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Effects of Reiki on Pain and Vital Signs When Applied to the Incision Area of the Body After Cesarean Section Surgery: A Single-Blinded, Randomized, Double-Controlled Study
Abstract
This study was conducted to determine the effects of Reiki on pain and vital signs when applied for 15 minutes to the incision area of the body after cesarean section surgery. The study was single-blinded, randomized, and double-controlled (Reiki, sham Reiki, and control groups). Forty-five patients, equalized by age and number of births, were randomly assigned to the Reiki, sham Reiki, and control groups. The treatment, which was applied to the patients in these 3 groups, was applied for 15 minutes to the incision area of body in the first 24 and 48 hours after the operation within 4 to 8 hours of the application of standard analgesics. The study data were collected using a patient follow-up form and a visual analog scale. Mean visual analog scale measurement values were significantly different from each other according to groups and times (P < .05). A reduction in pain of 76.06% was determined in the Reiki group patients between day 1 pre-Tx and after application on the second day (day 2 post-Tx) measurements. Mean breathing rate and systolic blood pressure measurement values were significantly different from each other according to groups (P < .05). The Reiki group was observed to use fewer analgesics throughout the study and to need them after a longer time than the sham Reiki and control groups (P < .05). It was concluded that Reiki applied for 15 minutes to the incision area after a cesarean operation had the expected effects on pain and the need for the use of analgesics, but it had no effect on vital signs.
... 5 Reiki therapy also has clinically proven health benefits for pain, anxiety, depression, and quality of life. 12,[14][15][16] Aromatherapy is another complementary and integrative modality that helps with pain, depression, anxiety, stress, and sleep problems. 17 Lavender oil, which is widely used in aromatherapy, acts via the limbic system, particularly the amygdala. ...
... The patient follow-up form was used to measure participants' vital signs before, during, and after the procedure. 2,16,23,32 The form also included the SAS used to assess participants' state anxiety before and after the procedure. ...
... Table 4 shows between-group and within-group differences in median respiration, SpO 2 , and average heart rates. The Reiki group had a median respiration rate of 18 (14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20), 26 (23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29), and 16.5 (15)(16)(17)(18) before, during, and after the procedure, respectively. The aromatherapy group had a median respiration rate of 17 (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20), 24 (21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28), and 16 (16)(17) before, during, and after the procedure, respectively. ...
This randomized controlled study aimed to determine the effect of Reiki and aromatherapy on vital signs, oxygen saturation, and anxiety level in patients undergoing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The sample consisted of 100 patients divided into Reiki (n = 34), aromatherapy (n = 33), and control (n = 33) groups. Data were collected 3 times (before, during, and after the procedure) using a descriptive characteristics questionnaire, a follow-up form, and the State Anxiety Subscale. The Reiki group had a mean State Anxiety Subscale score of 53.59 ± 2.98 and 43.94 ± 4.31 before and after the procedure, respectively. The aromatherapy group had a mean State Anxiety Subscale score of 54.03 ± 4.03 and 43.85 ± 3.91 before and after the procedure, respectively. The control group had a mean State Anxiety Subscale score of 38.79 ± 4.68 and 53.30 ± 7.26 before and after the procedure, respectively ( P < .05). The results showed that the Reiki and aromatherapy groups had significantly lower State Anxiety Subscale scores than the control group after the procedure, indicating that Reiki and aromatherapy help reduce anxiety levels. There was a significant difference in the mean respiratory rates and oxygen saturation levels between the groups ( P < .05). In conclusion, patients who do Reiki or undergo aromatherapy are less likely to experience anxiety before upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.
... The second part included questions about the duration of patients' hysterectomy and surgical procedure applied. 13,16,20,23 Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). The NPRS scale gives pain a numeric score from an absence of pain (0) to unbearable pain (10 or 100). ...
... Several studies support this result, having stated that Reiki offers highly positive effects for pain management. 11,16,21,23,27 The current study found no significant difference in pain scores among the back massage group before and after treatment. Similar to the current study's results, Vergo et al. stated that back massage provided to all patients hospitalized at a university hospital did not effectively reduce pain. ...
... 11 Reiki applied for 15 min for two days after the administration of routine analgesics has been found to reduce analgesic use among women who had given birth by cesarean section, while a corresponding simple touch group did not experience decreased analgesic use. 16 These findings align with the current study's findings that women in the Reiki group experienced a decreased need for analgesics and required fewer analgesics during the study's followup period than the women in the back massage and control groups. This reduced need for analgesics is important for women, given both side effects and care costs. ...
Background: Using Reiki and back massage to support pharmacological treatments is increasingly common in nursing. This study aimed to determine the effects of Reiki and back massage on pain, analgesic use, and vital signs among women who had undergone an open abdominal hysterectomy.
Methods: This experimental study involved a single, blinded, pretest-posttest design. The study population comprised women who had undergone an abdominal hysterectomy at the obstetrics clinics of Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital and Dicle University Hospital between July 2017 and February 2018. Patients were divided into three groups: a Reiki group, a back massage group, and a control group. Each group comprised 34 patients. Reiki or back massage was applied to patients in the respective non-control groups for 20 min once a day. Data were collected using a patient information form, the “Numeric Pain Rating Scale,” and the “Vital Signs and Postoperative Analgesic Follow-up Form.”
Results: Statistically significant differences in pain intensity and analgesic use were observed between the women in the Reiki group and the women in the back massage and control groups (p < 0.001). Significant differences in vital signs were observed between the groups before and after their respective procedures; in the Reiki group, they tended to decrease, while in the back massage and control groups, they tended to increase.
Conclusion: This study’s findings confirmed that pain, analgesic use, and vital signs decreased after Reiki among women who had undergone an abdominal hysterectomy.
... For instance, a Cochrane SR (Zimpel et al., 2020) of "Complementary and alternative therapies for post-cesarean pain" included a review of Reiki plus analgesia vs. analgesia. This only included 2 RCTs (Midilli and Eser, 2015;Midilli and Gunduzoglu, 2016), one of which did not have a placebo group (Midilli and Eser, 2015). The limited number of studies may have been due to four databases being searched rather than the eight searched in this SR. ...
... The search found 26 randomized placebo controlled trials (RPCTs) that examined hands-on Reiki's effectiveness over placebo in adults using valid outcome measures translated in English (Thornton, 1991;Dressen and Singg, 1998;Witte and Dundes, 2001;Shiflett et al., 2002;Mackay et al., 2004;Shore, 2004;Gillespie et al., 2007;Assefi et al., 2008;Bowden et al., 2010Bowden et al., , 2011Catlin and Taylor-Ford, 2011;Díaz-Rodríguez et al., 2011a,b;Ventura Carraca, 2012;Baldwin et al., 2013Baldwin et al., , 2017Fortes Salles et al., 2014;Novoa and Cain, 2014;Rosada et al., 2015;Alarcao and Fonseca, 2016;Erdogan and Cinar, 2016;Midilli and Gunduzoglu, 2016;Vasudev and Shastri, 2016;Bat, 2021;Yüce and Taşcı, 2021;Çinar et al., 2022). Fourteen of these met PICO for examining the effectiveness of Reiki over placebo in measuring symptoms of mental health (Thornton, 1991;Dressen and Singg, 1998;Shiflett et al., 2002;Shore, 2004;Bowden et al., 2010Bowden et al., , 2011Díaz-Rodríguez et al., 2011a,b;Rosada et al., 2015;Erdogan and Cinar, 2016;Vasudev and Shastri, 2016;Baldwin et al., 2017;Yüce and Taşcı, 2021;Çinar et al., 2022). ...
Background
Reiki is an energy healing technique or biofield therapy in which an attuned therapist places their hands on or near the client’s body and sends energy to the client to activate the body’s ability to heal itself and restore balance. It was developed in Japan at the end of the 19th century by Mikao Usui of Kyoto. Given the enormous international socioeconomic burden of mental health, inexpensive, safe, and evidenced-based treatments would be welcomed. Reiki is safe, inexpensive, and preliminary research suggests it may assist in treating a wide variety of illnesses. Given that Reiki is a biofield therapy, growing in use, and not yet accepted by the dominant biomedical paradigm, it is important to establish its effectiveness over placebo. This study aimed to examine Reiki’s effectiveness over placebo in treating symptoms of mental health and to explore parameters for its effectiveness.
Method
A systematic review of randomized placebo-controlled trials (RPCTs) examining Reiki’s effectiveness in treating symptoms of mental health in adults was conducted through a systematic search of PubMed, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, Embase, and ProQuest. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria, and risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane’s Revised ROB 2 assessment tool. This was followed by a grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluations (GRADE) assessment.
Results
The evidence to date suggests that Reiki consistently demonstrates a greater therapeutic effect over placebo for some symptoms of mental health. The GRADE level of evidence is high for clinically relevant levels of stress and depression, moderate to high for clinically relevant levels of anxiety, low to moderate for normal levels of stress, and low to moderate for burnout, and low for normal levels of depression and anxiety.
Conclusion
The results suggest that, Reiki may be more effective in treating some areas of mental health, than placebo, particularly if symptoms are clinically relevant. To date, there are a small number of studies in each area, therefore findings are inconclusive and, more RCTs controlling for placebo in Reiki research are needed. Most included studies were also assessed as having a risk of bias of some concern. Incorporating Reiki as a complementary treatment to mainstream psychotherapy for depression, stress, and anxiety may be appropriate.
Systematic Review Registration
[ https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/ ], identifier [CRD42020194311].
... Four pertinent studies were identified applicable to the focus of this study. In women undergoing a Cesarean section (C-section), Midilli and Gunduzoglu (2016) studied Reiki in 45 patients with three randomized control groups including (1) 15 minutes of Reiki applied directly to the incision area, (2) 15 minutes of nontrained personnel imitating Reiki (sham) therapy directly applied to the incision area, and (3) control. Findings demonstrated a reduction of pain, using a visual analog scale 0 to 100, in the Reiki group (p < .05) ...
