The Magic of Touch Can’t Be Overestimated

All this month, Health has looked at what stress is, ways to cope with it and, most important, how to pamper yourself to a stress-free existence. This article on touch and stress is the fifth and final installment.

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Looking for a way to ease the effects of stress? Look no farther than your fingertips.

Stress is inevitable in our day-to-day lives. But too much can be hazardous not only to your health, but also to your physical posture. Depending on where your body stores its stress, it can tighten your spine, make you push your head forward and make you hunch your shoulders.

Yet, relief can lie in the power of touch--applied either by someone else or by you.

The beneficial power of touch has been recognized for ages. Only relatively recently, though, has it entered the mainstream. Many applications of therapeutic touch and therapeutic massage are gaining wider acceptance in medical circles for their ability to de-stress an over-wound body, restore energy and utilize the body’s natural healing processes.

One study of University of Miami students showed that a month’s worth of massages heightened brain wave activities, decreased anxiety and helped the students complete math problems in half the time and with fewer errors.

Physicians are increasingly prescribing therapeutic massage for such conditions as sinusitis, persistent headaches, arthritis and facial muscle pain, such as the type caused by temporal mandibular joint dysfunction.

Some major California health plans now provide, or are putting plans in place to provide, coverage for therapeutic massage and related applications of complementary medicine (also called “alternative medicine”). And some property and casualty insurers provide coverage for massage to treat pain and stiffness after car accidents.

Employers are getting into the act as well. Increasingly, we’re seeing companies offer massage for employees during breaks to help them shed work-related stress and anxiety and increase productivity and morale.

Why the groundswell of support for therapeutic massage and related therapies? Because “patients are demanding it, and insurers say it just might save money,” says the New York Times.

Many people opt for a 30-minute or hourlong therapeutic massage. Because of the cost, however, many find this overly luxuriant pampering. A more economical way to go is to buy a how-to book or borrow one from your library. The health sections of bookstores cover many topics related to the therapeutic powers of touch.

One of the beauties of massage and touch is that they are not necessarily just for couples. Self-massage techniques can help relieve stress, boost energy and alleviate various aches and pains. These can be done in your home or office, or while you’re stuck in traffic or waiting to catch a flight.

It can even rejuvenate you if you start feeling sleepy after a long day or while behind the steering wheel for a long period. You can stimulate circulation and give yourself a boost of mental alertness by rhythmically tapping your fingertips of both hands over your whole face, then lightly pounding your head with loosely clenched fists, then lightly slapping your face with open, relaxed hands.

Even more fleeting types of touch are beneficial. A pat on the shoulder, a squeeze of the arm and a friendly hug can convey understanding, compassion and a sense of trust. The next time you give or get a friendly hug, wrap the other person firmly with your arms, avoiding the tendency to pat him or her on the back. Then at the same time, take a deep breath and slowly exhale. You may be surprised by the tension release and feeling of peacefulness this can bring.

So when the tension level causes your posture to suffer, enlist the assistance of some helping hands to smooth away your stress. Your body will thank you.

* Sharman Busch is a health improvement specialist and health educator for Health Net, which, pending regulatory approval, will introduce benefits covering a range of complementary medicine therapies.

* To read all five parts of our Coping With Stress series: https://www.latimes.com/stress.