Therapeutic touch is a type of energy medicine that uses the therapist’s healing energy (biofield) to identify and repair imbalances in a person’s biofield. Therapists usually do not touch the person. Instead, therapists allow their hands to hover over the person and move them back and forth. 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 people who have cancer, but these effects have not been studied rigorously. Therapeutic touch has gained acceptance by many holistic nurses who integrate this therapy into their hospital care.
Well-designed studies of therapeutic touch are limited. Therapeutic touch may help relieve pain, nausea, and anxiety in people with cancer.
Therapeutic touch appears to be safe.
