The therapy (v. griech. "service ") designates the measures in the medicine for the treatment of diseases and injuries. A goal of the therapist is the healing, the removal or Linderung of the symptoms and the re-establishment of the physical or psychological function.

In order to be able to select an appropriate therapy, first a correct diagnosis must be placed. If a therapy is indicated due to a disease picture, one speaks of an indication.

Therapy is based on a direct or indirect effect of the therapist on the patients. The possibilities of the effect are various: In the surgery the body of the patient with tools is manipulated (operation). The internal medicine predominantly relies on the administration of medicines (Pharmakotherapie) or the distance of pathological liquids (Punktion of Aszites or a Pleuraergusses). Furthermore there are radiotherapies with ionizing radiation (v. A. against malicious tumors) or with and/or brought in, radiating substances which can be taken (radio iodine therapy against some of the thyroid, contact irradiation of inoperable tumors by means of implantierter caps), in addition, light therapies with skin diseases or depressions or the electrical cramp therapy under short arcose for breaking through a heavy depression.

An important part of most therapies is communication between therapist and patient. It guarantees that the treatment the subjective needs of the patient becomes fair, and improves the possibilities of the patient of working even toward a favorable disease process. The psychiatric therapy relies even with priority on methods of systematic communication.

Usually the effectiveness of a therapy procedure must be able to withstand an examination according to scientific method, in order recognition of the medicine as to apply (see also: was based medicine). , Above all outside by hospitals and medical practices, methods are often used nevertheless, which do not fulfill this requirement. See for this: Alternative medicine, naturopathy.

A therapy is

• causally, if it eliminates the disease-causing cause or this at least (thus e.g. the responsible persons bacteria of a bacterial pneumonia directly antibiotic fought), sees causal therapy aims at
• symptomatically, if it is only directed toward the Lindern of existing complaints and not on the releasing cause (e.g. cough means with acute bronchitis or asthma spray in the asthma accumulation)
• kurativ, if it has the recovery of the patient (of at least a defined illness) as a goal
• palliativ, if one prevents complications against a progressive basic suffering only illness-accompanying or lindert (e.g. operational reexpand of the respiratory system course-rampantly grown maliciously with Bronchialkarzinom for better respiration, but without intention of the complete healing)
• supportiv, if the unwanted side effects (usually anti-tumor eyes) of a treatment are treated (e.g. Nausea lindernde medicines with nausea by cytostatic chemotherapy)
• calculated, if it from experience (e.g. disproportionate expenditure in the general medicine) or with acute mortal danger is not practicable to aim at and/or wait for a secured diagnosis, and one same on suspicion begins to treat (e.g. immediate gift of antibiotics with suspicion on bacterial brain skin inflammation)
• elektiv, if the time of the interference can be determined relatively freely (as with many ambulatory operations)
• frustran, if it is futile (e.g. frustrane revival)
• preventively, if it is the precautionary treatment not broken out of a yet, but surely or nevertheless probably in the future arising illness (e.g. a special already before occurrence of first symptoms with certain innate metabolic diseases determined in routine investigations: see Screening).

The inoculation are so seen usually only one stabilization of the body against susceptibility more in the future, not yet directly initiating diseases (protective inoculations) and thus no therapy strictly speaking; it is, an infection rather surely took place, the incubation period of the exciter however not yet completely continuously (the exciter thus not yet "concerned"), and one can in the stricter sense therapeutically inoculate (e.g. with suspicion on rabies) and the exciter so quasi "to overhaul", so that it meets a prepared immune system.

Exaggerated therapy (and diagnostics) one calls Polypragmasie, an inadequate therapy (and diagnostics) is a false treatment or a malpractice and can to treatment complications lead.

By self therapy all possible, e.g. Synergetik therapy, Yoga, Massage or house means can be understood about Therapieabstinenz up to herbs and psychosomatisch as welfare SAM felt everyday measures.

Of a therapy resistance one speaks, if a patient does not address humans (more) on treatments, which were technically correctly accomplished after up-to-date knowledge conditions and to an improvement of the symptomatology or in the most favorable case to a healing of the illness would have had as a rule at least to lead. If this is not given, the condition is called therapy resistant.

Therapy forms

• Medicine
• Psychotherapie
• Body therapy

See also

• Psychology, Physiotherapie, Peloidtherapie, Soziotherapie
• to legal questions: Welfare treatment, patient right

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