Healing Touch: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews

Overview

Healing touch is an energy based therapy with the intention to balance out the recipient's energy field. The healing touch practitioner uses light touch and specific hand placement.

People use healing touch for conditions such as cancer, dementia, recent surgery, pain, and many others, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

It is not known how healing touch works. In theory, the relaxation response might help people to self-heal.

How does it work ?

It is not known how healing touch works. In theory, the relaxation response might help people to self-heal.

Uses & Effectiveness

We currently have no information for Healing Touch overview.

Side Effects

Special Precautions and Warnings

Healing touch is LIKELY SAFE when performed correctly and for a short period of time. Healing touch has not been linked with any side effects.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn't enough reliable information to know if healing touch is safe to use when pregnant or breast-feeding. However, there is no reason to suspect safety issues when used appropriately.

Interactions

We currently have no information for Healing Touch overview.

Dosing

The appropriate or safe use of healing touch depends on several factors such as the condition being treated or the person administering the treatment. Be sure to seek and follow relevant directions from your physician or other healthcare professional before using this treatment.

View References

REFERENCES:

Ostuni, E. and Pietro, M. J. Effects of healing touch on nursing home residents in later stages of Alzheimer disease. Healing Touch International, 5th Annual Conference, Denver, CO 2001.

Wang, K. and Hermann, C. Healing touch on agitation levels in dementia. Healing Touch Newsletter 1999;9(3):3.

Weymouth, K. and Sandberg-Lewis, S. Comparing the efficacy of healing touch and chiropractic adjustment in treating chronic low back pain: A pilot study. Healing Touch Newsletter 2000;00(3):7-8.

Guerrerio, J., Slater, V., and Cook, C. The effect of healing touch on radiation-induced fatigue in women receiving radiation therapy in women with gynecological or breast cancer. Healing Touch Newsletter 2001;01(3):5.

Protzman, L. The effect of healing touch on pain and relaxation. Healing touch research survey 2002.

Welcher, B. and Kish, J. Reducing pain and anxiety through healing touch. Healing Touch Newsletter 2001;1(3):19.

Silva MA. The effects of relaxation touch on the recovery level of postanesthesia abdominal hysterectomy patients. Alternative Therapies Health Med 1996;2(4):94.

Mentgen, J. L. Healing Touch. Holistic Nursing Care 2001;36(1):143-157.

Post-White J, Kinney ME, Savik K, et al. Therapeutic massage and healing touch improve symptoms in cancer. Integr Cancer Ther 2003;2(4):332-44.

FitzHenry F, Wells N, Slater V, Dietrich MS, Wisawatapnimit P, Chakravarthy AB. A randomized placebo-controlled pilot study of the impact of healing touch on fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. Integr Cancer Ther. 2014;13(2):105-13.

Gentile D, Boselli D, O'Neill G, Yaguda S, Bailey-Dorton C, Eaton TA. Cancer Pain Relief After Healing Touch and Massage. J Altern Complement Med. 2018;24(9-10):968-973.

Hardwick ME, Pulido PA, Adelson WS. Nursing intervention using healing touch in bilateral total knee arthroplasty. Orthop Nurs. 2012;31(1):5-11.

Lu DF, Hart LK, Lutgendorf SK, Oh H, Silverman M. Effects of Healing Touch and Relaxation Therapy on Adult Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant: A Feasibility Pilot Study. Cancer Nurs. 2016;39(3):E1-E11.

Lu DF, Hart LK, Lutgendorf SK, Perkhounkova Y. The effect of healing touch on the pain and mobility of persons with osteoarthritis: a feasibility study. Geriatr Nurs. 2013;34(4):314-22.

Lutgendorf SK, Mullen-Houser E, Russell D, et al. Preservation of immune function in cervical cancer patients during chemoradiation using a novel integrative approach. Brain Behav Immun. 2010;24(8):1231-40.

MacIntyre B, Hamilton J, Fricke T, Ma W, Mehle S, Michel M. The efficacy of healing touch in coronary artery bypass surgery recovery: a randomized clinical trial. Altern Ther Health Med. 2008;14(4):24-32.

Pedersen CG, Johannessen H, Hjelmborg JV, Zachariae R. Effectiveness of energy healing on Quality of Life: a pragmatic intervention trial in colorectal cancer patients. Complement Ther Med. 2014;22(3):463-72.

Wardell DW, Decker SA, Engebretson JC. Healing touch for older adults with persistent pain. Holist Nurs Pract. 2012;26(4):194-202.

Gentile D, Boselli D, Yaguda S, Greiner R, Bailey-Dorton C. Pain Improvement After Healing Touch and Massage in Breast Cancer: an Observational Retrospective Study. Int J Ther Massage Bodywork 2021;14(1):12-20.

Reeve K, Black PA, Huang J. Examining the impact of a Healing Touch intervention to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in combat veterans. Psychol Trauma 2020;12(8):897-903.

James LE, Gottschlich MM, Nelson JK, Cone LC, McCall JE. Pediatric perioperative measures of sleep, pain, anxiety and anesthesia emergence: A healing touch proof of concept randomized clinical trial. Complement Ther Med 2019;42:264-269.

Running A, Hildreth L, John-Henderson N. Bioenergy for Stress Relief in University Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Community Health Nurs. 2022 Jan-Mar;39(1):1-11.

Rosamond RL, Giarratano G, Orlando S, et al. Healing Touch: A Strategy for Acute Care Nurses' Stress Reduction. J Holist Nurs. 2023 Jan 30:8980101221142193.

CONDITIONS OF USE AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION: This information is meant to supplement, not replace advice from your doctor or healthcare provider and is not meant to cover all possible uses, precautions, interactions or adverse effects. This information may not fit your specific health circumstances. Never delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice from your doctor or other qualified health care provider because of something you have read on WebMD. You should always speak with your doctor or health care professional before you start, stop, or change any prescribed part of your health care plan or treatment and to determine what course of therapy is right for you.

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