Somatic senses

From Freepedia

In medicine, the colloquial term "touch" is usually replaced with somatic senses, to better reflect the variety of mechanisms involved.

A more complex concept comes into play when the term is used in reference to human beings. Touch may simply be considered one of five human senses; however, when a person touches something or somebody this gives rise to various feelings: the perception of pressure (hence shape, softness, texture, vibration, etc.), heat, cold and sometimes pain. Thus the term "touch" is actually the combined term for several senses.