Therapeutic Touch
Alexandra B. Freeman Indiana University School of Nursing
Abstract
Therapeutic Touch is a form of complementary and alternative medicine utilized among the Pediatric population to provide holistic healthcare. Developed in the 1970’s by Dora Kunz a psychic healer and Dr. Dolores Krieger, PhD, RN (Natural Medicine, 2015) therapeutic touch is generally not well accepted in Western medical practices due to lack of research and supporting effectiveness in evidence. Understanding what TT is and how to utilize it in practice is important in delivering care to patient populations that seek the more holistic approach in care.
Keywords: Therapeutic touch, complementary and alternative medicine, holistic health care THERAPEUTIC TOUCH AMONG THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION
Therapeutic Touch or TT is a part of bio-field therapies that seeks to “affect the energy fields that purportedly surround and penetrate the body so as to enhance healing and promote well-being” (Natural Standard, 2015). Developed in the 1970’s by Dora Kunz a psychic healer and Dolores Krieger, PhD, RN, Therapeutic touch was instituted as a way to better work with patients and facilitate in their healing. There are four basic steps in TT; centering, assessment, intervention and evaluation ( Natural Standard, 2015). In centering, the provider focuses all their energy on the patient to help the patient relax and become comfortable. In the assessment stage, the provider is assessing for energy
-coping with emotional/sensual overload (specifically by providing tactile stimulation to help break the spell of disassociation that is followed by anxiety attacks triggered by overstimulation of
The PROMOTION we will run to promote our massage therapy treatment is to offer the first two treatments for free in conjunction with their normal home health services. We will advertise the promotion in our brochure, local newspaper, and on our website. We may make demonstration appointments to show physician groups, local hospitals what types of benefits will receive by getting our massage therapies as part of their home health care. The primary benefits we will promote about our massage benefits will be focused on the disabled and depressed population. We will actually have patient testimonies from patients posted on our brochure for those patients that have already experienced out massage therapy treatment. Next to the testimonies we will have an elderly disabled patient rise from the massage table with a
The therapies offers uses state-of-the art science, including dry needling. It is like acupuncture with the use of needles that uses mild electronic current to stimulate muscles in precise positions.
The medicinal aspect of touch has been known and used for centuries. Touch triggers a cascade of healing chemical responses including a decrease in stress hormones and an increase in serotonin and dopamine levels. In addition, touch has been shown to increase the immune system’s cytotoxic capacity, thereby helping our body maintain its defenses and decreasing anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, inattention, stress hormones and cortisol levels.
Again, depending on how committed prospective candidates are to gaining an in-depth education is what will ultimately determine which natural health course will be best suited to meet professional needs. Massotherapy training is usually comprised of over 300 hours, and in many cases, exceeds 500 hours (in order to achieve National certification status). General studies include anatomy, physiology, pathology, kinesiology, sports massage, deep tissue massage, and Swedish massage; however, many healing arts schools and conventional medicine schools that provide integrative medicine programs will often extend more advance bodywork therapies like Shiatsu/acupressure, touch therapy, craniosacral therapy, myofascial release, prenatal/infant massage, and lymphatic drainage massage, among
Through the enthusiasm of alternative medicine by patients, the health and social care sector comes across to:” ethical issues of efficacy, training, competence and patient safety, “according to (Nursing times ,2005). Therefore, it is important to understand the principles behind complementary therapies and their usage.
For example, synopsis of a few studies are presented which showcase the therapeutic benefits of touch on premature infants and the elderly population, to imply the benefits of such therapies throughout the life-span of humans. Research findings of touch therapies used in Korea are briefly mentioned as are the healing/touch ceremonies known to indigenous peoples of the Amazon, Australia and Africa. In addition the Netherlands, New Zealand, France, Romania Germany, Hawaii, South Africa, Tibet and various countries around the globe are recognized for practicing established touch modalities. Chapter I also states the research purpose which is: to analyze, explore, and develop foundational theory about the benefits of touch in so far as its board range healing capabilities, in particular that of pain management, anxiety reduction and relaxation in humans. Immediately followed the research question is stated which is: what are the uses and benefits of therapeutic touch? Subsequent to the identification of delimitations and limitations, Chapter I concludes with a discussion around cost savings that can result from touch therapies and a list of Operational
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a term that describes health and wellness therapies that have not been part of conventional medicine. Complementary treatments is with conventional medicine, and alternative treatments is used in place of conventional medicine. It can include treatments and therapies such as massage, natural products, meditation, yoga, vitamin supplements, herbs, chiropractic, acupuncture, and lots more. But problems arise when CAM is questioned if it scientifically helps patients overcome a disease. Is there really health benefits? Are some of the products natural? Do they come with risks? These are questions that can be asked when looking into CAM.