... The results demonstrated significant statistical and clinical reduction in both pain and anxiety following a Reiki session. These findings are like those reported in previous literature in women undergoing a C-section and hysterectomy (Midilli & Ester, 2015;Midilli & Gunduzoglu, 2016;Vitale & O'Connor, 2006). A cause-and-effect relationship cannot be assumed as other contributing factors may have a role in pain and anxiety reduction. ...
Purpose: To determine the effect of Reiki on pain and anxiety in women in antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, gynecology, and gyn/oncology, settings. Method: This exploratory, comparative study used a Likert-type scale of 0 to 10 to measure pain and anxiety, and a survey asking about lingering effects of treatment. Results: Mean pain scores after Reiki significantly decreased from 3.24 to 1.52 ( n = 203; z = −11.67, p < .001). Mean anxiety scores after Reiki significantly decreased from 3.56 to 1.28 ( n = 195; z = −11.42, p < .001). Women were asked if the effects lingered for any length of time post–Reiki treatment, and 91 of 101 responded affirmatively that decreased pain and/or anxiety continued. Conclusion: Findings from this study confirm the positive and lingering effects of Reiki in women hospitalized for obstetrical and gynecological conditions.
... It has also been used to support nursing care, especially for preventing stress and burnout syndrome, coping with continuous and increasingly demanding care. 3,4 In parallel with rapid developments observed in the diagnosis, care, and treatment of diseases, patients' desire to assume greater responsibility regarding their own treatment is also increasing. Patients' efforts in seeking intervention reducing symptoms, and high cost of current therapies have resulted in increased interest in complementary and alternative therapies. ...
... Patients' efforts in seeking intervention reducing symptoms, and high cost of current therapies have resulted in increased interest in complementary and alternative therapies. 3,5 In a 2007 study, four out of every 10 US adults (38.3%) were found to have used a CAM method in the last year. 6 Since individuals perceive the current situation as a threat to their physical and preoperative state in hospitalisations due to the health problems requiring operation, they are concerned about these threats. ...
Purpose:
The purpose of the study was to investigate changes in the anxiety levels of patients receiving preoperative Reiki.
Material and methods:
This study used a quasi-experimental model with a pretest-posttest control group.
Methods:
Subjects (n = 210) were recruited from a hospital in Turkey, from June 2013 to July 2014. Subjects were then assigned to experimental (n = 105) and control (n = 105) groups.
Results:
The level of anxiety of experimental group patients did not change according to their state anxiety scores (p > 0.10); however, the anxiety level of control group patients increased (p < 0.001).
Conclusion:
The results of this study imply that the administration of Reiki is effective in controlling preoperative anxiety levels and in preventing them from increasing.
... In addition, it also reduced the use of pharmacological analgesics (62). Midilli and Gunduzoglu demonstrated that Reiki reduced pain when applied to the incision area post-cesarean section, reducing the need for other analgesics (65). Finally, a pilot study by Demir et al. explored the effects of distant Reiki on pain, anxiety, and fatigue in oncology patients, and it revealed reductions in all three areas highlighting its possible use as a complementary therapy for patients with cancer (66). ...
This review examines the integration of traditional pharmacological methods with alternative and complementary therapies in chronic pain management. It delves into neurostimulation techniques, highlighting their clinical outcomes and biological bases. Acupuncture's role in modulating pain pathways is explored, illustrating its balance of tradition and clinical application. The paper also covers the pain-relieving potential of herbal medicine, emphasizing natural products' significance in pain relief. Additionally, it discusses the psychological and rehabilitative dimensions of pain through psychosocial therapy and counseling. The conclusion underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, integrating diverse therapies into conventional pain management to effectively treat chronic pain. This synthesis highlights the synergistic potential of combining traditional and innovative therapeutic modalities, offering a comprehensive guide for healthcare professionals in enhancing pain management practices.
... Moreover, it has also been used for supporting nursing care to prevent stress and burnout syndrome and to cope up with constantly and gradually increasing care. [15][16][17] Reiki therapy can be applied by nurses with the purpose of promoting better wellbeing. 18 Reiki has effectiveness in the areas of relaxation, pain relief, and reducing stress and anxiety. ...
Reiki has been used for various medical problems. The present study aims to determine the effects of Reiki therapy on the self-efficacy, death anxiety, and sleep quality of patients diagnosed with COPD. The present used a quasi-experimental model with a pretest-posttest control group. The subjects (n = 75) were recruited from a hospital in Turkey, between February and June 2019. Subjects were then assigned to Reiki (n = 39) and placebo (n = 36) groups. In this study, it was determined that there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores of self-efficacy, death anxiety, and sleep quality between the Reiki and placebo groups ( P < .05).These results suggest that Reiki exercise increased the self-efficacy and sleep quality levels and decreased the death anxiety.
... Çakra tıkanıklık durumunda akciğer kanseri, damar tıkanıklıkları, fibrokistler, kalp ve bağışıklık sistemiyle ilgili hastalıklar görülebilir. (19,32,36,37) (20,32,36,37) Altıncı ...
Günümüzde Reiki her kesimden insanın farklı bakış açısı ile benimsediği bütüncül enerji temelli uygulamalardan biri olarak kullanımı yaygınlaşmaktadır. Reiki bireyin bedensel, zihinsel ve ruhsal dengesini düzenlemek amacıyla her zaman uygulanabilen iyileştirme yöntemidir. Reiki Japonya’da yüzyıllar öncesinde Tibet’te uygulanmaya başlanmış, Hawaya Takata tarafından Amerika üzerinden New Age hareketiyle birlikte kendi kuramıyla birleştirilerek Dünya’ya yaygın olarak kullanılmıştır. Reiki uygulaması yapan kişilerin üç aşamalı bir eğitimden geçmeleri, doğuştan gelen bir şifa yeteneğinin olması ve uyumlama süreci gereklidir. Reiki kendi kendine, başkalarına, grup olarak hayvan ve bitkiler gibi diğer canlılara uygulanabilmektedir. Bu derlemede amaç bütüncül perspektifte reiki uygulamasının değerlendirilmesidir.
... Kontrol grubundaki hastaların ise 15 dakika dinlenmesi sağlanmıştır. İki günün sonunda yapılan değerlendirmede reiki grubundaki hastaların ağrı şiddetinin %76.06 azaldığı, solunum hızı, gereksinim duyulan analjezik sayısının yalancı reiki uygulanan ve kontrol grubuna göre azalttığı belirlenmiştir (Midilli & Gündüzoğlu, 2016). Notte ve arkadaşları (2016) total diz artroplastisi (TKA) geçiren hastaların ağrı algısı ve stres üzerindeki etkisini belirlemek amacıyla yaptıkları pilot çalışmada; reiki grubuna preop 20 dk, anestezi sonrası bakım ünitesinde 30 dk, ve post op üç günün her birinde rahatlatıcı müzik eşliğinde 20 dk olmak üzere beş defa reiki seansı uygulanmış. ...
ZET Cerrahi işlemler sonrası ağrının azaltılmasına yönelik nonfarmakolojik yöntemlerden biri Reiki enerji terapisidir. Reiki vücut üzerinde enerji kapıları olarak da adlandırılan çakralara uygulanarak, tıkalı enerji kanlarlının açılmasını ve vücuttaki enerji akışının dengelenmesini sağlamaktadır. Literatür incelemelerinde reiki enerji uygulamalarının cerrahi sonrası ağrıda etkili olduğu görülmektedir. Yan etkisinin olmaması, kolay uygulanması, etkili ve güvenilir bir yöntem olmasından kaynaklı Reiki enerji terapisinin cerrahi sonrasında klinik ortamlarda da uygulanabileceği düşünülmektedir. Bu derleme makalenin amacı, reiki uygulamasının cerrahi girişim sonrasındaki ağrının hafifletilmesindeki etkisini açıklamaktır. ABSTRACT One of the non-pharmacological methods for reducing pain after surgical procedures is Reiki energy therapy. Reiki is applied to the chakras, also called energy gates on the body, to open the blocked energy canals and balance the energy flow in the body. Literature reviews show that Reiki energy applications are effective in postoperative pain. It is thought that Reiki energy therapy can be applied in clinical settings after surgery due to its lack of side effects, easy application, and effective and reliable method. The aim of this article to explain the effects of reiki in order to mitigate the surgical pain.
... It has also been reported in many studies that it has a sedative effect on complications of diseases. 5,9,10 ...
... 75,123,124 Contrastingly, in nonthrust techniques, the supposed mechanism is less clear-cut or more subtle, leaving more room for the potential role of touch. 26,27 The use of actors was the preferred control intervention in RCTs of energetic or spiritual healing practices, 14,19,29,42,129,130,135 likely again explained by mechanistic considerations where the healer themselves is the mechanism or medium through which healing occurs. 141 Relatedly, in a trial of guided imagery for pain relief, 18 the patient's attention focus on the breath and away from the pain experience is an integral part of the treatment and will thus not be matched. ...
Blinding is challenging in randomised controlled trials of physical, psychological, and self-management therapies for pain, mainly because of their complex and participatory nature. To develop standards for the design, implementation, and reporting of control interventions in efficacy and mechanistic trials, a systematic overview of currently used sham interventions and other blinding methods was required. Twelve databases were searched for placebo or sham-controlled randomised clinical trials of physical, psychological, and self-management treatments in a clinical pain population. Screening and data extraction were performed in duplicate, and trial features, description of control methods, and their similarity to the active intervention under investigation were extracted (protocol registration ID: CRD42020206590). The review included 198 unique control interventions, published between 2008 and December 2021. Most trials studied people with chronic pain, and more than half were manual therapy trials. The described control interventions ranged from clearly modelled based on the active treatment to largely dissimilar control interventions. Similarity between control and active interventions was more frequent for certain aspects (eg, duration and frequency of treatments) than others (eg, physical treatment procedures and patient sensory experiences). We also provide an overview of additional, potentially useful methods to enhance blinding, as well as the reporting of processes involved in developing control interventions. A comprehensive picture of prevalent blinding methods is provided, including a detailed assessment of the resemblance between active and control interventions. These findings can inform future developments of control interventions in efficacy and mechanistic trials and best-practice recommendations.
