeping patterns, temperature of the skin and physical rhythms. Here, the individuality of the individual is determined. The therapists need a lot of knowledge, experience, empathy and intuition.
In anthroposophic medicine, it is not the illness in humans that is important to man in his illness. A detailed discussion in which the patient as a whole is the focus is the basis of the treatment. Even if well-known and common diagnostic methods are used, the interpretation is nevertheless holistic and the resulting therapeutic measures expand the concept of conventional medicine.
According to Rudolf Steiner, the physical body is the visible expression of the individuality of man and his physical processes shape and shape the soul and mind.
In the anthroposophic medicine the unity of body, mind and soul plays an elementary role. (Bid: fotogestoeber / fotolia.com) Nature and man
In anthroposophic medicine, the opinion is that man and nature have undergone a common development and there is a relationship between the two.
Accordingly, there is a threefolding in the plant kingdom, just as in humans, but in reverse form. So the root stands for head, brain and the nerve-sense system. The leaves symbolize the rhythmic and the flowers and fruits represent the metabolic-limb system.
What is illness - what is health?
Even illness and health sees anthroposophic medicine differently. Both are something very individual here. Illness stands for an out-of-balance, human system. Each affected person has his own balance and his illness gives him the impulse, the task or even the opportunity to tackle and balance the imbalance. This belongs to the thoughts of anthroposophically working doctors and alternative practitioners. Patients may need to change their lives, learn new things, and then mature and become healthy.
The medicines and therapeutic procedures used help the patient with this.
In anthroposophic medicine, those affected are held responsible and co-determined. So not the doctor alone determines the type of therapy, but decides this together with the patient. A healthy lifestyle is pointed out and given assistance in this regard.
diagnosis
For the diagnosis of diseases in anthroposophic medicine, first the senses of the practitioner are important. People are looked at exactly, from head to toe. Important here are gait, posture, body language and facial expressions. Add to this the touch of the skin to get a picture of the temperature of the human being.
Are the patients cool or warm, wet or dry? This is important for further treatment. Thereafter, auscultation (bugged) and only then follow the various methods of investigation, as they are known in the blight medicine. However, it does not routinely use the full range of diagnostic capabilities, but first thinks carefully about which procedures are really useful in the specific case.
The anthroposophical image of man
In Anthroposophy, Rudolf Steiner sees the body as an expression of his individuality, whereby soul and spirit shape and shape the physical processes. In anthroposophic medicine, man consists of four essentials, namely the physical body, the etheric body, the astral body, and the ego. Each character is assigned to certain disease processes. Thus, sclerosis take place in the physical body, tumors in the etheric body, inflammations are attributed to the astral body, and paralysis to the ego.
Physical body
The physical body is also called a body of matter. These include organs and organ systems. Here, conventional examination methods, such as X-ray, sonography, computed tomography, blood count and urine test are used.
etheric body
The etheric body, called the life-body, also consists of digestion, growth, thought, reproduction and organizes the physical life. In the etheric body, being is "at home". The etheric body reflects the vitality of the human being.
astral body
The astral body is the soul body. This manifests itself mainly in endocrine organs and the immune system. It represents the connection between sensations and the body. The astral body is only present in living beings that can perceive, such as in animals and humans and not in plants.
Ego-body
The ego-body is the highest level, the spiritual individuality. Thinking ability and human consciousness It is reflected in our heat organism. The ego body differentiates between human and animal.
Interplay of the four natures
The four natures work together in three functional systems. These are the nervous-sensory system, the rhythmic system and the metabolic-limb system.
In the nervous system-sensory system, degrading and hardening processes take place. In addition, this system is associated with thinking. The rhythmic system, on the other hand, is associated with feeling, represented by respiration and the heart. Feeling is the balancing mediator between the nerve-sense system and the metabolic-limb system. The third functional system is the metabolic-limb-system and the wool assigned. This has off - and building functions, provides growth and vitality.
Anthroposophic medicines
The principle of administering anthroposophic medicines is: as little as possible and as long as necessary. In doing so, the condition of the disease must always be taken into account. Maybe allopathic remedies are needed. However, anthroposophic remedies can be given concomitantly to conventional medicine.
Before the use of this remedy, the attending physician or alternative practitioner will determine in a detailed medical history which stimulation the body needs through which means in order to regain balance and thus become healthy.
Anthroposophic medicines are selected that are tailored to specific organ systems and / or diseases. Frequently also generally fortifying remedies are in use. The practitioner decides whether a single remedy or rather a complex remedy is indicated.
When taking an anamnesis, it is also important to determine whether the complaints are primarily related to the organ, the psyche participates or is the sole trigger. Thus, for example, in three different diseases, such as sinusitis, eczema and chronic bronchitis, the same agent can be used, since here the diseases are similar in their characteristic features.
The anthroposophic medicines contain starting materials from the vegetable (for example arnica), animal (for example bee poison), mineral range (for example (quartz) and metallic range (for example gold).) The remedies contain potentiated parts as in homeopathy, but also Concentrated herbal substances A special feature are plant tinctures, which were fertilized with metal salts.
production method
In order to produce anthroposophic remedies, various manufacturing processes exist.
These include dissolution and crystallization, which is used for example on salt minerals.
Another is the extraction of plant extracts and the liquid Potenzieren, in which at a ratio of 1:10 repeatedly diluted and shaken and so that globules are soaked. Another variant is solid potentiation, in which the starting materials are not liquid but solid (minerals).
Fresh or dried, shredded substances of vegetable or animal origin, are subjected to the so-called maceration.
Other processes include fermentation, overbrewing, decoction, distillation, melting, evaporation, roasting, charring and ashing. In this way, the most diverse substances can be unlocked and used to produce important, necessary medicines. These are intended for external or internal use or for injection, depending on which therapy prescribed by the doctor or alternative practitioner.
composition
Many of the anthroposophic medicines do not consist of one but several individual substances. This composition is called a composition. This means that not only means are mixed together, but like in an orchestra, the interaction of the individual involved play a major role. A composed remedy consists of at least two substances, potentiated or else in the form of a vegetable tincture or tincture.
Different forms of therapy
The physical measures of anthroposophic medicine include wraps and pads, rhythmic massages and rubs, and oil dispersion baths. Further forms of therapy are plastic design, therapeutic drawing and painting, music and vocal therapy, speech design and eurythmy therapy.
Summary
Anthroposophic medicine is not one of the alternative therapies. It does not replace conventional medicine, but wants to expand it with its own means and procedures.
In anthroposophic medicine, man is always seen as a whole, as an individual. Important are not only the complaints of the patients, but their appearance, posture, mental states, feelings and the social environment. The individual is captured in his individuality and receives the appropriate medicines and therapies. (Sw)