Effects of Tactile Touch on Chronic Pain in Parkinson´s Disease

The Parkitouch study compared the effects on pain, sleep quality and HealthRelated Quality of Life (HRQoL) among 44 participants with Parkinson´s Disease for at least two years and chronic pain.The two groups were randomized to either Tactile Touch and Rest to Music or only Rest to Music alone. It was prospective and had a duration of 34 weeks. The first 10 weeks was the intervention period , followed by a follow-up period. Outcome measures were salivary cortisol concentration measured at seven occasions of which two were immediately before, after and 30 minutes after intervention. Diurnal salivary cortisol was calculated based on four timepoints of sampling per 24 hour period.