Patients of Healing Touch often report an increased sense of well-being and peace. Many have reported positive experiences that have helped them better cope with illnesses and depression. Comments such as "I feel relaxed," "safe," "more balanced," "happier with life," "like all my tension is melting away," "reassured," are common.

Research studies suggest that Healing Touch is effective for physical and mental relaxation, pain management, anxiety and stress reduction, and increasing one’s sense of well-being.

Healing Touch has been used clinically (often by nurses in hospitals) to:

• Promote relaxation before and after medical procedures (such as surgery, childbirth, and diagnostic procedures) to aid in quicker recovery
• Reduce acute and chronic pain
• Promote wound healing
• Manage symptoms of chronic conditions, such as fibromyalgia or chronic headaches
• Improve sleep
• Reduce fatigue in cancer patients receiving radiation
• Enhance the immune system

Healing Touch can be used with all age groups and can be beneficial in all stages of health and illness. It can also be used to promote wellness and enhance personal and spiritual development.

Are there any safety concerns?

Because Healing Touch is a noninvasive energetic technique, there are few safety concerns. In addition, practitioners assess each patient and tailor the level of energy therapy to meet each patient’s needs.

While Healing Touch techniques are gentle and noninvasive, children and the elderly tend to be more sensitive to the techniques. As a result, the Healing Touch practitioner may limit the amount of time for the session. In addition, the effect of medications may be enhanced by Healing Touch sessions, so patients should watch for this and speak to their provider if necessary.

Healing Touch is not a substitute for medical treatment. It is never considered to be a cure. Healing Touch complements conventional medical care and helps the body heal.

References

Geddes, N. (2002). Research related to Healing Touch. In Healing Touch: A guidebook for practitioners (2nd edition) (pp. 24-40). Albany, NY: Delmar Publishing Co.

Post-White, J. Kinney, M.E. K., Gau, J.B., Wilcox, C. & Lerner, I. (2003). Therapeutic massage and Healing Touch improve symptoms in cancer. Integrative Cancer Therapies, 2(4), 332-344.

Wardell, D., Tan, G., Rintala, D. Duan, Z. (2005). Healing Touch for Chronic Neuropathic Pain in Spinal Cord Injury: A pilot study. International Journal for Human Caring, Proceeding of the 27th Conference of the International Association for Human Caring, 9(2), 123.

Wilkinson, D., Knox, P., Chatman, J., Johnson, T., Barbour, N., Myles, Y., et al. (2002). The clinical effectiveness of Healing Touch. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 8(1), 33-47

Date: March, 2007

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