Therapeutic touch is a type of energy medicine. The philosophy behind this modality is to use the therapist’s energy (biofield) to influence the patient’s biofield. Usually, practitioners do not physically touch the patient; instead, they move their hands at a distance over the patient. This technique differs from Reiki in that it involves more verbal communication and is done more interactively.
Therapeutic touch has been used to lessen anxiety and improve the sense of well-being in patients with cancer. In the United States, nurses have introduced therapeutic touch into many clinical settings.
High-quality clinical studies are needed, but a systematic review of existing studies did not find sufficient evidence to support the effectiveness of therapeutic touch for treating any disorder (1), or acute wounds (2).
References
1. Fazzino DL, Griffin MT, McNulty RS, et al. Energy healing and pain: a review of the literature. Holist Nurs Pract. 24(2):79-88, 2010. doi: 10.1097/HNP.0b013e3181d39718
2. O'Mathúna DP. Therapeutic touch for healing acute wounds. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. (8):CD002766, 2016. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD002766.pub5
