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Other common name(s):
energy field therapy, biofield therapy, TT
Scientific/medical name(s):
none
DESCRIPTION
Therapeutic Touch (TT) is a technique in which the hands are
used to direct human energy for healing purposes. There is usually no
actual physical contact.
OVERVIEW
Available scientific evidence does not support many of the
claims made for TT, or that energy is balanced or transferred by the
use of TT. However, it may be useful in reducing anxiety and increasing
a sense of well being in some people.
How is it promoted for use?
The practice of TT is based on the belief that problems in the
patient’s energy field can be identified and re-balanced by a healer.
Harmful energy is believed to cause blockages in the patient's normal
energy flow. Proponents claim TT removes blockages and other problems
in the patient's energy field that cause illness and pain. TT is
promoted by some to improve conditions such as pain, fever, swelling,
infections, wounds, ulcers, thyroid problems, colic, burns, nausea,
PMS, diarrhea, and headaches. They also say that TT is useful in
treating diseases such as measles, Alzheimer disease, AIDS, asthma,
autism, multiple sclerosis, stroke, comas, and cancer. In practice, TT
is generally promoted as an adjunct, that is, a method to be used along
with standard medical care.
What does it involve?
The clothed patient is normally lying down, but may also be sitting or
standing. There are four steps involved in a TT session, which take
between 10 and 30 minutes to complete. The first is called centering.
During centering, the therapist makes an effort to clear his or her
mind in order to communicate with the patient's energy field and locate
areas of energy blockage that are believed to cause pain or illness.
The second part of TT involves an assessment in which the
therapist's hands are held about 2 to 6 inches above the patient's
body. The therapist then passes both hands, with palms down, head to
toe along the patient's body. This process is used to locate
irregularities or blockages in the patient's energy field that signal a
health problem.
In the third step, the therapist conducts several passes over
the body with his or her hands. At the end of each pass, the therapist
releases the harmful energy by flicking his or her hands into the air
past the toes of the patient. Finally, the therapist transfers his or
her own excess and healthy energy to the patient.
What is the history behind it?
Therapeutic touch is similar to the "laying on of hands"
practiced by some religious sects as a means of transferring healing
energy to the believer (see Faith Healing, Qigong, and Reiki). The idea
of an energy field can be traced back to the 18th century work of Franz
Anton Mesmer, an Austrian doctor who believed that illness was caused
by imbalances in the body's magnetic forces. He believed he could
restore magnetic balance through the use of soothing words and quieting
gestures, called Mesmerism.
In the 1970s, Delores Krieger, PhD, RN, who was then a
professor of nursing at New York University (NYU) developed TT. Dr.
Krieger had studied and worked with Dora Kunz, a natural healer, in the
early 1970s. The dean of nursing at NYU, Martha Rogers, believed that
human beings are energy fields that interact with their environment,
and her ideas stimulated scientific research of TT.
Over 100 colleges and universities in 75 countries teach TT.
It is promoted by many professional nursing organizations and practiced
by nurses in at least 80 hospitals in the United States and Canada.
There are more than 50,000 health care professionals, mostly nurses,
who have learned TT world-wide. Many non-professionals have also
learned the technique.
What is the evidence?
A good deal of the information about TT is based on individual reports and small studies. There have been few well-designed studies. An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that only 1 study out of 83 confirmed positive results for TT. The authors stated that some of the clinical studies found positive effects, such as help with wound healing and headaches; however, they reported that most of those studies had questionable study designs. The authors conducted their own test, and found that, when their view was blocked, the 21 TT practitioners being studied were not able to sense which of their hands the investigator was closer to. This small study did not test any effect of TT, but looked at the ability of some practitioners to detect the relative closeness of human energy fields under experimental conditions.
Research funded by the US Department of Defense to study the effect of TT on burn patients produced mixed results. Patients reported a reduction in pain and anxiety, but there was no difference in the amount of pain medicine requested. A recent controlled clinical trial on the effects of dialogue and TT on breast cancer surgery patients found that 10 minutes of TT and 20 minutes of talking lowered anxiety before surgery. No effects were found after surgery.
A more recent controlled study on women with early stage breast cancer found that those who spent quiet time talking with a nurse noticed feeling just as calm, comfortable, and relaxed as those who had TT. On the other hand, another study of nursing home residents with dementia found that TT reduced symptoms of restlessness, pacing, and wandering when compared to a placebo group. Further study is needed to prove TT’s helpfulness in people with dementia.
In one scientific review of available published studies, it was concluded that TT may help reduce anxiety and some types of pain, but more study is needed. Another review of studies showed mixed results on whether TT helped wound healing, with some outcomes favoring the TT groups and others the control groups.
Many researchers believe the positive results claimed for TT are due to the placebo effect. That is, the patient wants it to work and expects that it will, so the procedure may create a helpful result. Researchers also believe the simple presence of a person who is interested in helping can promote relaxation and increase a sense of well being. Available scientific evidence does not support any claims that TT can cure cancer or other diseases.
Are there any possible problems
or complications?
Therapeutic touch is generally considered safe when given by trained professionals. Some of the reported side effects include nausea, dizziness, restlessness, and irritability.
Additional Resources
More Information From Your
American Cancer Society
The following information on complementary and alternative
therapies may also be helpful to you. These materials may be ordered
from our toll-free number (1-800-ACS-2345).
References
Cassileth B. The Alternative Medicine Handbook.
New York, NY: W. W. Norton & Co; 1998.
Hutchison, C P, D'Alessio, B, Forward, J. B, Newshan, G.
Body-Mind-Spirit: Healing Touch: an energetic approach AJN,
99(4):43-48, April 1999.
Kelly AE, Sullivan P, Fawcett J, Samarel N. Therapeutic
touch, quiet time, and dialogue: perceptions of women with breast
cancer. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2004 May;31(3):625-31.
M.D. Anderson. Energy Therapies: Therapeutic Touch Detailed
Scientific Review. Reviews of Therapies. Available at:
http://www.mdanderson.org. Accessed 4/3/07.
O'Mathuna DP, Ashford RL. Therapeutic touch for healing acute wounds. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2003;(4):CD002766.
Rosa L, Rosa E, Sarner L, Barrett S. A close look at
Therapeutic Touch. JAMA. 1998;279:1005-1010.
Samarel N, Fawcett J, Davis MM, Ryan FM. Effects of dialogue
and Therapeutic Touch on preoperative and postoperative experiences of
breast cancer surgery: an exploratory study. Oncol Nurs Forum.
1998;25:1369-1376.
Woods DL, Craven RF, Whitney J. The effect of therapeutic
touch on behavioral symptoms of persons with dementia. Altern
Ther Health Med. 2005 Jan-Feb;11(1):66-74.
Note: This information may not
cover all possible claims, uses, actions, precautions, side effects or
interactions. It is not intended as medical advice, and should not be
relied upon as a substitute for consultation with your doctor, who is
familiar with your medical situation.
Revised: 05/23/2007
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