Related Terms

• Biofield therapies, energy healing, external Qigong, gentle touch, healing touch, Krieger-Kunz Therapeutic Touch, laying on of hands, off-body energy field healing, relaxation touch, Reiki, Slow Stroke Massage, spiritual healing, Touch Healing (TH) therapy, TT.

Background

• Delores Krieger, RN, PhD, and Dora Kunz, a natural healer, developed therapeutic touch (TT) in the early 1970s. TT is an adaptation of several religious and secular healing traditions and is commonly used in nursing practice for many different conditions.

• TT practitioners hold their hands a short distance from the person receiving the therapy without actually making physical contact. The purpose of this technique is to detect the person's energy field, allowing the TT practitioner to correct any perceived imbalances. Nurse Healers Professional Associates, Inc. is the primary training organization for TT and teaches the technique. TT treatment consists of four steps: centering (calming the mind and focusing attention on the person), assessing the person's energy field for irregularities, intervention to facilitate symmetrical flow of energy through the field, and evaluation/closure to confirm the effects and conclude the treatment. Treatment sessions usually last from five to 30 minutes. Currently there is a lack of formal certification or competency-based assessment for this therapy.

• The concept of "life energy" or "life force" has sometimes been compared to spiritual rather than scientific principles. Some critics argue that because of its religious roots, TT should be treated as a religion rather than as a healthcare therapy. Skeptics have sought to eliminate TT as a nursing practice, due to questions surrounding the mechanism of action. However, suggestive results from several human studies, positive clinical experience, and case reports have led to increasing use of TT.

• Several variations have grown out of the original treatment but aspects of centering and intent have remained the foundations of this technique. Janet Mentgen founded healing touch in the 1980s based on the principles of TT. Healing touch adds patient empowerment, practitioner self care, and focuses on the impact of the practitioner-patient relationship.

Theory

• The way therapeutic touch (TT) may affect the body is not clearly understood. It is theorized that TT affects people through the connection of energy fields within and outside of the body. Energy is thought to stimulate internal mechanisms to treat physical symptoms. The autonomic nervous system is felt to be particularly sensitive to TT, followed by the lymphatic, circulatory, and musculoskeletal systems. Female endocrine disorders are believed to be more sensitive than those affecting males. Manic and catatonic people have been reported to respond to TT. Most scientific studies of TT have examined the effects on pain and anxiety.

• Well-designed studies evaluating the effectiveness of TT for human conditions are limited. One general review of TT as a treatment found the current supportive evidence on the therapy to be weak.

• A controversial study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1998 reported that a group of TT practitioners were unable to sense energy fields. The study was widely publicized and hailed as a landmark article, but has been criticized by some TT providers because it did not measure improvements in symptoms or satisfaction in the people receiving the therapy.

Scientific Evidence

Tradition/Theory

The below uses are based on tradition or scientific theories. They often have not been thoroughly tested in humans, and safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious and should be evaluated by a qualified health care professional.

• Bone healing, cancer, cancer pain, childbirth preparation, chronic fatigue syndrome, dystonia (muscle disorder), epilepsy, grief, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, muscle relaxation, palliative care, Parkinson's disease, postpartum, sarcoidosis, sinusitis, sleep enhancement, trauma, well-being, well-being during pregnancy.

Safety

Many complementary techniques are practiced by healthcare professionals with formal training, in accordance with the standards of national organizations. However, this is not universally the case, and adverse effects are possible. Due to limited research, in some cases only limited safety information is available.

• Therapeutic touch (TT) is believed to be safe when performed by a trained practitioner for most people. Treatment sessions may be shorter for children than adults. TT should not be used for potentially serious conditions in place of more proven therapies. Some of the adverse effects reported are restlessness, anxiety, dizziness, nausea, and irritability. Some of these effects may not have been directly related to TT but may have been incidental. Tension headache and crying have also been associated with TT. Some TT providers believe that this therapy should not be practiced on people with fever or inflammation and should be avoided on body areas with cancer.

• Use cautiously in people with autoimmune disorders and in those taking CNS depressants and agents that may affect the immune system.

• TT may affect blood pressure. Caution is advised in people taking agents that may also affect blood pressure.

• TT may increase the amount of drowsiness caused by some drugs. Examples include benzodiazepines such as lorazepam (Ativan®) or diazepam (Valium®), barbiturates such as phenobarbital, narcotics such as codeine, some antidepressants, and alcohol. Caution is advised while driving or operating machinery. TT may also increase the amount of drowsiness caused by some herbs or supplements.

• TT may interact with antidepressants and painkillers.

• There is currently a lack of scientific evidence on the use of TT during pregnancy or lactation.

Author Information

• This information is based on a systematic review of scientific literature edited and peer-reviewed by contributors to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (www.naturalstandard.com).

References

Natural Standard developed the above evidence-based information based on a thorough systematic review of the available scientific articles. For comprehensive information about alternative and complementary therapies on the professional level, go to www.naturalstandard.com. Selected references are listed below.

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