Do ”healers with healing hands” emit thermal radiation to patients ? - Siirtävätkö "parantavan käden parantajat" lämpöä potilaaseen ?

Do ”healers with healing hands ” emit thermal radiation to patients ?

(Poster Text  from Lääketiedetapahtuma 2001 in Helsinki - The Annual Meeting of Finnish Physicians)

Antti Hernesniemi, Dr. Med. Sci.

Healers

Healers who treat patients without a physical contact with them,or with only a litte contact,and who experience that a religious power works through them,I call ”faith healers ”. A general term for this group is ”spiritual healers ”,too.Some therapists of the group feel that they can mediate ”healing power ”through their hands to their patients.They are ”healers with healing hands ”.

Literature

In Finland,ethnologist Olavi Räsänen has studied a female healer ”Hannah ”(Räsänen 1983). With sociologist Marja Tikka, he collected interview material from tens of ”spiritual healers ”in Finland (Räsänen and Tikka , in Aho 1990).

Earlier medical studies on the ”healer with healing hands ”, Mrs Marja-Leena Aho. Heino Tiik, an Estonia-born physician,studied based on the physiology of electroacupunture,the therapeutic effects of ”spiritual healing ”by Mrs Aho (Tiik 1992). The warmth in the body experienced by Aho ’s patients or their body movements are not discussed in Tiik ’s study. Physician,D.Mikael Sundblom and his co-researchers made another study on Mrs Aho in which a group of patients suffering from ”idiopathic pain syndrome ”(IPS)visited Mrs Aho.The IPS-patients who visited the healer,got more help to their pains than the comparison group of IPS non-visitor patients during the research period.Moreover,the former patients used less pain-killers than the latter ones.As an effect of spiritual healing ten patients felt physical sensations during the healing session:warmth in the body and relaxation were the most commonly reported sensations. All patients subjected to healing found the experience pleasant.(Sundblom et al.,1994).The study is based on the notes of the healer,and on the medical and psychological interviews of the patients by researchers.

I became interested to begin this study because of my interviews made in East Bothnia in the 1980 ’s and because of a personal experience,the healing demonstration of a healer in the region,Mr Vilho Viljanmaa (†).Both my personal experiences and the interviews indicated that patients going to the therapies of ”healers with healing hands ”,may experience some kind of warmth in their body (Hernesniemi ,unpublished study material from the years 1981 -1990).

Sensory Physiology of Man .Sensory receptors translate energy from the environment into biologically useful information.Somatic sensations deal with the external aspect of the body and visceral sensations come from internal organs.

The nature of environmental stimuli.Factors in the environment that produce an effective response in a sensory receptor are called stimuli and involve an exchange of energy between the environment and the receptor. Typical stimuli include (a) electromagnetic quantities,such as radiant heat or light; (b) mechanical quantities,such as pressure,sound waves,and other vibrations;and (c) chemical qualities,such as acidity and molecular shape and size.Specific sensory receptors are 1. tactile receptors, 2. temperature sensation receptors and 3. pain receptors.

Regulation of temperature .The human body is divided into a warm internal core and a cooler outer shell. Convection, radiation and evaporation are the main avenues of heat exchange with the environment. Thermoregulatory control works through behavioral thermoregulation and physiologic thermoregulation. The central nervous system integrates thermal information from core and skin.(Rhoades and Tanner, 1995).

Recording thermal radiation with an infrared (IR) camera .Thermography is the process of generating a thermogram by using an infrared imaging system,by means of temperature calibration. A thermogram is a photograph or two dimensional record of an image which maps the apparent temperature of the scene as sensed by an infrared imaging system.(Inframetrics,Inc.,1988). Clinical thermography is the measurement of natural electromagnetic radiation,or emission,from the body at infrared, millimeter, and microwave frequencies to allow the detection and diagnosis of pathologic conditions in which there are disease-related temperature differentials (Kenneth 1988). A thermal imaging radiometer (TIR)is receiver and meter of thermal radiation,which comes through the surface of the object to be studied.The thermal rays penetrate the optics of the radiometer (camera)and are directed to a detector the temperature of which is near -200 ºC.The detector creates a picture of the thermal distribution on the object ’s surface.(Inframetrics Finland ,1999). In medicine, thermography has been used,among many other purposes,to find breast cancer (Lahti 1977).

Objective of the study

The objective of the study was to measure with an infrared camera if the ”healer with healing hands ” emits thermal radiation to her patients.

