Publications
Here you will find selected scientific publications by employees of the institute. You can download a copy by clicking on the respective manuscript.
Therapeutic sensations
Physical sensations, such as tingling, warmth, heaviness, and dull pain, are a common phenomenon in acupuncture, hypnotherapy, meditation, and other mind-body therapies.
In this article, the author shows that therapeutic sensations in different forms of therapy are very similar in terms of their quality, the patterns of spread and the associations patients associate with them. The fact that many people see therapeutic sensations as a sign of an energy flow offers a conclusive explanation why so many traditional medical systems, body-oriented psychotherapies and so-called energy medicine are based on the creation of a vital energy (Qi, Prana, Pneuma, Orgone). (Link to final article here .)
Body-Oriented Psychotherapy Using Acupuncture for the Treatment of Endometriosis: Clinical Results
Endometriosis is a gynecological disease that affects six to ten percent of all women of childbearing age. In patients with this condition who suffer from severe pain, psychological trauma seems to play a central role.
In a study controlled against a waiting group, the authors show that patients who were barely helped by conventional therapies experienced significant and long-term reductions in their pain, anxiety and depression, as well as improvements in their quality of life when they were treated with a combination of body-oriented psychotherapy and acupuncture ( SART ) were treated. (Link to final article here .)
What is it true about tapping? An overview.
Tapping techniques combine the confrontation of anxiety-laden topics, traumatic memories, or unpleasant bodily sensations with tapping on skin points derived from classical acupuncture. Thus, they belong to the group of bifocal stimulation techniques, which combine elements of classical body therapy with psychotherapeutic elements. Tapping techniques are particularly used in the treatment of psychological disorders associated with high physical arousal, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety disorders. Psychosomatic symptoms of PTSD, such as pain and sleep disturbances, also respond well to tapping techniques. In this article, the author conducted a systematic review of the effectiveness of tapping techniques for these conditions. (Link to final article here.)
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On the relationship between therapeutic sensations and life energy concepts - from Huang Di to Wilhelm Reich
The concept of life energy forms the foundation of many traditional medical systems. At the same time, it is one of the main reasons for their rejection by modern natural sciences. In this article, the author demonstrates through historical texts and modern experimental findings that life energy concepts are closely related to so-called therapeutic sensations, as they regularly occur in Chinese medicine and other mind-body therapies. A nuanced language that clearly separates sensations ("flowing," "streaming") from their interpretations ("energy") can make an important contribution to interdisciplinary understanding. (Link to the final article here.)
Warm foot baths with mustard or ginger increase self-rated vitality in healthy adults more than foot baths with warm water
In this study, the authors investigated the effect of hot foot baths with and without the thermogenic additives Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Sinapis nigra (mustard) used in naturopathy on the vitality and heart rate variability of healthy subjects. It was found that the experienced vitality was higher after adding ginger to the bath water than with simple warm water baths. A trend was seen when mustard flour was added. Heart rate variability was positively influenced in all three conditions with small to medium effect sizes. A link to the article can be found here.
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Floating for chronic pain: A randomized clinical trial
Floating is a therapeutic procedure in which people float on the surface of the water in a floating tank in concentrated salt water, isolated from external stimuli. Previous studies have shown that this can relieve sleep disorders, anxiety and pain and promote relaxation. This study investigated the effectiveness of floating for chronic pain. It was the first time in the world that the effectiveness of floating was compared with a placebo control. A link to the article can be found here .
Lateralization and physical patterns of segmental signs and spontaneous pain in acute visceral disease: observational study
The differential diagnosis of acute visceral diseases is often difficult. Older literature suggests that patients with acute organ problems show segmental signs such as hyperalgesia, increased skin resistance or muscle defense in tissues with overlapping segmental innervation. According to these sources, the lateralization and segmental distribution of such signs can be used for differential diagnosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the lateralization and segmental distribution of spontaneous pain and referred segmental signs in acute visceral diseases using digital pain drawings.
Of the 208 patients recruited in the emergency department in this study, 110 (52.9%) were later diagnosed with a single organ problem. Of these, 85 (77.3%) reported spontaneous visceral pain. 81 (73.6%) had at least one segmental sign. The most common signs were hyperalgesia (46/81, 57%) and muscle resistance (39/81, 48%). A link to the article can be found here.