Throughout our clinical experiences, almost every patient that we have had reported some pain. Pain medications are often over-prescribed and over-used and can often do more harm than good. People do need pain medications in certain circumstances, but we wanted to research other methods for patients to manage pain. Therapeutic touch can offer a variety of benefits including pain management. A majority of the adult population experiences pain on a daily basis. If more people knew about therapeutic touch and using it for a pain management technique, patients could feel better while not using pharmacological management. According to Flor and Turk, 116 million experience pain on a daily basis and most pay for treatment, whether it be physical therapy, pain medication, inpatient services or primary care (Flor and Turk, 2015). The same report also states, “Prescription painkillers are considered a major contributor to the total number of yearly deaths” (Flor and Turk, 2015).
Complementary and alternative therapies are very large group of non-orthodox therapies that may be used alone or with other non-orthodox and orthodox therapies. This term (CAM) is applied to over 700 different therapies. Some relaxation techniques, massage therapies, special diets and self-help groups could be considered to be lifestyle rather than true therapies, also it can be considered as actions that enhanced the feeling of
Central Idea: Massage therapy is practiced all over the world and has both emotional and physical benefits when received on a regular basis.
Personal Touch is a hands-on volunteering program which allows volunteers to provide comfort and care to patients throughout the hospital. As a volunteer, I have received special training that enables me to provide emotional and physical support to patients. The department I volunteer with is called the nesting place, this department is where mother and baby are able to cohabitant together during their stay at the hospital. In the nesting place, I aided patients with their needs and assisted the nursing staff with their tasks. In addition to my other duties, I provided care to newborn
Mothers and newborns also seem to gain from massage; for example, mothers that massage their infants may feel less depressed and have a stronger emotional bond with their babies. Plus, newborns who receive massage from their mothers tend to cry less, be more alert, active, and sociable. Premature babies who are given massage therapy may gain weight faster than preemies that are not given this type of therapy. Also, infants who receive massage frequently tend to sleep better, be less gassy or colicky, have better body awareness, and a more regular digestion. Studies have also shown that massage may be a helpful treatment for young children and adolescents with a wide range of health problems, including: Autism, Eczema, Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
The author mixes personal experiences with biology and scientific experiments to prove, in her opinion, that touch is the most important sense. In this subpart, the author will focus mainly on the relationship between mother and child and why touch is a necessity for the babies. She will start with her own experiences when she will recount her meeting with a baby in a Miami hospital. She will continue her story by giving the benefits of the massage/touch on babies like touch can send information’s, the metabolism of toddlers will grow stronger than others. She adds real proof for those matters by giving real examples on different animals like the rat’s experiments where researchers demonstrated that the mother touch or something similar have great benefits and that is close to a mother is needed for survival.
As it has been around for centuries, there are many procedures to treat your illness. The theory behind TCM, as said in Encyclopedia of natural Healing, is to start with a symptom, and then look for a specific cause of that illness.One method to help cure your ailment is to use the theory of Yin and Yang.Yin and Yang is what TCM doctors use to help with headaches, smale pain, aches, and tiredness. When a person has too much Yang, headaches will occur along with pain. If you have too much yin, you will experience tiredness or chills. Another popular method of TCM is acupuncture, a very common one this day. It is used to cure pain, and disease. The way it is used is based on the theory of meridians. Meridians are channels throughout the body where your qi can be blocked (Williams 47). Once your qi is blocked, you will experience a multitude of ailments. This is where acupuncture comes into play. TCM doctors lie you down on a table and then proceed to stick thin needles into your body where the meridians lie. By doing this, your qi will be unblocked and your symptoms and will quickly dissipate. Another common remedy are herbal concoctions, mixtures of different plants and animals to cure your ailment. Most herbal remedies consist of a chief, deputy, assistant, and an envoy (Schoenbeck 2035). Each mixture is different for every illness