... Enerji temelli terapilerden olan reikinin etkilerinin tipik olarak masajın etkilerine (gevşeme, rahatlama, huzur ve enerjik hissetme gibi) benzediği, enerji dengesini geri kazandırabileceği, kan ve lenf dolaşımını kolaylaştırabileceği ileri sürülmektedir (15). Reiki enerjisi, uygulayıcının elinden insanın biyolojik alanındaki negatif enerji modellerine akıp, onları pozitif enerji ile yüklemekte, fiziksel beden içindeki ve çevresindeki titreşim seviyesini yükseltmektedir. ...
Bu derlemenin amacı, sezaryen sonrası anksiyete ve depresyona yönelik yapılan kanıt temelli uygulamaların incelenmesidir. Postpartum dönemde yaşanan anksiyete ve depresyon, son on yılda artış göstermiş ve Dünya Sağlık Örgütü tarafından, postpartum depresyon oranları dünya çapında yaklaşık %13 olarak bildirilmiştir. Postpartum dönemde kadınlar, tanımadıkları bir ortamda bulunmaları, yeni teknolojik malzeme, ekipman ve ekip üyeleri ile karşılaşmaları, operasyon sonrası ağrı yaşamaları, kadınların üstlenmiş oldukları yeni rolleri gibi nedenlerden dolayı anksiyete ve depresyon gibi duygu durum bozukluklarının gelişebilmektedir. Postpartum dönemde anksiyete ve depresyonu artıran faktörlerden biri de doğum şeklidir. Ülkemizde de %52 gibi yüksek oranda sezaryen ile doğum gerçekleşmektedir. Sezaryen sonrası anksiyete ve depresyon gelişebilecek komplikasyonlar, annenin sütünün gelememe ve bebeğini emzirememe ihtimali, ağrı yaşama gibi endişe ve kaygılara bağlı olarak gelişmektedir. Sezaryen sonrası anksiyete ve depresyonun erken dönemde tespit edilmesi ve önlemlerin erken dönemde alınması annenin yaşam kalitesini ve konforunu artırmaya, kaygı ve endişesini azaltmada önemlidir. Sezaryen sonrası anksiyete ve depresyonun azaltılmasına yönelik yapılan çalışmalarda, non-farmakolojik kanıt temelli uygulamalardan; reiki, akupresür, el ve ayak masajı, yoga, refleksoloji, aromaterapi, ten tene temas, hemşirelik bakım protokolü gibi uygulamaların etkili olduğu bulunmuştur. Sezaryen öncesi-sırası ve sonrası bakım uygulamalarında kritik rol ve sorumlulukları olan hemşirelerin bu kanıt temelli non-farmakolojik uygulamaları rutin bakım uygulamaları içerisine almaları önerilmektedir.
... Music-assisted relaxation. Although relaxation tools vary depending upon the individual's needs, live music was paired with the following techniques: progressive muscle relaxation, mindful breathing, peaceful visualizations, and Reiki (Feldman et al., 2010;Midilli & Gunduzoglu, 2016;Urech et al., 2010). These were used as a precursor to the songwriting process or for pain/stress management. ...
The perinatal experience contains many stressors that can impact parental mental health. We examined the integration of music therapy (MT), an evidence-based health profession, and its stress reduction role in parents during their inpatient maternity and neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Stress Numeric Rating Scale (SNRS-11) were used to measure stress reduction in 34 maternity and NICU parents (17 maternity patients and 17 NICU parents). Participants included parents on the antepartum unit (expecting parents on bedrest), laboring parents, pre-operation parents before cesarean delivery, parents of full-term healthy infants on the postpartum unit, and parents of premature infants on the NICU. Results were calculated based upon number of sessions rather than total number of participants and indicated that after one MT session, a 50% reduction in the SNRS-11 was measured in NICU and antepartum parents. The PSS score demonstrated a more modest stress reduction in the NICU parents but failed to achieve a statistically significant decrease in the maternity group. Findings were in line with existing literature in MT-associated stress reduction levels and may be integrated as part of an ongoing continuity of care during pregnancy, delivery, and NICU hospitalization. Earlier screening for stress may benefit parents during their perinatal hospital stay. Further research exploring the benefits of MT, as part of continuum of care and stress management for the inpatient perinatal parent population, may encourage the inclusion of MT services and improve quality of care.
... La intensidad del dolor se redujo de forma significativa, así como los niveles de ansiedad y la frecuencia respiratoria en el grupo de intervención, como también disminuyó la necesidad de analgésicos. En cambio, no afectó la tensión arterial o al pulso cardíaco (Midilli & Eser, 2015) Este mismo equipo de investigadores efectuó otro estudio a doble ciego en una muestra de 45 pacientes que habían sido intervenidas con cesárea y que fueron asignadas de forma aleatoria a un grupo de intervención de reiki, otro de reiki placebo y otro control (Midilli & Gunduzoglu, 2016). Confirmaron la reducción significativa de la intensidad de dolor y el uso de analgésicos, pero además observaron una disminución en los valores medios de tensión arterial y frecuencia respiratoria en el grupo que recibió reiki. ...
En el año 2014 la Organización Mundial de la Salud publicó su nueva estrategia para la medicina tradicional y complementaria 2014-2023 marcada por tres objetivos principales: el desarrollo de una base de conocimientos y formulación de políticas nacionales; el fortalecimiento de la seguridad, la calidad y la eficacia mediante la reglamentación, y el fomento de la cobertura sanitaria universal por medio de la integración de servicios y la autoatención de salud en los sistemas nacionales de salud.
Conscientes de esta situación y del debate que sigue generando la práctica y utilización de las terapias naturales y complementarias en nuestro contexto, en el año 2016 el Col·legi d’Infermeres i Infermers de Barcelona encargó al grupo de Investigación en Cuidados de la Salud (GRECS) del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Lleida la actualización de la guía con el fin de proporcionar una herramienta más amplia -incluyendo en esta ocasión terapias- que recogiera las mejores evidencias actualmente disponibles que demuestran los posibles efectos beneficiosos del uso de las terapias naturales y complementarias en las ciencias de la salud.
Por supuesto, no en todas las terapias que se incluyen en la guía se han descrito dichos efectos y así también queda reflejado en el apartado de resultados, donde se describen tanto aquellas terapias que bien precisan de mayor evidencia científica, o bien aquellas que no aportan ningún beneficio para sus usuarios con los estudios actualmente disponibles.
En definitiva, se trata de proporcionar conocimiento sobre las terapias naturales y complementarias de manera que su integración en los planes de estudio y en los sistemas de salud se realice de forma segura, eficaz y con la calidad necesaria.
... In addition to traditional pharmacological treatment, other therapies have proven effective in controlling postoperative pain in canine patients submitted to OVH, including acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and electroacupuncture (gROPPETTI et al., 2011;CASSU et al., 2012;LUNA et al., 2015). In humans, another complementary therapy called Reiki has proven effective in reducing postoperative pain in women undergoing cesarean section (MIDILLI & ESER, 2015;MIDILLI & gUNDUZOgLU, 2016). Reiki is a complementary bioenergetic therapy that originated in Japan in the early 20th century. ...
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Reiki therapy on postoperative pain in bitches undergoing elective minimally invasive ovariohysterectomy (OVH). Thirty bitches were randomly assigned to three groups: Control, Placebo, or Reiki. All dogs received methadone as preanesthetic medication (PAM), meloxicam in the preoperative period, propofol for anesthetic induction, and isoflurane for anesthetic maintenance. Immediately after OVH, the dogs in the Reiki were submitted to a single session of Reiki therapy, dogs in the Placebo received simulated Reiki therapy from a non-therapist, and dogs in the Control received no treatment. All dogs were evaluated for pain using short-form Glasgow composite measure pain scale (CMPS-SF) and visual analog scale (VAS) before (M0) and 2 (M2), 4 (M4), 8 (M8), 12 (M12), and 24 hours (M24) after administration of PAM. Comparing the CMPS-SF scores between the groups, at M2 Reiki scores were lower than those of the Placebo and at M4 those in the Reiki were lower than those of the Control or Placebo groups. Comparing the VAS scores, at M4 and M8, Reiki scores were lower than those of the Control or Placebo groups. Additional analgesia (morphine 0.2 mg.kg-1 intramuscularly) was administered to three bitches in Control and to four bitches of the Placebo. Reiki did not require additional opioid analgesia in the postoperative period. It was concluded that Reiki therapy provided analgesic effect and contributed to improve postoperative comfort of bitches submitted to elective OVH.
... It helps to relax muscle pain, especially at the time of birth (Erdoğan & Çınar, 2011). In the study conducted to determine the effects of Reiki applied to the incision area in the body for 15 minutes after the cesarean section on pain and vital symptoms, it was determined that the Reiki group needed less analgesic throughout the study (Sagkal Midilli & Ciray Gunduzoglu, 2016). More studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of this method in dealing with vaginal labor pain. ...
... When the studies involving the effect of the Reiki application on pain were examined, it was found that Vital et al. determined that postoperative Reiki application decreased the pain level as compared to the control group [26]. In the study conducted by Sagkal et al. it was determined that application of Reiki on the incision site after cesarean decreased the pain levels [27]. Baldwin et al. observed that Reiki decreased the pain level [28]. ...
Background
The aim of the study was to examine the effect of Acupressure and Reiki application on patient’s pain and comfort level after Laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Materials and methods
In this prospective, single blinded randomized controlled trial, subjects were 132 adult patients, hospitalized in the General Surgery clinics and underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy of a Training and Research Hospital in Turkey. Subjects were then assigned including a Reiki group of 44 persons, an Acupressure group of 44 persons, and a control group of 44 persons. The pain and comfort levels of all the patients, before and after the Acupressure and Reiki treatments in the experimental group, and without any intervention in the control groups were determined at the 3rd postoperative hour, using Pain on Visual Analogue Scale (Pain on VAS), Perianesthesia Comfort Scale (PCS) and General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ). The data analyses were performed using descriptive statistics, Shapiro Wilk test, paired samples t-test, Mann Whitney U test, ANOVA and LSD multiple comparison tests, Kruskal Wallis test and Wilcoxon test.
