M o n i k a Wo g r o l l y - D o m e j , Wa l t e r P i e r i n g e r
Bio-psycho-soziale Aspekte der „Alpin- und Höhenmedizin“ Bio-psycho-social aspects of alpine medicine S U M M A RY The aim of this article is to delineate the presence and relevance of philosophical and prophylactic questions in alpine medicine, first as theoretical background and then on the basis of the alpine medical example of an individual with fear of heights. In modern hospitals, biology comes first; there are psychological approaches but they are definitely secondary. Philosophical approaches are generally non-existent. Medicine that has an anthropological and existentialphilosophical basis sees disease not just as a manifestation that is meaningless in and of itself, but as an indicator of personal cultural development. Disease as a biopsychosocial phenomenon involves not only individual bodily systems but the entire individual. Disease is understood as a "caused disorder" of an organ system, a necessary change in relation to the environment, a pathetic creation of life exploring for new life forms. Nonetheless, a good atmosphere for discussion alone is in danger of producing only shallow day-dreams. In and for medicine, good discussion requires complementary content and challenge through the established object-oriented approach. A number of questions of urgent interest in alpine medicine involving the phenomena of vertigo, fear of heights, altitude headache and altitude cough could, in the future, more likely be answered through alternative approaches. This would, however, require a change in paradigm in modern medical sciences. This would mean giving up on the established empirical, object-oriented approach that seeks to understand the individual reductionalistically on the basis of chemical and physical values, in favor of a differentiated view that would include an anthropological-holistic approach. Keywords: Anthropology, biopsychosocial approach, object-oriented approach, alpine medicine
Z U S A M M E N FA S S U N G In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden die Präsenz und Relevanz von philosophischen und gesundheitsfördernden Fragen in der Alpinmedizin zunächst vor theoretischem Hintergrund und ferner am Beispiel einer Person mit Höhenschwin-
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