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Surgery

USING HEALING TOUCH TO ENHANCE RECOVERY FROM SURGERY

The response of the human body to surgery can be varied and affect many of its systems from a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual perspective. The body uses pain as a way to recognize that an injury has occurred and in this case a surgical incision and either removal or addition (in the case of joint replacement) is the trigger event. Recovery is often reflected in a variety of ways including the lack of complications, use of medication, time to discharge and other factors.

Healing Touch has been used prior to cardiac angioplasty with a reduction in adverse outcomes (1). In a follow up study, mortality at 6 months was lower with the combined Healing Touch, music, and imagery group, although this might have been due to other factors not associated with the intervention (2). Using Healing Touch before surgery was found to significantly decreased worry and increase satisfaction in another study (3). The Healing Touch group also showed a decrease in upsetness, sadness, and shortness of breath; and an increase in calmness, hope and happiness.

Healing Touch is being used in hospitals across the country. Patients can request a session if Healing Touch is part of the hospital services or may bring in an outside practitioner. For a list of Certified Practitioners, please visit our Global Healing Touch Directory.

References

  1. Krucoff, M., Crater, S., Green, C., Mass, A., Seskevich, J., Lane, J., Loeffler, K., Morris, K., Bashore, T., & Koenig, H. (2001). Integrative noetic therapies as adjuncts to percutaneous intervention during unstable coronary syndromes: Monitoring and actualization of noetic training (MANTRA) feasibility pilot. American Heart Journal, 142, 760-7.
  2. Krucoff, MW., Crater, S., Gallup, D., Blankenship, J., Cuffe, M., Guarneri, M., Kreiger, R., Kshettry, V., Morris, K., Oz, M., Pichard, A., Sketch, M., Kownig, H., Mark, D., & Lee, K. (2005). Music, Imagery, Touch and Prayer as Adjuncts to Interventional Cardiac Care : The Monitoring and Acutalization of Noetic Trainings (MANTRA) II Randomized Study. Lancet, 366, 211-217.      
  3. Seskevich, J.E., Crater, S.W., Lane, J.D. & Krucoff, M.W. (2004). Beneficial effects of noetic therapies on mood before percutaneous intervention for unstable coronary symptoms. Nursing Research, 53(2), p. 116-121.