Method, healer, patients and recordings

Method. The IR recordings were conducted by LicTech Eino Tetri and MSc Pasi Orreveteläinen at the Lighting Laboratory of Helsinki University of Technology,in November 1999. The components of the TIR,”Model 600 IR Imaging Radiometer ”, ”designed for real-time analysis of static or dynamic thermal patterns ”,are: (1) a scanner, in which there is,besides the optical instrument, a special detector which measures the thermal differences on the surface of the object; (2) a control/electronics unit which processes, digitizes, reformates, and otherwise prepares the IR signal for display in color (or black and white) on a video monitor; 3) a control panel to direct the function of the control/electronics unit, and (4) a video monitor. Liquid nitrogen is used to freeze the detector to –196 ºC. (Inframetrics, Inc., 1988).

The image of thermal events,recorded by the detector,was colour-coded to 20 temperature zones and displayed in real-time on the screen (Inframetrics Finland, 1999).The temperature measurement range was -20 ºC -+400 ºC. The IR-camera measured 3 -12 µm electromagnetic waves. The minimun detectable temperature difference was 0,1 ºC. The smallest temperature resolution with which the camera can be adjusted to display various temperature zones, is 0,25 ºC. To the temperature span, visible on the screen of TIR, we elected 10 ºC (e.g. 24,5 ºC - 34,5 ºC).

Healer,patients and recordings. A few weeks before the healer thermography, I visited the researchers at the Lighting Laboratory and discussed with them the approach.We designed a pilot thermography which would demonstrate us the central items of the study: the applicability from a medical point of view of the IR-image and -films, e.g.the visibility of the test persons ’outlines and the clearness of the colour zones.The recording was made a couple of weeks later. I performed some parts of a conventional physician’s examination to the test patient (Mr JA): auscultation, palpation and percussion. Moreover, I massaged him and made a movement simulating a ”bonesetter ’s ” manoeuvre. Based on this pilot study, we chose resolution of 0,5 ºC because the thermal zones on the persons ’bodies then could be seen on the screen most clearly.

The ”healer with healing hands ”, Mrs Marja-Leena Aho, living in Helsinki,has been working as a professional healer for about 15 years. She had experienced the reception of a gift to heal peoples’ ailments through her hands when she was in her forties. Earlier she had worked as a clerk. Mrs Aho is a popular healer in Finland and especially in the Helsinki region. I met her for the first time in 1986.

The healer thermography was arranged as follows: Mr JA, a 56-year-old man who had not earlier been in Mrs Aho’s therapy,acted as a test person. He had suffered from some stress symptoms but was otherwise in a good condition. Two patients of Mrs Aho, Mrs MS and Miss MA, who had visited her for years and experienced her healing to help them in their sicknesses, represented the healer ’s patients. Mrs MS, 72, was diagnosed by physicians to have an ovarial cancer which then had been operated. Miss MA, 48, was diagnosed by physicians to have an endometriom and a carsinoid tumor of appendix; she had also been treated with operations. Both patients subjectively felt well at the time of the recording; I as a physician estimated their general condition to be good.

During the healer thermography, each person was recorded with the TIR-device (at first alone), without my healing simulation (see below)or Mrs Aho’s healing demonstration. Then I simulated Mrs Aho ’s working as a test healer (a ”placebo healer ”)by adjusting myself in the same position as she in relation to the patients, holding my palms near the persons feet as she used to do.After this, Mrs Aho gave her healing to the test person and patients. The healer sat at the foot end of the patient who was lying prone on a table. She held her palms towards the patient,or held the patient ’s foot with one hand while the patient held his/her palms towards the healer. The IR-camera was installed at the distance of about three meters from the table. The recordings lasted from about half a minute (cases patients alone and ”placebo healing ”) to a couple of minutes (healer ’s therapy).During the recording, Mrs Aho said that her therapy had worked as effectively as usual. Likewise, the patients felt effects of the therapy (various kind of physical sensations). - Both thermography sessions were recorded with a conventional digital video camera by Mr Timo Sipponen. I took six photograps during the thermographies.

Recorded video material. As a result of the thermographies,we had recorded a mute digital 8 mm IR-video of 30 minutes and a conventional digital 8 mm video of 30 minutes documenting the sessions.I let both the digital videos be copied on VHS tapes. A supplementary CD-ROM-disc edition was made at the Audiovisual Centre of University of Helsinki.

Results

The thermal patterns, radiating from the patients,the healer and the author as the ”placebo healer ”, remained unchanged during the IR-recordings. The repeated analyses of the IR-videos and IR-CD-ROM-disc did not show any changes either. The research group members could see how the left leg of Mrs MS started to tremble continuously with an approximate amplitude of one to four cm and with a frequency of about one to three Hz after the healer started working. The leg trembling stopped immediately after Mrs Aho finished her working. This motor reaction of Mrs MS was clearly recorded on the videos. She told the author that she did not provoke or influence the leg movement in any way.

Discussion

The healer and test patients. This study concentrates on one ”healer with healing hands ”,  Mrs Aho. There could have been more test patients but the expensiveness of the thermography limited their number and the time of the IR-recordings. The ”placebo healer ”could have been an unknown person to the patients,instead of the author. The instrument and method. We should have adjusted the thermography system to record the more sensitive thermal differences of 0,25 ºC.Very small thermal changes, of caliber e.g.0,05 ºC could not be detected in this study.