Results
In the patients who received reiki and acupressure treatment, the pain level decreased, comfort level increased and the difference between the groups was found to be significant (p<0.05).
Conclusion
Reiki and Acupressure applied to the patients after Laparoscopic cholecystectomy decreased the pain and increased the comfort level.
... Systematic, intensive and increasingly complex studies of the effects of Reiki techniques are being conducted nowadays in Japan (and other Asian countries), the United States of America, Australia, Latin America and Europe. The vast majority of them continue to confirm the positive effect of Reiki in various areas of clinical practices (oncology, cardiology, postoperative rehabilitation, bone surgery, psychotherapy, endoscopy, and others) and reinforce that Reiki therapy is effective for pain and anxiety, positively affects mood, body and mind, with healing effects, provides emotional and spiritual balance, reduces work-related stress, helps in managing occupational burnouts, improves intrinsic comfort, well-being and health, reduces depression, and may be used as a means of self-care (Birocco et al., 2012;Erdogan & Cinar, 2016;Midilli & Gunduzoglu, 2016;Notte, Fazzini, & Mooney, 2016;Salles, Vannucci, Salles, & Da Silva, 2014;Thrane & Cohen, 2014). ...
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Reiki (as well as the effectiveness of Physical Activities) on relatively healthy individuals (not hospital patients), members of a sample of 338 volunteers, and to confirm whether practicing Reiki contributes to psycho-emotional stabilization, having a beneficial impact on mood and emotional wellbeing. For the first time, a positive confirmation of Reiki was carried out in Ukraine. The respondents were divided into two main groups: non-Reikists (individuals who did not practice Reiki) and Reikists (individuals who practiced or taught Reiki). It was found that, in comparison with non-Reikists, the results obtained by Reikists were twice as good, showing higher levels of emotional comfort, less anxiety/dissatisfaction, and more optimism, energy and self-confidence. At that, senior pupils and university students of psychology performed worse. This study confirms that the practice of Reiki is a quickly healing, stimulating, long-term, and cost-effective technique, positively influencing to positive well-being, mood and psychosomatic responses.
Background: Biofield Therapies, with a historical lineage spanning millennia and continuing relevance in contemporary practices, have been used to address various health conditions and promote wellbeing. The scientific study and adoption of these therapies have been hindered by cultural challenges and institutional barriers. In addition, the current research landscape for Biofield Therapies is insufficiently documented.
Objectives: This scoping review aims to comprehensively document the peer-reviewed research landscape of Biofield Therapies. Furthermore, an online searchable and dynamic Evidence Map was created to serve as a publicly accessible tool for querying the evidence base, pinpointing research gaps, and identifying areas requiring further exploration.
Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycInfo databases was conducted from inception through January 2024. Peer-reviewed interventional studies in English involving human participants receiving Biofield Therapy were included. Data on study design, population, intervention, comparator, outcomes, citation details, and direction of results reported were extracted and synthesized into two summary tables and three data tables.
Results: In total, 353 studies in 352 published reports were included: 255 randomized controlled trials, 36 controlled clinical trials, and 62 pre-post study designs. Named biofield interventions included Reiki (n = 88), Therapeutic Touch (n = 71), Healing Touch (n = 31), intercessory prayer (n = 21), External Qigong (n = 16), Spiritual Healing/Spiritual Passé/Laying-on-of-hands (n = 14), “distant or remote healing” (n = 10), and Gentle Human Touch/Yakson Therapeutic Touch (n = 9). Also included were 56 studies in 55 reports involving bespoke, unknown, or other interventions, 20 studies involving multimodal interventions, and 17 studies involving multiple biofield interventions. Studies encompassed a wide variety of populations, most commonly healthy volunteers (n = 67), pain (n = 55), and cancer (n = 46). As reported in the Abstracts, nearly half of the studies (n = 172) reported positive results in favor of the Biofield Therapy for all outcomes being investigated, 95 reported mixed results, 71 reported nonsignificant results, 3 reported negative results, and 12 studies did not report the direction of results.
Conclusions: Despite rising interest in Biofield Therapies among researchers, practitioners, and patients, the integration of these interventions into allopathic medical systems is hindered by challenges in researching these therapies and inconsistent reporting. These issues contribute to inconclusive findings, which limit our understanding of the efficacy of Biofield Therapies for specific conditions. The resulting scoping review and interactive Evidence Map aim to empower stakeholders to overcome these obstacles, thereby strengthening the evidence for the potential adoption of Biofield Therapies as future integrative care options in allopathic medicine.
Bu araştırma, Türkiye’de reiki uygulaması ile ilgili yapılan lisansüstü hemşirelik tezlerini incelemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Sistematik derleme tipinde olan çalışma, Yüksek Öğretim Kurulu Başkanlığı Ulusal Tez Merkezi Veri Tabanı kullanılarak taranmıştır. Tarama “reiki” anahtar kelimesi kullanılarak Temmuz 2022 – Ağustos 2022 tarihleri arasında yapılmış olup, yıl aralığı gözetilmeden dahil edilme kriterlerine uyan tüm tez çalışmaları araştırma kapsamına alınmıştır. Reiki uygulaması ile ilgili yapılmış 13 lisansüstü teze ulaşılmıştır. İncelenen tezler arasında 2 tezin hemşirelik alanı dışında olduğu tespit edilmiştir ve çalışmaya 11 tez dahil edilmiştir. Araştırmaya dahil edilen tezler yayınlanma yılı sırasına göre incelenmiş olup, verilerin analizi için SPSS 25.0 paket programı kullanılmıştır. Hemşirelik alanında reiki uygulaması ile ilgili yapılan ilk tezin 2012 yılında yapıldığı ve doktora tezi olduğu görülmektedir. Tezlerin son on yıl içinde yapıldığı ve büyük çoğunluğunun randomize kontrollü deneysel çalışma olduğu belirlenmiştir. Tezlerden %18.19’u yüksek lisans, %81.81’i doktora tezidir. Araştırma kapsamına dahil edilen tezlerin hemşirelik anabilim dallarına/programlarına göre dağılımları incelendiğinde; %9.09’unun hemşirelik esasları, %18.18’inin iç hastalıkları hemşireliği, %9.09’unun cerrahi hastalıkları hemşireliği, %9.09’unun halk sağlığı hemşireliği ve %54.55’inin hemşirelik anabilim dalı alanında yapıldığı saptanmıştır. Türkiye’de reiki uygulamasının etkinliğinin değerlendirildiği yüksek lisans ve doktora tez çalışmalarının, ulusal ve uluslararası literatürdeki diğer çalışmalar ile paralellik gösterdiği, çoğu semptomun yönetiminde de invaziv olmayan etkili bir girişim olduğu sonucuna varılmaktadır.
Este documento inclui todas as informações sobre a 2.ª edição da formação de Psicoterapeutas Clássicos e Professores de Reiki, criada e facultada por Sandra Ramos e Jorge A. Ramos, com ensino à distância (EAD) e/ou presencial, teórico e prático, entre maio de 2023 e fevereiro de 2024.
Objective
: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Reiki on anxiety, fear, pain levels, and oxygen saturation in open abdominal surgery patients.
Materials and Methods
: A three-arm, parallel, randomized, and controlled trial design was used in this study. 93 participants were enrolled and randomly divided into three groups (n = 31): reiki, sham reiki, and control groups. All patients in the experimental group, before and after Reiki or Sham Reiki treatments, and all patients in the control groups without any intervention were evaluated with the State Anxiety Inventory STAI-I, with the Surgical Fear Questionnaire for fear of surgery and pain. VAS Scale. Descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Wilcoxon were used in the analysis of the research data.
Results
: Surgical fear, anxiety, and pain levels decreased, and oxygen saturation levels increased in the Reiki group. The differences between the groups were statistically significant (p<0.005).
Discussion
: Since Reiki is inexpensive, safe, effective, and easy to apply, it should be administered by nurses to patients who are scheduled for open abdominal surgery.
Objective
The aim of this study was to determine the effect of aromatherapy and Su Jok interventions as nonpharmacological methods of relieving pain after cesarean section.
Materials and methods
This randomized controlled trial was conducted with 120 women who had cesarean delivery in the gynecology and obstetrics department of a training and research hospital between February 9 and October 2, 2019. The participants were allocated to the aromatherapy group, Su Jok group, Su Jok and aromatherapy group, or control group using block randomization based on parity. Su Jok was performed using buckwheat seed; aromatherapy was applied using lavender, eucalyptus, or rose oil. Data were collected using a participant information form and pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale.
Results
There was no significant difference between the groups in mean pain levels before or after the intervention, although the control group had less initial pain compared to the intervention groups. However, all three intervention groups showed significant decreases in pain levels immediately and 30 min after the intervention compared to pre-intervention levels (p < 0.05). The intervention in all three groups reduced the level of pain. In particular, the pain level of the Su Jok group reached from moderate to mild. There was no significant change in the control group.
Conclusions
Aromatherapy and Su Jok interventions performed separately and simultaneously in addition to routine hospital care were more effective in reducing post-cesarean pain than routine care alone.
Objective:
The present study was conducted in order to determine the effects of Reiki and hand massage on the pain and fatigue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Methods:
This study having a randomized controlled experimental design was carried out involving 105 individuals (35 in Reiki, 37 in hand massage, and 33 in control). Study data were collected between July 2020 and December 2021 by using a personal information form, Visual Analog Scale, and Piper Fatigue Scale.
Results:
The mean pain score and the fatigue severity of patients decreased after Reiki and hand massage interventions and the difference was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05). Reiki and hand massage reduced the pain and fatigue levels of patients having rheumatoid arthritis.
Conclusion:
It is recommended to use Reiki and hand massage in managing the symptoms and providing patients with care.
