Hand and Foot Massage Can Help Hospitalized Patients with Pain and Anxiety

Increasingly, nonpharmacological interventions are being used to lessen pain and anxiety in inpatient populations. In a recent study conducted at the University of North Carolina's Program on Integrative Medicine (Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation), published in the October, 2007 issue of Complementary Health Practice Review, family caregivers were trained in the use of hand and foot massage for management of pain and anxiety. Massage is relatively easy to learn and apply, and human touch can be extremely comforting for hospitalized patients.