Healing touch therapies, the best known being Reiki (pronounced RAY-key), are ancient practices in increasingly wide use today.
According to the International Association of Reiki Professionals
(IARP), “Reiki is [a] subtle and effective form of energy healing using
spiritually guided life force energy… [p]racticed in every country of
the world.” While often considered to be spiritual in nature, Reiki is
not “[a]ffiliated with any particular religion or religious practice.”
Reiki is increasingly offered in hospital, hospice, and private
practice settings, applied to a variety of illnesses and conditions.
Those who receive such treatments report relief of symptoms from
numerous health challenges, including mental health issues. Research
shows that reiki primarily helps in the reduction of stress, anxiety and depression, as well as relief of chronic pain — the last of which can bring on anxiety and depression, or make episodes worse.
Many Studies, Varying Quality
There are now sufficient peer-reviewed, published research results
available to begin to sort out Reiki’s effectiveness in various areas.
The Center for Reiki Research has intensively examined a group of them
through their “Touchstone Process,” “…a uniquely rigorous peer review
method for analyzing a group of scientific studies” [using Reiki]. Its
end product is a set of critical summaries derived from an impartial and
consistent process…. [T]he process incorporates existing best practices
for scientific review…” (CRR)
This process looks at all aspects of the study design and how each
investigation was actually carried out. Results are analyzed, and study
strengths and weaknesses are determined. The Touchstone Process has
produced a group of nearly three dozen carefully analyzed studies. The
CRR draws some conclusions about Reiki’s effectiveness from only the
studies they have examined that they judge to be of at least
satisfactory or better quality. (CRR)
In addition to the CRR/Touchstone studies, a varied body of research
on Reiki demonstrates its effect on mental health. For example, Joe
Potter, a Reiki Master in the United Kingdom, has been conducting an
ongoing investigation into Reiki’s effectiveness. An online search in
PubMed lists dozens of studies involving Reiki or other healing touch
methods, investigating a broad range of conditions in many different
populations.
Some investigations were conducted on animals, which helps eliminate
some questions of bias and design control among Reiki recipients. Some
studies used “sham” Reiki as a form of control (nonpractitioners
administered a “Reiki-like” treatment), and others involved distance
Reiki (Reiki delivered from too far away to permit touch). Each of these
variables lends something importing to understanding the efficacy of
the treatment itself.
Demonstrated Effects on Stress, Depression, Anxiety and Pain
Potter reports that “[s]tress was the most common word written by
clients as a description or part description of their condition during
their first session. Here 20.27% of the total client group treated used
this word on their initial visit for Reiki treatment….” In animal
studies, Reiki treatment produced clear signs of reduced stress as
indicated by changes in autonomic, biological measurements such as heart
rate (Baldwin, Wagers and Schwartz, 2008) and certain cellular signs of
stress-related damage (Baldwin and Schwartz, 2006). In a study of nurses
with “burn out syndrome,” biological indicators of a significant
relaxation response were found as a result of Reiki treatment
(Diaz-Rodriguez et al., 2011). When nurses administered Reiki to a group
of patients with acute coronary syndrome, physiologic indicators of a
significant relaxation effect were recorded. (Friedman et al., 2011)
Shore (2004) followed patients being treated for mild depression and
stress. After six weeks of treatment and for up to a year afterward,
those who had received Reiki showed both immediate and long-term
improvements in depression, stress and hopelessness. In a small study,
complete elimination of typical postoperative depression was seen in
heart surgery patients given Reiki during surgery (Motz, 1998).
Pain often causes depression and anxiety. Reducing difficult-to-treat
chronic pain can have a substantial effect on psychological well-being.
Some studies have found Reiki to be effective for pain, anxiety and
depression relief. However, their design or conclusions are unclear as
to whether Reiki’s emotional benefits were a result of pain reduction or
a separate phenomenon. Nonetheless, research demonstrated Reiki’s
positive results for both pain and anxiety or depression.
Dressing and Sing (1998) found that among cancer patients, Reiki brought about significant levels of pain relief, anxiety and depression reduction, improvements in sleep
quality, relaxation and general well-being. This effect was stronger in
men than women. These benefits remained when checked after three
months. Among abdominal hysterectomy patients, Reiki helped reduce pain
and anxiety, particularly in a preoperative setting (Vitale and
O’Conner, 1998).
Investigating Effects of Gentle Touch, Distance
Research shows that gentle touch in a safe environment aids stress
reduction and pain relief (for example, Weze et al., 2005). Since Reiki
generally involves a similar type of touch, the results of Reiki studies
often can be confounded by the known impact of gentle touch vs. the
effects of Reiki itself. Studies that include sham Reiki treatment
groups, as well as those that involve a distance Reiki group, have been
important to help sort out the relative effects of Reiki versus gentle
touch – or even the effects of the presence of a “therapist,” real or
sham.
Reiki is becoming an increasingly accepted presence in hospitals and
clinics. (The Center for Reiki Research website lists 70 institutions at
the time of this article that include Reiki in their offerings.) It is
seen as an effective and cost-reducing method to improve health outcomes
and quality of care. Hospital staff, such as physicians and nurses, are
adding Reiki treatments to their work. Scientific validation of Reiki’s
effectiveness have helped bring this method to the mainstream, where it
is able to aid patients in all realms, including those with mental
health challenges.
References
Baldwin, A. L.. Reiki, the Scientific Evidence. (Fall, 2011). pp. 29-31.
Baldwin, A.L., Schwartz, G.E. (2006). Personal Interaction with a Reiki Practitioner Decreases Noise-Induced Microvascular Damage in an Animal Model. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 12(1):15–22, 2006. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/
Baldwin, A.L., Wagers, C. and Schwartz, G.E. (2008). Reiki improves heart rate homeostasis in laboratory rats. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 14 (4): 417-422. Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/
Center for Reiki Research (CRR). Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/
Diaz-Rodriguez, L., Arroyo-Morales, M, Fernández-de-las-Peñas, C.,
García-Lafuente, F., García-Royo, C. and Tomás-Rojas, I. (2011).
Immediate effects of Reiki on heart rate variability, cortisol levels,
and body temperature in health care professionals with burnout. Biol Res Nurs, 13: 376 originally published online 5 August 2011. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/
Dressin, L.J., Singg, S. (1998). Effects of Reiki on pain and
selected affective and personality variables of chronically ill
patients. Subtle Energies and Energy Medicine, 9(1):53-82.
Friedman, R.S.C., Burg, M.M., Miles, P., Lee, F. and Lampert, R.
(2010). Effects of Reiki on Autonomic Activity Early After Acute
Coronary Syndrome. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. 56: 995-996. In Baldwin, Fall, 2011.
International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP). Definition of Reiki. Retrieved June 22, 2012, from http://www.iarpreiki.org/
Motz, J. (1998). Hands of Life. New York: Bantam Books.
Potter, Joe, Research Report, Introduction and General Findings. Retrieved July 21, 2012 from http://www.reiki-research.co.uk/
PubMed. Retrieved July 24, 2012 from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
Shore, A.G. (2004). Long term effects of energetic healing on symptoms of psychological depression and self-perceived stress. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 10(3):42-48.
Vitale, A.T., O’Conner, P.C. (1998). The effect of Reiki on pain and anxiety in women with abdominal hysterectomies. Holistic Nursing Practice, 20(6): 263-272, 2006. In Center for Reiki Research, Retrieved June 23, 2012, from http://www.centerforreikiresearch.org/
Weze C, Leathard H.L., Grange J, Tiplady P, Stevens G. (January, 2005). Evaluation of healing by gentle touch. Public Health. 119(1):3-10.
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