Bioenergy therapy method Reiki, existing since 1922, is widespread in Europe, Asia, North America, Australia, and the former Soviet Union. According to the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), Reiki belongs to the methods of complementary and alternative medicine, but is increasingly used as a standard procedure in hospitals, hospices and rehabilitation centers. Most of the published results of Reiki efficacy studies relate to pain relief, anxiety, depression, and fatigue. The effects of Reiki for reducing the effects of strokes, epilepsy, normalization of the nervous, immune and endocrine systems in the rehabilitation and overcoming the effects of distress are studied. Studies concern humans, animals, and bacterial cultures. Special attention should be paid to recent studies conducted with a large number of patients, design and methods of evaluation of results that meet the standards of modern traditional evidence-based medicine. To determine promising areas for further research, PubMed information on the proven effects of Reiki on chronic and acute pain, stress-induced states, motor and sensitivity functions, immunity, metabolic and hormonal processes, inflammation, edema, microcirculation in the perspective of physical therapy and rehabilitation. Among the studies of the last twenty years are studies with small samples of patients and animals, which contain interesting hypotheses about the possible mechanisms of action of Reiki. In particular, this is a study by Dyer N.L. et al. (2019). The high interest of researchers in Reiki therapy and good acceptance of the method by many patients were noted. Researchers constantly note that the study of the effectiveness of Reiki should be continued, and determine what part of the effect belongs to the placebo. Other aspects of impact require standardization of methods, randomization, blinding, and strict control of results.
Keywords: Reiki, physical therapy, rehabilitation, clinical effects, evidence-based medicine.
Objective: Due to the increasing use and tendency to complementary therapies, they can be used to relieve pain and reduce anxiety and stress in patients. The aim of this study was to systematically review the effect of Reiki therapy on the control of pain, anxiety and stress.
Methods: This is a systematic review. A search was conducted on clinical trials published from 2016 to 2019 in databases such as SID, MagIran, Pubmed, Nursing Consult, Elsevier, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, and Google Scholar using the keywords Pain, Reiki, Anxiety, Stress, and Randomized Clinical Trial.
Results: Initial search yielded 154 articles. Of these, 131 were excluded due to not meeting the inclusion criteria, and finally 23 eligible clinical trials were selected for analysis.
Conclusion: The use of complementary therapies, including Reiki therapy, has different results in different people. It is recommended to perform various studies in different countries to evaluate the effectiveness of reiki therapy.
O uso do Reiki vem crescendo nos últimos tempos, sendo uma técnica japonesa que consiste em uma terapia energética. O objetivo é analisar a eficácia da associação do Reiki com a terapia medicamentosa em pacientes com dor e observar como esse tratamento pode amenizar os sintomas.Trata-se de uma revisão sistemática realizada com base em ensaios clínicos randomizados. Realizou-se uma pesquisa naMedical Publishere Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde. Para busca dos artigos utilizaram-se os Descritores em Ciências da Saúde no idioma inglês unidos pelo descritor booleano AND: Reiki e Pain.Dessa forma, os 5artigos foram classificados conforme os critérios estabelecidos no sistema Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. A partir dos estudos selecionados observou-se que os grupos oscilaram entre 30 a 90 pacientes, seguido de utilização de opioides, analgésicos e antiinflamatórios para o alívio da dor, associado com o Reiki em tempos de sessões que variaram de 10 a 30 minutos. Além disso, percebeu-se que a associação entre esses e a terapia de Reiki potencializou a eficácia da diminuição da dor, estresse, níveis de ansiedade e tempo de medicação. Alguns estudos, também, se depararam com melhora dos sinais vitais. Concluiu-se que a terapia Reiki associada à terapia medicamentosa, como analgésicos e opioides, tem boa eficácia em pacientes com dor, ficando evidente sua vantagem no uso em indivíduos que precisam de analgesia.
Breathing techniques are key components of yoga, meditation and relaxation practices that are well known for reducing anxiety and improving overall well-being. To evaluate the efficacy of breathing techniques in pain and cognitive function. We conducted a literature review searching the main literature databases (medline, lilacs, Cochrane library) including randomized clinical trials. We assessed the risk of bias of the included studies using the methodology proposed by the Cochrane collaboration. In total, we found 16 studies that met the inclusion criteria, with an intermediate or unclear overall risk of bias. When combining the different breathing techniques vs control in the included studies, we found a statistically significant difference in terms of the visual analog scale (Difference of means, random effects; -1.21 [95% CI -1.75 to -0.68]; I2: 95%). Meditation-based breathing techniques would improve pain and cognitive function in patients with a painful entity or healthy volunteers.
Questo articolo si inserisce nella emergente letteratura scientifica che si occupa dell’interazione dei campi elettromagnetici con la natura biologica ed umana in particolare. In questo caso valuteremo l’effetto dei campi elettromagnetici indotti naturalmente dalle persone, comprendendone il funzionamento e valutando l’eventuale conseguenza che si può avere da una interazione consapevole tra persona e persona.
Reiki is often used but not well studied in children. Yet, this gentle, light-touch therapy promotes relaxation and is appropriate for those receiving palliative care. This quasi-experimental pre-post mixed-methods 1-group pilot study examined the feasibility and acceptability of Reiki therapy as a treatment for children aged 7 to 16 years receiving palliative care. During the study, we recorded recruitment, retention, data collection rates, and percent completion of the intervention. Structured interviews with the mothers and verbal children were conducted to elicit their experience. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Twenty-one parent-child dyads agreed to participate and signed consent, whereas 16 completed the study (including verbal [n = 8] and nonverbal [n = 8] children). Themes included "feeling better," "hard to judge," and "still going on." Mothers and children were generally positive regarding the experience of receiving Reiki therapy. Children reported they "felt really relaxed," and mothers stated, "It was a good experience" and "She was relaxed afterward." The results of this pilot study show that Reiki was feasible, acceptable, and well-tolerated. Most participants reported it was helpful. Reiki therapy may be a useful adjunct with traditional medical management for symptoms in children receiving palliative care.
Health care organizations are responding to consumer demand by offering more complementary and integrative health services in inpatient, outpatient, and clinic settings. Nursing has long embraced energy-based modalities such as Reiki and has been at the forefront of introducing body, mind, and spirit healing practices into health care settings. This article describes how nurses can integrate Reiki into both their personal lives for self-care as well as their professional patient care practices. An overview of Reiki's integration into hospital systems is presented as well as Reiki's use with various patient populations. The status of Reiki research is discussed.
Background
Pain after caesarean sections (CS) can affect the well‐being of the mother and her ability with her newborn. Conventional pain‐relieving strategies are often underused because of concerns about the adverse maternal and neonatal effects. Complementary alternative therapies (CAM) may offer an alternative for post‐CS pain.
Objectives
To assess the effects of CAM for post‐caesarean pain.
Search methods
We searched Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth’s Trials Register, LILACS, PEDro, CAMbase, ClinicalTrials.gov and the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) (6 September 2019), and checked the reference lists of retrieved articles.
Selection criteria
Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), including quasi‐RCTs and cluster‐RCTs, comparing CAM, alone or associated with other forms of pain relief, versus other treatments or placebo or no treatment, for the treatment of post‐CS pain.
Data collection and analysis
Two review authors independently performed study selection, extracted data, assessed risk of bias and assessed the certainty of evidence using GRADE.
Main results
We included 37 studies (3076 women) which investigated eight different CAM therapies for post‐CS pain relief. There is substantial heterogeneity among the trials. We downgraded the certainty of evidence due to small numbers of women participating in the trials and to risk of bias related to lack of blinding and inadequate reporting of randomisation processes. None of the trials reported pain at six weeks after discharge.
Primary outcomes were pain and adverse effects, reported per intervention below. Secondary outcomes included vital signs, rescue analgesic requirement at six weeks after discharge; all of which were poorly reported, not reported, or we are uncertain as to the effect
Acupuncture or acupressure
We are very uncertain if acupuncture or acupressure (versus no treatment) or acupuncture or acupressure plus analgesia (versus placebo plus analgesia) has any effect on pain because the quality of evidence is very low. Acupuncture or acupressure plus analgesia (versus analgesia) may reduce pain at 12 hours (standardised mean difference (SMD) ‐0.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) ‐0.64 to 0.07; 130 women; 2 studies; low‐certainty evidence) and 24 hours (SMD ‐0.63, 95% CI ‐0.99 to ‐0.26; 2 studies; 130 women; low‐certainty evidence).
It is uncertain whether acupuncture or acupressure (versus no treatment) or acupuncture or acupressure plus analgesia (versus analgesia) has any effect on the risk of adverse effects because the quality of evidence is very low.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy plus analgesia may reduce pain when compared with placebo plus analgesia at 12 hours (mean difference (MD) ‐2.63 visual analogue scale (VAS), 95% CI ‐3.48 to ‐1.77; 3 studies; 360 women; low‐certainty evidence) and 24 hours (MD ‐3.38 VAS, 95% CI ‐3.85 to ‐2.91; 1 study; 200 women; low‐certainty evidence). We are uncertain if aromatherapy plus analgesia has any effect on adverse effects (anxiety) compared with placebo plus analgesia.
Electromagnetic therapy
Electromagnetic therapy may reduce pain compared with placebo plus analgesia at 12 hours (MD ‐8.00, 95% CI ‐11.65 to ‐4.35; 1 study; 72 women; low‐certainty evidence) and 24 hours (MD ‐13.00 VAS, 95% CI ‐17.13 to ‐8.87; 1 study; 72 women; low‐certainty evidence).
Massage
We identified six studies (651 women), five of which were quasi‐RCTs, comparing massage (foot and hand) plus analgesia versus analgesia. All the evidence relating to pain, adverse effects (anxiety), vital signs and rescue analgesic requirement was very low‐certainty.
Music
Music plus analgesia may reduce pain when compared with placebo plus analgesia at one hour (SMD ‐0.84, 95% CI ‐1.23 to ‐0.46; participants = 115; studies = 2; I2 = 0%; low‐certainty evidence), 24 hours (MD ‐1.79, 95% CI ‐2.67 to ‐0.91; 1 study; 38 women; low‐certainty evidence), and also when compared with analgesia at one hour (MD ‐2.11, 95% CI ‐3.11 to ‐1.10; 1 study; 38 women; low‐certainty evidence) and at 24 hours (MD ‐2.69, 95% CI ‐3.67 to ‐1.70; 1 study; 38 women; low‐certainty evidence). It is uncertain whether music plus analgesia has any effect on adverse effects (anxiety), when compared with placebo plus analgesia because the quality of evidence is very low.
