Touch :: Health Promotion

Every culture has different ways to use the sense of touch. For example, men hold hands in Saudia Arabia. In the United States, this would be very unusual! Japanese bow instead of touching. Italians, French, and Argentines kiss on the check when meeting, and in England a handshake is good. But all people feel connected to their friends and relatives through some kind of touch. It is a natural human activity.

Many doctors use physical touch to heal. Massage therapy a way of healing and strengthening the body that is only through touch, it builds on the natural thing that humans do when they have pain: they rub. If you hit your head, you rub the hurt place. If a child is hurt, you might rub his back to make him feel better. The massage therapist is trained about all the parts of the human body. She can use her hands to move and heal the parts that are causing pain.

There are many good results when people use massage for health problems. Massage can help lower blood pressure or stop pain in the body. It increases the blood flow around the body which makes the body's systems stronger. Athletes also use massage as a good way to heal from an injury. It can also prevent getting hurt while playing sports.

Massage cannot solve all your health problems. If people have a health problem, they should always visit their doctor. Massage is often called a complementary medicine. This means that it can help but it should not replace a visit to the doctor or health center.

Physical touch has a great effect on the human body. Touch can heal us from hurts in our mind or emotions. We feel better every day when we sit with our parents or children and experience physical closeness. It can make us strong.