HEALING TOUCH THERAPY MAY CALM PATIENTS UNDERGOING MEDICAL PROCEDURES
July 21st, 2008
University of Cincinnati researchers are examining the combination of mild sedation and the Healing Touch complementary therapy to see if the latter is capable of calming patients undergoing minor medical procedures.
Healing Touch, an energy therapy, utilizes holistic techniques which balance a person’s vital energy. It can be safely used in conjunction with other conventional medical treatments.
“Individuals undergoing medical procedures often have difficulties falling asleep due to anxiety,” says Nathan Schmulewitz, MD, the lead author of the study and assistant professor of digestive diseases. If a patient is unable to fall asleep with intravenous sedation, stronger anesthesia may be necessary, which is expensive and not often covered by insurance companies. Stronger sedation can also cause slight amnesia following the procedure and can prolong recovery.
The study is examining whether combining mild sedation with Healing Touch prior to a medical procedure can help relax patients, avoiding difficulties with anesthesia and making the procedure run more smoothly.
Judy Bowers, study co-author and Healing Touch practitioner, administered Healing Touch therapy to over 40 patients included in the study. “By restoring balance within the energy system, you create an optimal environment for healing,” says Bowers. “This is complementary medicine, not alternative medicine, so it can be easily incorporated in a medical model.”
Among the many Healing Touch therapies, the study examined three: Mind Clearing, which involves a light touch on the face, head and neck, Magnetic Clearing, which clears the field of congested energy and the Chakra Connection, which facilitates movement of energy from one energy center to another.
The study involved follow-up with the patients two days after the medical procedure to ask the patients questions regarding how Healing Touch affected them during the procedure and recovery. Many of the patients had positive responses to the Healing Touch therapies.
“Some of the patients are asleep before they even receive the intravenous sedation,” says Bowers, who stayed with patients throughout the procedure to enhance energy balance. Healing Touch therapies, according to the study findings, could be an effective way to reduce medical costs and improve health care.
For more information about Healing Touch therapies for health and wellness call Dr. Richard Browne, Acupuncture Physician, at (305) 595-9500.
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