Reiki
We are uncertain if Reiki plus analgesia compared with analgesia alone has any effect on pain, adverse effects, vital signs or rescue analgesic requirement because the quality of evidence is very low (one study, 90 women).
Relaxation
Relaxation may reduce pain compared with standard care at 24 hours (MD ‐0.53 VAS, 95% CI ‐1.05 to ‐0.01; 1 study; 60 women; low‐certainty evidence).
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
TENS (versus no treatment) may reduce pain at one hour (MD ‐2.26, 95% CI ‐3.35 to ‐1.17; 1 study; 40 women; low‐certainty evidence). TENS plus analgesia (versus placebo plus analgesia) may reduce pain compared with placebo plus analgesia at one hour (SMD ‐1.10 VAS, 95% CI ‐1.37 to ‐0.82; 3 studies; 238 women; low‐certainty evidence) and at 24 hours (MD ‐0.70 VAS, 95% CI ‐0.87 to ‐0.53; 108 women; 1 study; low‐certainty evidence).
TENS plus analgesia (versus placebo plus analgesia) may reduce heart rate (MD ‐7.00 bpm, 95% CI ‐7.63 to ‐6.37; 108 women; 1 study; low‐certainty evidence) and respiratory rate (MD ‐1.10 brpm, 95% CI ‐1.26 to ‐0.94; 108 women; 1 study; low‐certainty evidence).
We are uncertain if TENS plus analgesia (versus analgesia) has any effect on pain at six hours or 24 hours, or vital signs because the quality of evidence is very low (two studies, 92 women).
Authors' conclusions
Some CAM therapies may help reduce post‐CS pain for up to 24 hours. The evidence on adverse events is too uncertain to make any judgements on safety and we have no evidence about the longer‐term effects on pain.
Since pain control is the most relevant outcome for post‐CS women and their clinicians, it is important that future studies of CAM for post‐CS pain measure pain as a primary outcome, preferably as the proportion of participants with at least moderate (30%) or substantial (50%) pain relief. Measuring pain as a dichotomous variable would improve the certainty of evidence and it is easy to understand for non‐specialists. Future trials also need to be large enough to detect effects on clinical outcomes; measure other important outcomes as listed lin this review, and use validated scales.
Objective:
To investigate whether differences exist in the effectiveness/safety of a single session of Okada Purifying Therapy (OPT), a type of biofield therapy, among those from different ethnicity/cultures, and to analyze factors associated with the outcomes in a real-world setting.
Design:
Pre-post test design using convenience sampling methods.
Setting:
Home setting.
Subjects:
A total of 11,303 individuals aged 16 years or older from 14 different countries (>1000 individuals each from Japan, the United States, Thailand, Chile/Peru, and <200 individuals each from Portugal, Spain, Argentina, Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, and France). More than 50% of the subjects were themselves OPT practitioners, and more than 50% of the treatments were administered in an environment where the practice of OPT was promoted.
Intervention:
Participants received a single session of OPT lasting 30 min or longer from the volunteer practitioners. They self-reported the changes in overall symptoms, physical pain, anxiety/depression, and dizziness/palpitation.
Outcome measures:
Improvement/exacerbation rates of each symptom and factors associated with symptom improvement were analyzed.
Results:
Of the participants, 77.5%, 75.6%, 78.4%, and 73.8% reported an improvement of overall symptoms, physical pain, anxiety/depression, and dizziness/palpitation, respectively. The improvement rates were consistently higher among participants from Chile/Peru than those from Japan, the United States, and Thailand (p < 0.001), and among those who had received a longer therapy (p < 0.001). Spanish/Portuguese speaking countries almost always showed high improvement rates; conversely, Japan showed a lower rate in each symptom. Participants' gender, reasons for participation, previous experience, and location of the session were also associated with the improvement of different symptoms. These findings occurred regardless of the participants' age or presence/absence of illness. In terms of safety, the exacerbation rates of symptoms were 2.8%, 2.5%, 0.8%, and 1.7%, respectively. Of those who expressed symptoms exacerbation, 71.6% recovered in a few hours. None of them needed emergency medical treatment.
Conclusions:
In those who were often sympathetic to OPT and/or in an authorized location, OPT was effective and safe across countries with ethnic/cultural differences; however, participants' country of residence and duration of the session were independently associated with the changes in various symptoms. (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03994809).
The objective of this study was to calculate the effect of Reiki therapy for pain and anxiety in randomized clinical trials. A systematic search of PubMed, ProQuest, Cochrane, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Web of Science, Global Health, and Medline databases was conducted using the search terms pain, anxiety, and Reiki. The Center for Reiki Research also was examined for articles. Studies that used randomization and a control or usual care group, used Reiki therapy in one arm of the study, were published in 2000 or later in peer-reviewed journals in English, and measured pain or anxiety were included. After removing duplicates, 49 articles were examined and 12 articles received full review. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria: four articles studied cancer patients, one examined post-surgical patients, and two analyzed community dwelling older adults. Effect sizes were calculated for all studies using Cohen's d statistic. Effect sizes for within group differences ranged from d = 0.24 for decrease in anxiety in women undergoing breast biopsy to d = 2.08 for decreased pain in community dwelling adults. The between group differences ranged from d = 0.32 for decrease of pain in a Reiki versus rest intervention for cancer patients to d = 4.5 for decrease in pain in community dwelling adults. Although the number of studies is limited, based on the size Cohen's d statistics calculated in this review, there is evidence to suggest that Reiki therapy may be effective for pain and anxiety. Continued research using Reiki therapy with larger sample sizes, consistently randomized groups, and standardized treatment protocols is recommended.
Introduction
Approximately 25% of all babies in North America are delivered via Caesarean section (C-section). Though a common surgical procedure, C-section recovery can be painful. Opioids, specifically codeine, are commonly used to ease pain; however, its active metabolite, morphine, passes into breast milk, and may produce unwanted side effects in neonates; therefore, alternatives to opioids are being sought. Reiki is an ancient Japanese form of healing where practitioners transfer healing energy through light touch and positive healing intention. Although 1.2 million Americans use reiki to reduce pain or depression, there is a lack of strong evidence supporting its effectiveness. A recent systematic review showed existing studies to be of poor methodological quality, with the common limitation of lack of blinding. To overcome this issue, the authors used distant reiki to assess its effectiveness in reducing pain following an elective C-section.
Methods
In this randomised, double-blinded study, women who underwent an elective C-section were allocated to either usual care (control, n=40) or three distant reiki sessions in addition to usual care (n=40). Pain was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The primary endpoint was the Area Under the VAS-Time Curve (AUC) for days 1–3. Secondary measures included: the proportion of women who required opioid medications and dose consumed, rate of healing and vital signs.
Results
AUC for pain was not significantly different in the distant reiki and control groups (mean±SD; 212.1±104.7 vs 223.1±117.8; p=0.96). There were no significant differences in opioid consumption or rate of healing; however, the distant reiki group had a significantly lower heart rate (74.3±8.1 bpm vs 79.8±7.9 bpm, p=0.003) and blood pressure (106.4±9.7 mm Hg vs 111.9±11.0 mm Hg, p=0.02) post surgery.
Conclusion
Distant reiki had no significant effect on pain following an elective C-section.
Clinical Trial Registration Number
ISRCTN79265996.
This is a constructive replication of a previous trial conducted by Bowden et al. (2010), where students who had received Reiki demonstrated greater health and mood benefits than those who received no Reiki. The current study examined impact on anxiety/depression. 40 university students-half with high depression and/or anxiety and half with low depression and/or anxiety-were randomly assigned to receive Reiki or to a non-Reiki control group. Participants experienced six 30-minute sessions over a period of two to eight weeks, where they were blind to whether noncontact Reiki was administered as their attention was absorbed in a guided relaxation. The efficacy of the intervention was assessed pre-post intervention and at five-week follow-up by self-report measures of mood, illness symptoms, and sleep. The participants with high anxiety and/or depression who received Reiki showed a progressive improvement in overall mood, which was significantly better at five-week follow-up, while no change was seen in the controls. While the Reiki group did not demonstrate the comparatively greater reduction in symptoms of illness seen in our earlier study, the findings of both studies suggest that Reiki may benefit mood.
Reiki is an ancient form of Japanese healing. While this healing method is widely used for a variety of psychologic and physical symptoms, evidence of its effectiveness is scarce and conflicting. The purpose of this systematic review was to try to evaluate whether Reiki produces a significant treatment effect.
Studies were identified using an electronic search of Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar. Quality of reporting was evaluated using a modified CONSORT Criteria for Herbal Interventions, while methodological quality was assessed using the Jadad Quality score.
Two (2) researchers selected articles based on the following features: placebo or other adequate control, clinical investigation on humans, intervention using a Reiki practitioner, and published in English. They independently extracted data on study design, inclusion criteria, type of control, sample size, result, and nature of outcome measures.
The modified CONSORT Criteria indicated that all 12 trials meeting the inclusion criteria were lacking in at least one of the three key areas of randomization, blinding, and accountability of all patients, indicating a low quality of reporting. Nine (9) of the 12 trials detected a significant therapeutic effect of the Reiki intervention; however, using the Jadad Quality score, 11 of the 12 studies ranked "poor."
The serious methodological and reporting limitations of limited existing Reiki studies preclude a definitive conclusion on its effectiveness. High-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to address the effectiveness of Reiki over placebo.
