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CT-optimal touch and chronic pain experience in Parkinson’s Disease; An intervention study

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  • Larissa L Meijer
  • Carla Ruis
  • Zoë A Schielen
  • H Chris Dijkerman
  • Maarten J van der Smagt

Abstract

One of the most underdiagnosed and undertreated non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease is chronic pain. This is generally treated with analgesics which is not always effective and can cause several side-effects. Therefore, new ways to reduce chronic pain are needed. Several experimental studies show that CT-optimal touch can reduce acute pain. However, little is known about the effect of CT-optimal touch on chronic pain. The aim of the current study is to investigate whether CT-optimal touch can reduce the chronic pain experience in Parkinson patients. In this intervention study, 17 Parkinson patients underwent three conditions; no touch, CT-optimal touch and CT non-optimal touch with a duration of one week each. During each touch week, participants received touch from their partners twice a day for 15 minutes. Results show that both types of touch ameliorate the chronic pain experience. Furthermore, it appears that it is slightly more beneficial to apply CT-optimal touch also because it is perceived as more pleasant. Therefore, we argue that CT-optimal touch might be used when immediate pain relief is needed. Importantly, this study shows that CT-optimal touch can reduce chronic pain in Parkinson’s Disease and can be administered by a partner which makes it feasible to implement CT-optimal touch as daily routine.

Suggested Citation

  • Larissa L Meijer & Carla Ruis & Zoë A Schielen & H Chris Dijkerman & Maarten J van der Smagt, 2024. "CT-optimal touch and chronic pain experience in Parkinson’s Disease; An intervention study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(2), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0298345
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0298345
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