The thermography result. The result has an orientative importance.The sensations of warmth in  the body experienced by the healer ’s patients must be studied with the aid of other techniques, e.g. with patient monitoring.

The observed and recorded movements of the patient.The leg movements of the older patient must be analyzed further in detail. The ”positiographical cinemanalysis ”-method created by the author (Hernesniemi 1999) can be applied in this task.More patients showing various movements during healer ’s therapy will be included in the further study.

Conclusions

With this method we could not detect emitting of thermal radiation to patients from ”the healer with healing hands ”. The patients ’sensations of warmth, as well as their body movements, will be studied further with the aid of other techniques.

Literature

Hernesniemi A. Presentation of bonesetter-patient collaboration through positiographical cinemanalysis. Acta Universitatis Ouluensis. Series D Medica 538. Oulu University Press. 
Oulu 1999.

Inframetrics Finland. Lämpökameran rakenne ja toiminta. 1999.

http://www.inframetrics.fi/infralf.

Inframetrics, Inc. Model 600 Operator ’s Manual. Document  #05250-200 Rev C. 1988.

Kenneth LC. Thermography. pp.2746-2759. In the book: Encyclopedia of Medical Devices and Instrumentation. Vol.4. Editor-In-Chief: J G Webster. John Wiley &Sons. New York Chichester Brisbane Toronto Singapore 1988.

Lahti R. Kliinisen tutkimuksen,mammografian ja termografian soveltuvuus rintasyövän joukkotutkimukseen.Kansaneläkelaitoksen julkaisuja AL:9. Turku 1977.

Rhoades, R A and Tanner G A (Eds). Medical Physiology. Little, Brown and Company. Boston New York Toronto London.First Edition. 1995.

Räsänen O. Hannah the Healer. Case Study of A Finnish Spiritual Healer. Ethnologia Scandinavica. A Journal for Nordic Ethnology. 1983. pp 65-78.

Räsänen O and Tikka M. Näkökulmia henkiparannukseen. In the book: Aho M. Auttamaan asetettu. pp.112-122. Kustannusosakeyhtiö Tammi. Helsinki. 1990.

Sundblom DM, Haikonen S, Niemi-Pynttäri J, Tigerstedt I. Effect of spiritual healing on chronic idiopathic pain: a medical and psychological study. Clin J Pain 1994 Dec;10 (4):296 -302.

Tiik, Heino. Luontaishoitojen merkityksen arviointi biotestimenetelmällä terveyden-ja sairauksien hoidossa. Tampereen teknillinen korkeakoulu. Sähkötekniikan osasto. Fysiikka.Raportti 3 -92. Tampere 1992.

Acknowledgement

Healing demonstrations: Mrs M-L Aho; Patients Mrs MS and Miss MA; Test person Mr JA. Thermography: LicTech E Tetri and MSc P Orreveteläinen; Lighting Laboratory, HUT, Otaniemi. Video recording: Coach T Sipponen. Consultations: PC-programs. Author H Helin. Multimedia. T Okkola. Physics. MSc V Hyvärinen. Medicine. MD, PhD H Lauerma; MD, PhD A Pakaslahti; MD, PhD R Puustinen. Sociology. PhD A Myhrman. Language revision. MSc H Aro.

Fig. 1. The IR recordings were conducted by LicTech E Tetri (in the middle)and MSc P Orretveteläinen (on the left) at the Lighting Laboratory of Helsinki University of Technology. Two components of ”Model 600 IR Imaging Radiometer ”: a scanner and a video monitor can be seen in the middle and on the left of the photo. A liquid nitrogen freezer stands on the floor, in front of Mr Tetri.On the right, video camera man T Sipponen and test patient,Mr JA.

Fig. 2. The healer thermography at the Lighting Laboratory. Mrs Aho gives her healing to the test person. The healer sits at the foot end of Mr JA who is lying prone on a table. She holds her right palm towards the patient and touches his foot with her left hand. The patient holds his palms towards the healer. The IR-camera was installed at the distance of about three meters from the healer and the patient.

Fig. 3 (comes later). Mrs Marja-Leena Aho,a ”healer with healing hands ”gives treatment to Mrs MS at her consultation room in Helsinki in November 2000. The patient is lying prone on a bed. The healer holds her left hand on the right foot of the patient; Aho ’s right arm is flexed and the palm directed towards the patient. The left leg of the patient is trembling continuously (see text). (Photos: AH).

Copyright: Dr. Med. Sci, MA (musicology) Antti Hernesniemi, Finland

E-mail: Antti.Hernesniemi@sll.fimnet.fi