Can “touch-therapies” promote healing and wellness?
Well, according to the latest research documented in the Science Daily, the answer is YES.
For practitioners of Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, and Healing Touch this news comes as no surprise.
The acknowledgment came from Dr. Shamini Jain, UCLA Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research, Dr. Paul Mills, Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, and the Moores Comprehensive Cancer Center in San Diego.
This welcome nod was based on the review of 66 clinical studies measuring the effects of “biofield therapies.”
This review group concluded that there was strong evidence to support the claim that these complementary therapies helped to reduce pain intensity.
The article noted that a number of patients are currently using biofield therapies, even though there is very little scientific research to date proving that the therapies actually work. The authors concluded that there was strong to moderate evidence showing the effectiveness of these therapies to:
- help reduce pain intensity
- ease agitated behaviors for people suffering with dementia
- reduced anxiety for hospitalized patients
The article went on to conclude that there is a “strong need” for further research and study, and they suggested specific areas for further research:
“In order to better inform patients of the potential benefits or non-benefits of these biofield-based interventions, clinicians and scientists within behavioral medicine should familiarize themselves with current theory, practice and research of such techniques.”
It seems like traditional medicine is finally ready to create a space where centuries old techniques and treatments can finally be taken seriously and not written off as so much foolishness.
This is certainly a wonderful outcome for supporters of energy medicine.
Thank you to Sharyn Gooder from Stateline Reiki for suggesting this topic to us.
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