Effects of Tactile Touch on Chronic Pain in Parkinson´s Disease

Overview

The Parkitouch study compared the effects on pain, sleep quality and HealthRelated Quality of Life (HRQoL) among 44 participants with Parkinson´s Disease for at least two years and chronic pain.The two groups were randomized to either Tactile Touch and Rest to Music or only Rest to Music alone. It was prospective and had a duration of 34 weeks. The first 10 weeks was the intervention period , followed by a follow-up period. Outcome measures were salivary cortisol concentration measured at seven occasions of which two were immediately before, after and 30 minutes after intervention. Diurnal salivary cortisol was calculated based on four timepoints of sampling per 24 hour period.

This study was initiated by the massage therapists who had experienced pain reduction in parkinsonian patients when usin Tactile Touch. As the method consisted of a combination of Music Therapy and Aroma therapy we chose just to study the effects of the Tactile Touch. HrQOL was measured using SF-36 (Swe.ver.1) sleep was measured with the PDSS scale, pain wit VAS 10 cm scale and the Pain-O.Meter. All measures were repeated during the study period. Patients were not allowed to change their basic antiparkinson medication.All drugs were carefully registered and supervised by specialists in neurology at the three different study sites in Southern Sweden. The massage technique was described in a 11 A4 pages long description and the same method was used at all three sites. The same aroma oils, same temperature in the rooms and the same music was used.

Conditions