Therapeutic touch (TT) is a pseudoscientific energy therapy that has been the subject of controversy and debate within the scientific community. The practice is based on the idea that practitioners can detect and manipulate a person's energy field, which is believed to surround the body. However, numerous studies have failed to provide evidence to support these claims, and the practice is not recognized as a valid form of healing by the scientific community.
What is Therapeutic Touch?
Therapeutic touch is a registered trademark in Canada for a "structured and standardized healing practice performed by practitioners trained to be sensitive to the receiver's energy field that surrounds the body." The practice does not require direct contact with the patient, but rather involves the practitioner placing their hands near the patient to supposedly detect and manipulate their energy field.
History of Therapeutic Touch
Therapeutic touch has its roots in the 1970s, when two nurses, Dora Kunz and Dolores Krieger, developed the practice as a way to promote healing and reduce pain and anxiety in patients. The practice gained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s, but was met with skepticism by the scientific community.
Studies on Therapeutic Touch
One of the most well-known studies on therapeutic touch was conducted by Emily Rosa, a nine-year-old girl, in 1998. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that practitioners of therapeutic touch were unable to detect the presence or absence of a hand placed near theirs when their vision was obstructed. This study was a major blow to the legitimacy of therapeutic touch, and subsequent studies have failed to provide evidence to support its claims.
Criticisms of Therapeutic Touch
The scientific community has been critical of therapeutic touch, citing a lack of evidence to support its claims. In their 2008 book Trick or Treatment, Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst concluded that "the energy field was probably nothing more than a figment in the imaginations of the healers." The American Cancer Society has also stated that "available scientific evidence does not support any claims that TT can cure cancer or other diseases."
Cochrane Review
A 2004 Cochrane review found no good evidence that therapeutic touch helped with wound healing. However, the authors withdrew the review in 2016 due to "serious concerns over the validity of included studies."
Examples of Therapeutic Touch
Despite the lack of evidence to support its claims, therapeutic touch is still practiced by some healthcare professionals. However, it is not recognized as a valid form of healing by the scientific community. Some hospitals and healthcare organizations have also banned the practice due to its lack of scientific basis.
FAQ
What is the basis for therapeutic touch? Therapeutic touch is based on the idea that practitioners can detect and manipulate a person's energy field, which is believed to surround the body.
Is therapeutic touch recognized as a valid form of healing? No, the scientific community has failed to provide evidence to support the claims of therapeutic touch, and it is not recognized as a valid form of healing.
Has therapeutic touch been studied? Yes, numerous studies have been conducted on therapeutic touch, but none have provided evidence to support its claims.
What are the criticisms of therapeutic touch? The scientific community has criticized therapeutic touch for its lack of evidence to support its claims, and many have concluded that the energy field is likely a figment of the practitioners' imaginations.