Content area
Full Text
Touch is extremely important to normal human development, socialization and overall good health. The tactile system - the sense of touch is the earliest system to develop in the human being. At less than six weeks a human embryo responds to touch. Therapeutic touch is so much a part of our everyday lives it often goes unnoticed. What do we do when a small child or baby is crying or expressing discomfort? We pick the baby up, hold and cuddle. What do we do when a friend says she's had a bad day? We give her a hug, or rub her back. Positive touch soothes us and brings warmth to our hearts. Touch is a therapy that reaches our bodies, minds, psyches and spirits.
Unfortunately, in many western societies, touch has been somewhat taboo in health care. In a society raging to lose weight, remain ageless and conquer disease, however, the benefits of alternative forms of medical care are gaining attention and popularity. From daily doses of megavitamins, to daily exercise acupuncture, homeopathy and meditation, Americans are looking beyond the confines of traditional medicine. Massage, in particular, has moved from being viewed as purely a luxury, to gaining acceptance as having real therapeutic value. This is supported by new research that is showing that touch is a powerful healing tool.
"Every other healing system in the world includes at least some form of massage and musculoskeletal manipulation," says Dr. James Gordon, professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine and author of Manifesto for a New Medicine. Dr. Gordon believes that a "rub down" should be part of hospital protocol. "Touch is medicine." Although not incorporated into traditional medical practices, massage is the third most prevalent form of alternative therapy being sought by US consumers. Though still an up-and-coming trend in America, massage has been used for thousands of years in many other healing systems throughout the world. The Chinese have used massage to stimulate the immune system and to heal childhood diseases since 1700 BCE.
Touch is the major therapeutic agent of massage therapy, which is defined as the systematic manual or mechanical manipulation of the soft tissues of the body. This is...