Detoxification & Purification Procedures
Sometimes the body accumulates more than is good for it
And you can feel it - as fatigue, perhaps as pain, or sometimes as a vague sense of unease. Detoxification procedures such as cupping, leech therapy, or Baunscheidt therapy help your organism to let go. They activate your self-healing powers, promote circulation, and relieve the tissue. These are ancient methods that are more effective today than ever, because sometimes your body simply needs an external impulse to cleanse itself.
Traditional Cupping
During cupping, glass jars are applied to your skin - usually on the back - to create a vacuum. Dry cupping stimulates blood circulation, releases tension, and activates reflex zones. In wet cupping, the skin is slightly pricked beforehand to allow blood containing metabolic waste to be drained. This is particularly effective for conditions of 'excess' or congestion. The skin turns red and occasionally bruising may occur, but no injury is ever caused.
Cupping Massage
In cupping massage, the jars are not placed statically but are moved across oiled skin. This loosens adhered fascia, releases deep-seated tension, and promotes lymphatic flow. It is particularly effective along the meridians of the back. The massage feels intense yet pleasant. Afterwards, your back feels warm, well-circulated, and mobile. Chronic pain subsides, and freedom of movement returns.
Baunscheidt Therapy
Baunscheidt therapy creates a controlled, artificial skin inflam-mation that activates your immune system. Using a specialized device, tiny punctures are made in the skin, followed by the application of a stimulating oil. This triggers a localized inflam-matory reaction with wheals. Your body switches into defense mode, significantly increasing blood circulation and boosting the metabolism. This method is profoundly effective, particularly for chronic conditions, rheumatism, or a weakened immune system.
Reflex Zone Therapy according to Abele, Puttkammer, Head, and others
Your back is more than just a back. It is a map of your entire organism. The Head's zones show us which areas of the skin are connected to specific internal organs. Tension in the shoulder area can indicate issues with the liver or gallbladder, while pain in the lower back may relate to the kidneys or bladder. The reflex zones according to Abele and Puttkammer further refine this diagnostic approach, allowing for targeted treatments by assigning specific organ systems to each area of the back.
However, it is not only the back that carries this information. Your ear also maps the entire body. Auriculo Therapy utilizes reflex zones on the ear, where every point corresponds to a specific organ or body region. Through targeted stimulation of these points, we can alleviate pain or regulate internal organs. As a microsystem of the body, the ear often responds immediately.
Similarly, I work with the reflex zones according to Heinrich Roeder in the nose and throat area. The tonsils, nasal turbinates, and the pharynx are interconnected with the entire organism. Chronic inflammation in these areas can point to disturbances in other regions of the body. By gently treating these zones, I support your body’s self-regulation.
When cupping or applying Baunscheidt therapy, I primarily utilize the zones on the back. I examine your back, palpate the tissue, and sense tension, cold, or heat. Every reaction of your skin tells me something about your internal organs. In this way, I do not just treat your aching back, but simultaneously support the liver, kidneys, intestines, or heart. Reflex zone therapy is an indirect form of organ treatment. It acts gently yet profoundly. Your body usually responds immediately: organs relax, digestion is stimulated, and sleep becomes deeper. This ancient wisdom connects external signs with internal states.
Leech Therapy
Leeches are living pharmacies. Their saliva contains over 100 bioactive substances that inhibit inflammation, relieve pain, and promote blood circulation. They are particularly effective for osteoarthritis, varicose veins, thrombosis, or chronic joint inflammation. The leeches are placed on targeted areas, attach themselves, and detach naturally after 30 to 60 minutes. Afterwards, the wound continues to bleed slightly, which is a desired effect. Your body detoxifies, and pain subsides.
Cantharides ~ / Blistering Plaster
The Cantharides plaster is an intensive detoxification procedure. A plaster saturated with cantharidin is applied to the skin. After several hours, a blister forms, filled with interstitial fluid and metabolic waste. This blister is opened under sterile conditions, and the contents are drained. This method is particularly suitable for deep-seated chronic diseases when other procedures have proven ineffective. It offers powerful detoxification and long-lasting impact - allowing your body to hit the reset button.
Diaphoretic Procedures
The skin is your largest organ of elimination. Diaphoretic proce-dures, such as sweat-inducing treatments, steam baths, or heat applications, utilize this natural detoxification pathway. Under the influence of heat, the pores open, and sweat transports metabolic waste, heavy metals, and toxins out of the body. Simultaneously, the immune system is activated and blood circulation is increased. After a sweating treatment, you feel purified from within. This is highly effective for susceptibility to infections or skin conditions.
Homotoxicology according to Reckeweg and the Boundaries of TEN
Homotoxicology, according to Dr. Hans-Heinrich Reckeweg, explains the origin of diseases as the accumulation of toxins within the tissue. Six distinct phases lead from harmless excretion to irreversible cellular degeneration. This is exactly where detoxification and elimination procedures intervene. They assist the body in eliminating toxins before they migrate deeper into the tissue. The earlier we initiate the elimination process, the more effective the results.
However, Traditional European Naturopathy (TEN) has its boundaries. In acute emergencies - such as a heart attack, stroke, or severe infections - conventional medicine is indispensable. Furthermore, in advanced stages of disease corresponding to Reckeweg’s Phase 5 or 6, where cellular damage is already present, elimination procedures can only act as a supportive measure rather than a primary cure. I will be honest with you about where naturopathy can help and where its limits lie. Sometimes, a combination of both is required: conventional medicine and TEN. In such cases, I am happy to collaborate with your physician. Your health is the central focus, not the method.
Secretion-Enhancing Procedures
Your body possesses several pathways for elimination. Purgation cleanses the intestines using mild natural laxatives. Diuretics stimulate kidney activity, flushing out water retention and excess fluids. Expectorants help to loosen and clear mucus from respira-tory tract. All these procedures encourage your natural excretory organs to work more intensively. Particularly after long periods of illness or the use of medication, they support your body in its purification process. This detoxification is gentle yet thorough.
Who can benefit from these procedures?
Detoxification procedures are suitable for almost everyone. They serve as a preventive measure for healthy individuals looking to unburden their bodies, as well as for those dealing with persistent chronic pain. They are highly effective for metabolic disorders, rheumatism, migraines, skin conditions, and many other ailments. However, these treatments are not suitable during acute infections, (high-risk) pregnancies, blood clotting disorders, or states of extreme physical weakness.
