An Initial Study Using Healing Touch for Women Undergoing a Breast Biopsy.

AIM: To determine if a noninvasive complementary therapy, Healing Touch, would benefit women undergoing diagnostic procedures for the determination of breast cancer. Women often experience high levels of fear and anxiety during this diagnostic period. STUDY DESIGN: A randomized controlled pilot study. METHOD: An out-patient clinic specializing in breast care management was used. Seventy-three women age 18 to 85 years old participated, with 31 in the control group of standard care and 42 in the intervention group receiving Healing Touch, a noninvasive energy therapy. A specific technique, magnetic clearing, was provided by a practitioner for 15 minutes prior to the biopsy procedure. Both the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Coping Resources Inventory were used preprocedurally and the following day to assess changes. RESULTS: A mixed analysis of variance indicated that State Anxiety for the Healing Touch group showed a statistically significant reduction of anxiety that was sustained into the following day, F(2, 142) = 10.94, p < .001. For Trait Anxiety, there was a significant change pre-and postintervention to the day after, F(2, 142) = 5.15, p < .007. The Coping Resources Inventory had significant changes in two subcategories, Emotional, F(2, 142) = 6.10, p = .003, and the Spiritual/Philosophical, F(2, 142) = 6.10, p < .001, in the Healing Touch group. CONCLUSION: Healing Touch may have benefit in reducing anxiety from diagnostic breast procedures.

The spiritual needs and resources of hospitalized primary care patients.

Previous studies have recognized the importance of hospitalized primary care patients' spiritual issues and needs. The sources patients consult to address these spiritual issues, including the role of their attending physician, have been largely unstudied. We sought to study patients' internal and external resources for addressing spiritual questions, while also exploring the physician's role in providing spiritual care. Our multicenter observational study evaluated 326 inpatients admitted to primary care physicians in four midwestern hospitals. We assessed how frequently these patients identified spiritual concerns during their hospitalization, the manner in which spiritual questions were addressed, patients' desires for spiritual interaction, and patient outcome measures associated with spiritual care. Nearly 30% of respondents (referred to as "R/S respondents") reported religious struggle or spiritual issues associated specifically with their hospitalization. Eight-three percent utilized internal religious coping for dealing with spiritual issues. Chaplains, clergy, or church members visited 54% of R/S respondents; 94% found those visits helpful. Family provided spiritual support to 45% of R/S respondents. Eight percent of R/S respondents desired, but only one patient actually received, spiritual interaction with their physician, even though 64% of these patients' physicians agreed that doctors should address spiritual issues with their patients. We conclude that inpatients quite commonly utilize internal resources and quite rarely utilize physicians for addressing their spiritual issues. Spiritual caregiving is well received and is primarily accomplished by professionals, dedicated laypersons, or family members. A significantly higher percentage of R/S patients desire spiritual interaction with their physician than those who actually receive it.

The effects of distant healing performed by a spiritual healer on chronic pain: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT: Many individuals suffer from various kinds of chronic pain. Some controlled studies on distant healing for chronic pain exist, but no definitive conclusion has been established. OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of distant healing performed by a professional Japanese healer on chronic pain. DESIGN: A double-blind randomized controlled study. SETTING: Holos University, Fair Grove, Missouri. SUBJECTS: People suffering from chronic pain (not caused by clear organic diseases or that persists long after a reasonable period of healing following injuries or surgery) were recruited through local radio and newspaper advertising. Subjects were randomly assigned to a treatment group or control group using a double-blind procedure. INTERVENTIONS: All subjects met the healer at the initial session at Holos University. At the session, a 20-minute group meditation was performed. The healer went back to Japan after the session and started distant healing only to the treatment group for a 2-month period. All participants were asked to meditate for 20 minutes every day during this 2-month period. OUTCOME MEASURES: The visual analog scale and McGill Pain Questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 17 subjects were recruited, and 16 subjects completed the study. Comparison of pretreatment and posttreatment visual analog scale indicated a slightly significant effect of distant healing (P=.056). The Present Pain Intensity Scale showed significant improvement in the treatment group compared to the control group (P=.0016). The Pain Rating Index showed improvement in the treatment group, but the difference between both groups was not statistically significant (P=.12).