The Concept of Body Language in the Medical Consultation

In this paper we wish to argue that the human body is an instrument of communication that can be used by the individual. This can be shown by the use of phenomenology, as described by Husserl, and that indeed empathy, as described by phenomenology, can be seen as a link enabling two human bodies/persons to communicate. We then wish to show from neuroscience that empathy can itself be seen as a bodily function. We then will describe how the doctor-patient relationship in the consultation is an extremely important type of communication between two persons, and how teaching of consultation skills has developed. We will show that, once consultation skills teaching was established, then study of body language became an essential part of this teaching, as soon as the technology was developed, and finally we will demonstrate that it is now possible to confirm by observational and controlled trials that appropriate use of body language does indeed enhance the effectiveness of the consultation, including, we would suggest, by appropriate communication of empathy and understanding.