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| Sense of Touch
Dear Dr. Ava
Q & A Single Women by Dr. Ava Cadell
Sense of Touch
Question: I have an autoimmune disease known as psoriasis. Many people think that it’s just a nasty skin condition and they shy away from me before I even have time to explain to them what it is. I’ve had psoriasis now for ten years and I’ll be 30 this year. I was wondering if you know how important the sense of touch is to my mental and physical health. I don’t let people touch me, hold my hand, massage me, kiss me or even hug me for fear that they will freak out when they see and feel my psoriasis.
Answer: Different from all the other senses, the sense of touch involves our bodies from head to toe. That's because the sensory receptors that allow us to feel things are located in our skin. True, some parts of our skin have many more receptors than others. According to an article from Johns Hopkins Magazine, our fingertips have about 3,000 touch receptors each. The trunks of our bodies have about the same amount of receptors as just one fingertip! Our sense of touch is something we can take for granted, yet it is intimately involved with our survival. The first sense to develop, touch actually plays a much greater role in our overall well-being than most people realize. Regarding human responses to touching, a study of ten infants (starting at ten weeks old) whose mothers were taught to stroke their infant’s back reported that at six months of age these babies had fewer colds, sniffles, vomiting, and diarrhea than infants in the control group, whose mothers had not been taught to stroke their infants. What about as we grow older? Even though we have noticeable loss in nerve fiber and decreased acuity in the sense of touch over the years, it appears our needs for tactile stimulation may actually increase. "One has only to observe the response of older people to a caress, an embrace, a pat on the hand, or clasp, to appreciate how vitally necessary such experiences are for their well-being. Scientific evidence shows the course and outcome of many an illness has been greatly influenced by the quality of tactile support the individual has received before and during the illness." Physiologically, touch supports the flow of blood and lymph. Touch can decrease blood pressure and heart rate. Touch can soothe nerves and enhance relaxation. Massage may aid the production of endorphins -- brain chemicals that kill pain naturally. Healing touch affirms self-esteem, creates trust and openness, and may catalyze the release of blocked emotions as tense muscles relax. Touch can help us feel valued, peaceful, and more aware of our body and being. People who suffer from psoriasis often deprive themselves of the sense of touch for fear that they will be judged, misunderstood, ridiculed or rejected. Take away this basic sense and you miss out on 20% of life’s pleasure. Having psoriasis doesn’t have to affect the quality of your life, especially if you have the tools to communicate your needs and you are getting the right treatment. Begin by touching different parts of your own body lovingly at least once a day. Then make an effort to let people hug you, in fact I want you to ask people for a hug whenever possible. Ask your doctor, your family, the people you work with and your friends. It’s rare than someone will deny you a hug. Don’t shy away from human touch and don’t judge people before they have a chance to know you. Take every opportunity to educate people about psoriasis and let them know that it’s a manageable disease that is not life threatening or contagious. Attend support groups where you can be around people who relate to what you’re going through. Most importantly, stay active and social
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