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A comparative analysis was conducted on a series of three experimental studies that examined the effect of various local and nonlocal (distant) complementary healing methods on multisite surface electromyographic (sEMG) and autonomic measures. The series concentrated sEMG electrode placement on specific neuromuscular paraspinal centers (cervical [C4], thoracic [T6], and lumbar [L3]), along with the frontalis region, due to the fact that these sites corresponded to the location of individual chakra centers as delineated in ancient Eastern medical and philosophical texts. It was hypothesized that the sEMG assessment procedure had the potential to provide objective, quantifiable correlates for complementary healing treatment effects, as well as assess the energy flow through the chakras during a healing treatment. The studies were the first of their kind to incorporate randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled protocols in order to evaluate correlative neuromuscular multisite sEMG paraspinal measures with different complementary healing treatment interventions. Although the measurement protocols were similar between experiments, the results, demonstrated by the individual studies, varied. Whereas the overall findings of the series are encouraging because they indicate a potential objective scientific correlate to complementary healing treatment intervention, the results are considered preliminary in nature and appear to be linked to either the meditational experience of the subjects or dependent on the particular healer(s) used. Additional research is needed in order to establish the multisite sEMG assessment procedure as a reliable correlative measure for complementary healing treatment effects and to determine whether a consistent replicative treatment effect can be demonstrated independent of the specific subject population or practitioner(s) used.

Therapeutic Touch (TT) has been an active change agent within the field of medicine since its introduction as a nursing intervention in 1975. A critical factor which has been missing from the research conducted in this area, however, is definitive scientific evidence or documentation that TT has an objective quantifiable impact upon the physiology of the subject. This study utilized a randomized ABAC methodological design to investigate the effect of TT without contact (NCTT) upon autonomic and CNS parameters. The subjects were blinded to the true nature of the experimental protocol as well as the fact that a healing study was being conducted in order to control for placebo and expectation effects. The impact of NCTT was assessed by multi-site surface EMG recordings located at the Frontalis, Cervical 4 paraspinals, Thoracic 6 paraspinals, and Lumbosacral 3 paraspinals. Autonomic indicators of physiological activity were also monitored and included hand and head temperature, heart rate, and end tidal CO2 levels. The results demonstrated that all of the autonomic indicators showed a general trend towards lower levels of arousal over time. The data also showed that three of the four muscle regions monitored--C4, T6, and L3 paraspinals--indicated a significant reduction in energy during and following the NCTT treatment sessions for a majority of the subjects. For example, the C4 EMG showed a significant NCTT treatment effect (F = 10.31; df = 1; p < .009 level), while the T6 EMG (F = 13.49; df = 1; p < .004) and L3 EMG (F = 4.74; df = 1; p < .05) also demonstrated significance. In addition to the habituation effects seen in the autonomic variables, the implications of neutralization of postural homeostasis and lowering of emotional arousal are discussed along with consideration of the Eastern concept of "nadis."