Despite major advances in pain management, cancer pain is managed poorly in 80% of the patients with cancer. Due to deleterious side effects of pharmacology therapy in these people, there is an urgent need for clinical trials of non-pharmacological interventions. To examine the effect of therapeutic touch (TT) on the pain and fatigue of the cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, a randomized and three-groups experimental study-experimental (TT), placebo (placebo TT), and control (usual care)-was carried out. Ninety patients undergoing chemotherapy, exhibiting pain and fatigue of cancer, were randomized into one of the three groups in the Cancer Center of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Pain and fatigue were measured and recorded by participants before and after the intervention for 5 days (once a day). The intervention consisted of 30 min TT given once a day for 5 days between 10:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of pain and the Rhoten Fatigue Scale (RFS) were completed for 5 days before and after the intervention by the subjects. The TT (significant) was more effective in decreasing pain and fatigue of the cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy than the usual care group, while the placebo group indicated a decreasing trend in pain and fatigue scores compared with the usual care group.
Fatigue is an extremely common side effect experienced during cancer treatment and recovery. Limited research has investigated strategies stemming from complementary and alternative medicine to reduce cancer-related fatigue. This research examined the effects of Reiki, a type of energy touch therapy, on fatigue, pain, anxiety, and overall quality of life. This study was a counterbalanced crossover trial of 2 conditions: (1) in the Reiki condition, participants received Reiki for 5 consecutive daily sessions, followed by a 1-week washout monitoring period of no treatments, then 2 additional Reiki sessions, and finally 2 weeks of no treatments, and (2) in the rest condition, participants rested for approximately 1 hour each day for 5 consecutive days, followed by a 1-week washout monitoring period of no scheduled resting and an additional week of no treatments. In both conditions, participants completed questionnaires investigating cancer-related fatigue (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Fatigue subscale [FACT-F]) and overall quality of life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy, General Version [FACT-G]) before and after all Reiki or resting sessions. They also completed a visual analog scale (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System [ESAS]) assessing daily tiredness, pain, and anxiety before and after each session of Reiki or rest. Sixteen patients (13 women) participated in the trial: 8 were randomized to each order of conditions (Reiki then rest; rest then Reiki). They were screened for fatigue on the ESAS tiredness item, and those scoring greater than 3 on the 0 to 10 scale were eligible for the study. They were diagnosed with a variety of cancers, most commonly colorectal (62.5%) cancer, and had a median age of 59 years. Fatigue on the FACT-F decreased within the Reiki condition (P=.05) over the course of all 7 treatments. In addition, participants in the Reiki condition experienced significant improvements in quality of life (FACT-G) compared to those in the resting condition (P <.05). On daily assessments (ESAS) in the Reiki condition, presession 1 versus postsession 5 scores indicated significant decreases in tiredness (P <.001), pain (P <.005), and anxiety (P<.01), which were not seen in the resting condition. Future research should further investigate the impact of Reiki using more highly controlled designs that include a sham Reiki condition and larger sample sizes.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Reiki on pain, anxiety, and hemodynamic parameters on postoperative days 1 and 2 in patients who had undergone cesarean delivery. The design of this study was a randomized, controlled clinical trial. The study took place between February and July 2011 in the Obstetrical Unit at Odemis Public Hospital in Izmir, Turkey. Ninety patients equalized by age and number of births were randomly assigned to either a Reiki group or a control group (a rest without treatment). Treatment applied to both groups in the first 24 and 48 hours after delivery for a total of 30 minutes to 10 identified regions of the body for 3 minutes each. Reiki was applied for 2 days once a day (in the first 24 and 48 hours) within 4-8 hours of the administration of standard analgesic, which was administered intravenously by a nurse. A visual analog scale and the State Anxiety Inventory were used to measure pain and anxiety. Hemodynamic parameters, including blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), pulse and breathing rates, and analgesic requirements also were recorded. Statistically significant differences in pain intensity (p = .000), anxiety value (p = .000), and breathing rate (p = .000) measured over time were found between the two groups. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in the time (p = .000) and number (p = .000) of analgesics needed after Reiki application and a rest without treatment. Results showed that Reiki application reduced the intensity of pain, the value of anxiety, and the breathing rate, as well as the need for and number of analgesics. However, it did not affect blood pressure or pulse rate. Reiki application as a nursing intervention is recommended as a pain and anxiety-relieving method in women after cesarean delivery.
Copyright © 2015 American Society for Pain Management Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
To examine the effects of Reiki as an adjuvant therapy to opioid therapy for postoperative pain control in pediatric patients.
This was a double-blind, randomized controlled study of children undergoing dental procedures. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either Reiki therapy or the control therapy (sham Reiki) preoperatively. Postoperative pain scores, opioid requirements, and side effects were assessed. Family members were also asked about perioperative care satisfaction. Multiple linear regressions were used for analysis.
Thirty-eight children participated. The blinding procedure was successful. No statistically significant difference was observed between groups on all outcome measures.
Our study provides a successful example of a blinding procedure for Reiki therapy among children in the perioperative period. This study does not support the effectiveness of Reiki as an adjuvant therapy to opioid therapy for postoperative pain control in pediatric patients.
Biological correlates of Reiki Touchsm healing
Background. Despite the popularity of touch therapies, theoretical understanding of the mechanisms of effect is not well developed and there is limited research measuring biological outcomes.
Aims. The aim of this study was to test a framework of relaxation or stress reduction as a mechanism of touch therapy.
Methods. The study was conducted in 1996 and involved the examination of select physiological and biochemical effects and the experience of 30 minutes of Reiki, a form of touch therapy. A single group repeated measure design was used to study Reiki Touch’ssm effects with a convenience sample of 23 essentially healthy subjects. Biological markers related to stress-reduction response included state anxiety, salivary IgA and cortisol, blood pressure, galvanic skin response (GSR), muscle tension and skin temperature. Data were collected before, during and immediately after the session.
Results. Comparing before and after measures, anxiety was significantly reduced, t(22)=2·45, P=0·02. Salivary IgA levels rose significantly, t(19)=2·33, P=0·03, however, salivary cortisol was not statistically significant. There was a significant drop in systolic blood pressure (SBP), F(2, 44)=6·60, P < 0·01. Skin temperature increased and electromyograph (EMG) decreased during the treatment, but before and after differences were not significant.
Conclusions. These findings suggest both biochemical and physiological changes in the direction of relaxation. The salivary IgA findings warrant further study to explore the effects of human TT and humeral immune function.
Reiki is a system of natural healing techniques administered by laying of hands and transferring energy from the Reiki practitioner to the recipient. We investigated the role of Reiki in the management of anxiety, pain and global wellness in cancer patients. Building on the results of a pilot project conducted between 2003 and 2005 by a volunteer association at our hospital, a wider, 3-year study was conducted at the same center. The volunteer Reiki practitioners received 2 years of theory and practical training. The study population was 118 patients (67 women and 51 men; mean age, 55 years) with cancer at any stage and receiving any kind of chemotherapy. Before each session, the nurses collected the patient's personal data and clinical history. Pain and anxiety were evaluated according to a numeric rating scale by the Reiki practitioners. Each session lasted about 30 min; pain and anxiety scores were recorded using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), together with a description of the physical feelings the patients perceived during the session. All 118 patients received at least 1 Reiki treatment (total number, 238). In the subgroup of 22 patients who underwent the full cycle of 4 treatments, the mean VAS anxiety score decreased from 6.77 to 2.28 (P <.000001) and the mean VAS pain score from 4.4 to 2.32 (P = .091). Overall, the sessions were felt helpful in improving well-being, relaxation, pain relief, sleep quality and reducing anxiety. Offering Reiki therapy in hospitals could respond to patients' physical and emotional needs.
This article includes a review of the literature on research related to energy healing and pain from 1980 through 2008. The types of energy healing considered include Reiki, therapeutic touch, and healing touch. There has been limited research testing these holistic interventions and their effect on pain even though there is attention to the modalities in the nursing practice literature. Recommendations for future research include studies with larger and diverse samples and comparisons among the various modalities.
The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) appears to be on the rise in all adult age groups, including the elderly population. Many herbal and biologic preparations offer promise, but they are largely of unproven benefit. The content(s) are unregulated by government agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration, making their use problematic to recommend and guide. Use of CAM modalities in assisted living communities (ALCs) is by and large a hidden practice, but it is estimated that 5%-9% of residents ingest some kind of herbal remedy. Belief systems among residents and their families-for example, that a certain kind of tea is a cure for dementia-can be persuasive. Responsible for resident well-being, assisted living nurses are caught in the middle. Nurse licensure considers herbals as medications, yet physicians refuse to prescribe them, and nurses (or certified med techs) cannot administer them. In some states, "alternative practitioners" are not viewed as legal prescribers. Undaunted, residents (or their families) purchase alternative "medicines" that are contraindicated by their traditional medical regimen. Secreted in their room, nurses are unaware of the stash and the self-administrating practice. This article describes the state of the science regarding the efficacy and safety of CAM modalities and actions that ALC nurses might undertake to collaborate with residents to address their CAM interest and use respectfully.
Fibromyalgia is a common, chronic pain condition for which patients frequently use complementary and alternative medicine, including Reiki. Our objective was to determine whether Reiki is beneficial as an adjunctive fibromyalgia treatment.
This was a factorial designed, randomized, sham-controlled trial in which participants, data collection staff, and data analysts were blinded to treatment group.
The study setting was private medical offices in the Seattle, Washington metropolitan area.
The subjects were comprised 100 adults with fibromyalgia.
Four (4) groups received twice-weekly treatment for 8 weeks by either a Reiki master or actor randomized to use direct touch or no touch (distant therapy).
The primary outcome was subjective pain as measured by visual analog scale at weeks 4, 8, and 20 (3 months following end of treatment). Secondary outcomes were physical and mental functioning, medication use, and health provider visits. Participant blinding and adverse effects were ascertained by self-report. Improvement between groups was examined in an intention-to-treat analysis.
Neither Reiki nor touch had any effect on pain or any of the secondary outcomes. All outcome measures were nearly identical among the 4 treatment groups during the course of the trial.
Neither Reiki nor touch improved the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Energy medicine modalities such as Reiki should be rigorously studied before being recommended to patients with chronic pain symptoms.
Despite the popularity of touch therapies, theoretical understanding of the mechanisms of effect is not well developed and there is limited research measuring biological outcomes.
