| Is Reiki energy healing art a legitimate practice? Here | | | | The theory is that if Reiki energy pain relief were |
| we attempt to answer these questions. | | | | simply a placebo effect, only those patients that |
| Doctors, nurses, researchers and others have | | | | expected relief would report success. |
| evaluated the effectiveness of Reiki therapy in the | | | | In addition researchers measured the level of |
| areas of chronic pain, disability, mobility, daily | | | | antibodies in patient's saliva before and after |
| functioning, sleep problems and reliance upon | | | | treatment. All of the results were compared to a |
| medication. Psychological symptoms such as stress, | | | | control group that received no treatment. |
| panic, fear, anger, depression, anxiety, and inability to | | | | Researchers found that the percentage of patients |
| relax or cope have been evaluated before and after | | | | who reported relief of pain was much higher than |
| treatment. Research is on-going in the areas of | | | | would normally be expected from a placebo effect. |
| fibromyalgia, diabetes, AIDS and cancer. So far, all of | | | | 14% is a common percentage for placebo induced |
| the conclusions indicate that Reiki and other forms of | | | | pain relief. 55% was the percentage of clients in the |
| healing touch therapy are effective complementary | | | | study who reported that Reiki energy pain relief was |
| therapies with little or no negative side effects. | | | | effective. Positive responses did not appear to be |
| Is Reiki energy pain relief real? | | | | related to the client's initial expectations or beliefs. |
| In 1997, the Hospice of the Valley in Phoenix, | | | | In addition, the clients who were treated by the |
| Arizona, published the story of Tom. This is just one | | | | most experienced Reiki practitioners had significantly |
| example of the effectiveness of Reiki energy pain | | | | higher levels of antibodies in their saliva. The |
| relief. There are many others, but when it comes to | | | | researchers concluded that the therapy effectively |
| pain, no one can argue that the pain from advanced | | | | reduced stress and pain, while improving the body's |
| cancer is agonizing. Anything that can make a | | | | ability to fight of infection and that the findings were |
| patient's last days more comfortable is a blessing. | | | | not exclusively a result of the placebo effect. |
| During my time working in a nursing home, I spent | | | | Is Reiki energy healing art a legitimate practice? |
| many hours with patients who had to choose | | | | The National Center for Complementary and |
| between agonizing pains or a drug induced stupor. At | | | | Alternative Medicine recognizes Reiki as a form of |
| that time, the power of healing touch or Reiki energy | | | | energy medicine worthy of additional study. |
| healing therapy was not recognized or accepted. | | | | Researchers would like to be able to explain "how it |
| Acting from a desire to help, nurses and hospice | | | | works", because there is little question that it "does |
| workers have taken it upon themselves to learn the | | | | work" for many people. Although there may still be |
| healing art and add it to their treatment options. | | | | critics, since there always are, most people in the |
| But back to Tom's story. Tom had been diagnosed | | | | health care professions have come to accept the |
| with an aggressive form of cancer and was only | | | | legitimacy of Reiki. |
| given a short time to live. His symptoms included | | | | It is comparable to chiropractic care and acupuncture, |
| immobilizing pain and swelling. | | | | though not as prevalent. Because of the nature of |
| After receiving Reiki energy healing therapy from a | | | | Reiki energy healing art, it can be used by massage |
| hospice nurse, he was taught to use Reiki energy. He | | | | therapists, nurses and other care givers. It does not |
| was taught about establishing his "intent" to use Reiki | | | | require extensive or expensive instruction. |
| energy, something that seems very important, in | | | | Researchers have suggested it as a complementary |
| order for Reiki to be effective. | | | | technique for various practitioners. |
| With Reiki and his intent, his quality of life improved. | | | | In a recent review (published in the Journal of the |
| His level of comfort improved. He was able to live | | | | New York State Nurses Association) of the available |
| "well with his cancer". No one is saying that Reiki | | | | literature on Reiki energy, pain relief is only one topic |
| "cured" his cancer", but it did relieve his symptoms | | | | that was covered. Relaxation, physical healing, |
| and the quality of his remaining days was improved. | | | | reduced emotional distress and a deepened |
| In cases of advanced cancer, according to the | | | | awareness of a spiritual connection have all been |
| researcher (M. Bullock), the general trends seen with | | | | attributed to Reiki in case studies and exploratory |
| Reiki energy healing therapy include periods of | | | | research. A researcher at the University of |
| stabilization, relief from pain, anxiety, swelling and a | | | | Rochester School of Nursing (R. Gallob), who |
| "peaceful and calm passing if death is imminent". The | | | | completed the review, described Reiki as easily |
| author recommends Reiki energy healing therapy as a | | | | adaptable to the nursing practice, benefiting both the |
| valuable compliment to be used by those who work | | | | practitioner and the patient. |
| in a hospice environment or are supporting patients in | | | | However, the benefits of learning and using the Reiki |
| their "end-of-life journey". | | | | energy healing techniques are not limited to nurses |
| Is Reiki energy pain relief just a placebo effect? | | | | and other healthcare professionals. Anyone can learn |
| Researchers say "no". In the Journal of | | | | the Reiki energy pain relief techniques. Anyone can |
| Complementary Medicine, researchers published the | | | | learn to use Reiki to improve his or her own life and |
| results of a study in which the results and responses | | | | the lives of those they love. |
| of clients were compared to their initial expectations. | | | | |