Touch is one of the most primitive sensory feelings to all life. When life began on Earth, the simplest living forms communicated by touch. Their survival in the harsh conditions depended on this sense alone. Later as life evolved, smell and other senses developed and made survival easier. Today, billions of years since that evolution, touch remains a cornerstone, essential to all existence and survival. Humans are the most complex forms of life and touch is vital to our survival, wellness and healthy functioning.
All human touch (data and information) is processed in the primary somatosensory cortex located in the top middle area (parietal lobe) of our brain. Sensory receptors for touch, which react to stimuli, cover all parts of our body but are mostly located in our palms and face.
Studies have shown that deprivation of touch can lead newborns and infants to struggle for survival in the first year. (Source: Bowlby, J., 1986, "Maternal Care and Mental Health" (PDF)). Many of them succumb to diseases and death as lack of touch hampers brain development, weight increase, growth and immunity. The benefit of touch to all living beings is physical, biological, psychological, social and even communicative.
It is because of these reasons and other scientific observations that most of
complementary alternative medicines and alternative therapies are touch-based therapies. Reflexology, massage, biofeedback, meridian therapy, chiropractic, shiastu, sujok, and many more rely heavily on touch to channel the life energy (chi or pranana) and magnetic field of the human body. Here is a brief look at what the touch can do for us:
Health Benefits of Touch
1. Chronic Pain Conditions – Patients suffering from painful conditions such as fibromyalgia and migraines showed a marked decrease in pain units during the course of touch therapy with massage. This is proof of the therapeutic benefits of touch.
2. Tackling Physical Injury – Have you noticed that our first and automatic reflex to getting impact injuries is to hold the hurt area or to massage it or rub/stroke it? This is nature’s first and intended method of self-healing.
3. Emotional Stability - Studies have shown that mood swings, depression, temperament, etc., can all be soothed with increasing touch. This touch, studies have said, could be with other humans or with pets and animals. In general, children who have cuddly pets or "touchy" mothers are more emotionally stable during adolescence and are able to cope better with peer pressure.
4. Growth – Mental and Physical in children - Physical contact of an infant with mother as well as father has shown to benefit and contribute towards its achieving growth milestones in physical and cognitive development.
5. Other Medical Conditions- Medical conditions such as dementia and violent outbursts are also managed through blocks of 10-minute touch therapy.
6. De-stressing- Ever noticed how the work and traffic stress dissipates instantly when you reach home and hug your baby or your pet? This is true for both the parents. Touch has a healing effect that is immediate with the outflow of negative energies.
Mamta Singh is a published author of the books Migraines for the Informed Woman (Publisher: Rupa & Co. URL: http://www.amazon.com/Migraines-Informed-Woman-Tips-Sufferer/dp/8129115174/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1298354328&sr=1-2), the upcoming Rev Up Your Life! (Publisher: Hay House India) and Mentor Your Mind (Publisher: Sterling Publishers). She is also a seasoned business, creative and academic writer. She is a certified fitness instructor, personal trainer & sports nutritionist through IFA, Florida USA. Mamta is an NCFE-certified Holistic Health Therapist SAC Dip U.K. She is the lead writer and holds Expert Author status in many well-received health, fitness and nutrition sites. She runs her own popular blogs on migraines in women and holistic health. Mamta holds a double Master's Degree in Commerce and Business. She is a registered practitioner with the UN recognised Art of Living Foundation. Link: http://www.migrainingjenny.wordpress.com and http://www.footstrike.wordpress.com