The aim of this study was to test a framework of relaxation or stress reduction as a mechanism of touch therapy.
The study was conducted in 1996 and involved the examination of select physiological and biochemical effects and the experience of 30 minutes of Reiki, a form of touch therapy. A single group repeated measure design was used to study Reiki Touch'ssm effects with a convenience sample of 23 essentially healthy subjects. Biological markers related to stress-reduction response included state anxiety, salivary IgA and cortisol, blood pressure, galvanic skin response (GSR), muscle tension and skin temperature. Data were collected before, during and immediately after the session.
Comparing before and after measures, anxiety was significantly reduced, t(22)=2.45, P=0.02. Salivary IgA levels rose significantly, t(19)=2.33, P=0.03, however, salivary cortisol was not statistically significant. There was a significant drop in systolic blood pressure (SBP), F(2, 44)=6.60, P < 0.01. Skin temperature increased and electromyograph (EMG) decreased during the treatment, but before and after differences were not significant.
These findings suggest both biochemical and physiological changes in the direction of relaxation. The salivary IgA findings warrant further study to explore the effects of human TT and humeral immune function.
This study was conducted to clarify and to conceptualize the phenomena of physical touch in caring.
Physical touch occurs frequently in patient care situations and has specific meanings within the context of caring. However, the concept of physical touch in caring has not been well articulated in the literatures, although the phenomena of touch and physical touch have been studied in relation to comfort, sense of well-being and connectedness.
The Hybrid Model of concept development was applied to develop a conceptual structure of physical touch in caring, which included a field study carried out in Seoul, South Korea using in-depth interviews with 39 adult subjects consisting of health-care professionals, in-patients, and healthy persons.
The concept of physical touch in caring emerged as a complex phenomenon having meanings on several different dimensions which were encompassed several attributes and the conceptual structure of physical touch in caring centred around five aspects of goals for physical touch: promoting physical comfort, promoting emotional comfort, promoting mind-body comfort, performing social role, and sharing spirituality.
Physical touch in caring as a concept having the dimensions of physical, emotional, social, and spiritual significance needs to be treated in a holistic way and it is possible to enrich the meanings and methods of physical touch in nursing so that its application may have effects that have positive impacts on patients' well-being and comfort.
Touch therapy related to Ki, a type of healing touch, has been regarded as one of the distinct therapeutic modalities in traditional oriental medicine. The present study attempted to develop a substantive theory about helping patients using touch therapy related to Ki, by exploring the views of practitioners who are using this therapeutic modality within the context of the Korean society. A grounded theory approach was applied during the collection and analyses of data. The core category, main categories and trajectory of helping patients during the use of touch therapy related to Ki was delineated. Helping patients while using touch therapy related to Ki was found to be a dynamic process with each participant actively engaged in increasing the activating, potential power of the human being. These findings have value in understanding the embedded meaning of the healing process through touch therapy within the context of Ki.
Opioid analgesia alone may not fully relieve all aspects of acute postoperative pain. Complementary medicine techniques used as adjuvant therapies have the potential to improve pain management and palliate postoperative distress.
This prospective randomized clinical trial compared pain relief after major operations in 202 patients who received one of three nursing interventions: massage, focused attention, or routine care. Interventions were performed twice daily starting 24 hours after the operation through postoperative day 7. Perceived pain was measured each morning.
The rate of decline in the unpleasantness of postoperative pain was accelerated by massage (p = 0.05). Massage also accelerated the rate of decline in the intensity of postoperative pain but this effect was not statistically significant. Use of opioid analgesics was not altered significantly by the interventions.
Massage may be a useful adjuvant therapy for the management of acute postoperative pain. Its greatest effect appears to be on the affective component (ie, unpleasantness) of the pain.
to investigate if a complementary therapy, Reiki, has any effect on indices of autonomic nervous system function.
Blind trial.
Quiet room in an out-patient clinic.
Forty-five (45) subjects assigned at random into three groups. Interventions: Three treatment conditions: no treatment (rest only); Reiki treatment by experienced Reiki practitioner; and placebo treatment by a person with no knowledge of Reiki and who mimicked the Reiki treatment.
Quantitative measures of autonomic nervous system function such as heart rate, cardiac vagal tone, blood pressure, cardiac sensitivity to baroreflex, and breathing activity were recorded continuously for each heartbeat. Values during and after the treatment period were compared with baseline data.
Heart rate and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the Reiki group compared to both placebo and control groups.
The study indicates that Reiki has some effect on the autonomic nervous system. However, this was a pilot study with relatively few subjects and the changes were relatively small. The results justify further, larger studies to look at the biological effects of Reiki treatment.
The purpose of this pilot study was to compare reports of pain and levels of state anxiety in 2 groups of women after abdominal hysterectomy. A quasi-experimental design was used in which the experimental group (n = 10) received traditional nursing care plus three 30-minute sessions of Reiki, while the control group (n = 12) received traditional nursing care. The results indicated that the experimental group reported less pain and requested fewer analgesics than the control group. Also, the experimental group reported less state anxiety than the control group on discharge at 72 hours postoperation. The authors recommend replication of this study with a similar population, such as women who require nonemergency cesarian section deliveries.
This empirical study explored the efficacy of using Reiki treatment to improve memory and behavior deficiencies in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer's disease. Reiki is an ancient hands-on healing technique reputedly developed in Tibet 2500 years ago.
This study was a quasi-experimental study comparing pre- and post-test scores of the Annotated Mini-Mental State Examination (AMMSE) and Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist (RMBPC) after four weekly treatments of Reiki to a control group.
The participants were treated at a facility provided by the Pleasant Point Health Center on the Passamaquoddy Indian Reservation.
The sample included 24 participants scoring between 20 and 24 on the AMMSE. Demographic characteristics of the sample included an age range from 60 to 80, with 67% female, 46% American Indian, and the remainder white.
Twelve participants were exposed to 4 weeks of weekly treatments of Reiki from two Reiki Master-level practitioners; 12 participants served as controls and received no treatment.
The two groups were compared on pre- and post-treatment scores on the AMMSE and the Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist (RMBPC).
Results indicated statistically significant increases in mental functioning (as demonstrated by improved scores of the AMMSE) and memory and behavior problems (as measured by the RMBPC) after Reiki treatment. This research adds to a very sparse database from empirical studies on Reiki results.
The results indicate that Reiki treatments show promise for improving certain behavior and memory problems in patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer's disease. Caregivers can administer Reiki at little or no cost, resulting in significant societal value by potentially reducing the needs for medication and hospitalization.
Reiki touch therapy is a complementary biofield energy therapy that involves the use of hands to help strengthen the body's ability to heal. There is growing interest among nurses to use Reiki in patient care and as a self-care treatment, however, with little supportive empirical research and evidence to substantiate these practices. The purpose of this integrative review is to begin the systematic process of evaluating the findings of published Reiki research. Selected investigations using Reiki for effects on stress, relaxation, depression, pain, and wound healing management, among others is reviewed and summarized. A summary of Reiki studies table illustrates the study descriptions and Reiki treatment protocols specified in the investigations. Synthesis of findings for clinical practice and implications for future research are explored.
The aim of this systematic review is to summarise and critically evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of reiki.
We searched the literature using 23 databases from their respective inceptions through to November 2007 (search again 23 January 2008) without language restrictions. Methodological quality was assessed using the Jadad score.
The searches identified 205 potentially relevant studies. Nine randomised clinical trials (RCTs) met our inclusion criteria. Two RCTs suggested beneficial effects of reiki compared with sham control on depression, while one RCT did not report intergroup differences. For pain and anxiety, one RCT showed intergroup differences compared with sham control. For stress and hopelessness a further RCT reported effects of reiki and distant reiki compared with distant sham control. For functional recovery after ischaemic stroke there were no intergroup differences compared with sham. There was also no difference for anxiety between groups of pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis. For diabetic neuropathy there were no effects of reiki on pain. A further RCT failed to show the effects of reiki for anxiety and depression in women undergoing breast biopsy compared with conventional care.
In total, the trial data for any one condition are scarce and independent replications are not available for each condition. Most trials suffered from methodological flaws such as small sample size, inadequate study design and poor reporting.
In conclusion, the evidence is insufficient to suggest that reiki is an effective treatment for any condition. Therefore the value of reiki remains unproven.
This trial compared pain, quality of life, and analgesic use in a sample of patients with cancer pain (n=24) who received either standard opioid management plus rest (Arm A) or standard opioid management plus Reiki (Arm B). Participants either rested for 1.5 hr on Days 1 and 4 or received two Reiki treatments (Days 1 and 4) one hour after their first afternoon analgesic dose. Visual analogue scale (VAS) pain ratings, blood pressure, heart rate, and respirations were obtained before and after each treatment/rest period. Analgesic use and VAS pain scores were reported for 7 days. Quality of life was assessed on Days 1 and 7. Participants in Arm B experienced improved pain control on Days 1 and 4 following treatment, compared to Arm A, and improved quality of life, but no overall reduction in opioid use. Future research will determine the extent to which the benefits attributed to Reiki in this study may have been due to touch.
Oncology nurses and their patients are frequently on the cutting edge of new therapies and interventions that support coping, health, and healing. Reiki is a practice that is requested with increasing frequency, is easy to learn, does not require expensive equipment, and in preliminary research, elicits a relaxation response and helps patients to feel more peaceful and experience less pain. Those who practice Reiki report that it supports them in self-care and a healthy lifestyle. This article will describe the process of Reiki, review current literature, present vignettes of patient responses to the intervention, and make recommendations for future study.
- K Maclellan
MacLellan K. Management of Pain. Chellenham, UK: Nelson Thornes
Ltd; 2006.
Dogum ve Kadın Saglıgı Hemşireligi Kitabı. Baskı, Ankara: Sistem Ofset Matbaacılık
- L Taşkın
Taşkın L. Dogum ve Kadın Saglıgı Hemşireligi Kitabı. Baskı, Ankara:
Sistem Ofset Matbaacılık; 2007.