Reiki for Relaxation and Pain Relief
April 1, 2003 10 minutes read
Reiki for Relaxation and Pain Relief
By Dónal P. O’Mathúna, PhD
The term "reiki" (pronounced "ray-key") comes from two Japanese words, rei, meaning universal spirit, and ki, meaning life energy.1 Other therapies based on the existence of such non-physical life energy (or auras) include Therapeutic Touch (the energy being called prana) and the traditional Chinese medical interpretation of acupuncture (based on chi). Interest in Reiki has been growing, leading some to use it within conventional healthcare settings.2 Healthcare professionals should have some information about Reiki to help answer patients’ questions regarding the therapy, and to use in deciding whether to incorporate it into their practices and institutions.
Common Usage
Reiki is an alternative manual healing therapy that is reported to be growing in popularity among clinicians.1 Numerous hospitals and health care agencies have conducted Reiki in-services.3 Most commonly, Reiki is used to promote healing, wholeness, and enlightenment. One New England hospital offers Reiki to all preoperative patients (except those of one dissenting physician) to promote relaxation and general well-being.2 However, other proponents claim Reiki can be used for many other conditions, such as "treating heart attacks, emphysema, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, prostate problems, hiccups, nosebleeds, accidents, and emotional and mental problems."4 The difficulty in evaluating these claims is that very little controlled research has been conducted on Reiki.1
Historical Background
Reiki is an ancient healing practice, believed to have originated thousands of years ago in Tibet.1 It had fallen out of use until being rediscovered in Japan by a Buddhist monk, Mikao Usui, during the mid-1800s. Reiki is still practiced according to the "Usui System," although many variations of the practice exist. Usui allegedly earned a theology doctorate from the University of Chicago and claimed to be principal of Doshisha University in Japan. No records exist of his involvement in any capacity with either university.5
Usui entered a Buddhist monastery searching for insight into healing. Reiki was revealed to Usui during a spiritual experience on a Japanese mountaintop after fasting for 21 days.5 One of his disciples trained Mrs. Hawayo Takata, who introduced Reiki to the Western world around 1940. Only Mrs. Takata was allowed to teach Reiki in the West until 1975. Since then, knowledge and practice of Reiki has grown substantially.4
Mechanism of Action
Reiki is based on the belief that all life depends on a universal, non-physical energy. Health requires a sustained and balanced flow of this energy throughout the body. Disturbances result in physical, emotional, or mental problems. Reiki allegedly corrects life energy imbalances and blockages, making people aware of the life energy flowing through them. The following description from one of Mrs. Tanaka’s disciplines is typical: "Reiki is a natural consciousness-expanding technique that will put you in touch with your real self—with your own eternal being."4
During Reiki, people report a variety of experiences described in qualitative research as "liminal."6 By this is meant various altered states of consciousness, paradoxical sensations (such as simultaneously feeling heavy and weightless), disorientation to time, and sensations of energy. The latter descriptions of people’s experiences with Reiki point to a controversy surrounding its practice. The researchers noted that, "Liminal states of consciousness¼are frequently associated with profound religious experience and have been linked to ritual healing practices across cultures."6
Such experiences, coupled with the therapy’s origins, have raised concerns that Reiki may be more like a religious practice than a healing therapy. Some descriptions sound like those of religious practices, such as the International Center for Reiki Training: "It is the God-consciousness called Rei that guides the life force called Ki in the practice we call Reiki. Therefore, Reiki can be defined as spiritually guided life force energy."7 In contrast, others practitioners claim, "Reiki is not a religion or cult. It is considered a natural spiritual discipline with intrinsic elements of respect, harmony, and compassion."1 Many descriptions generate further confusion by failing to clarify central terms, such as "natural spiritual discipline" in the above statement.
Procedure
When receiving Reiki, a person relaxes in any position. Practitioners gently rest their hands in specific ways on approximately 12 standard sites throughout the body, which vary among practitioners. Reiki practitioners begin with the head and spend a few minutes at each site, with a complete session taking 60 to 90 minutes. Eventually, practitioners may expand the therapy beyond the standard 12 sites.
More advanced practitioners claim to be as effective when physically absent from patients, simply visualizing their hand movements with patients (called distance healing). Practitioners are believed to act as passive channels for the life energy, which comes from a universal source. Practitioners do not direct the energy, which guides itself solely to where it is needed.1
Practitioner Training
Reiki training involves opening trainees’ life energy channels (or chakras) in special training sessions called "attunements." Only Reiki Masters (or Level III practitioners) may perform attunements which are described as "sacred ceremonies."1,3,5,8 The Master makes special hand movements around the trainee to open the energy channels. Trainees’ hands become warm, signaling they are ready to channel life energy as Level I practitioners.
After some experience, Reiki Level II can be attained with another attunement when the practitioner "intuitively" receives special symbols, believed to be healing gifts from personal spiritual beings called spirit guides.5,9 The symbols increase the practitioner’s healing powers. Practitioners draw the symbols on patients’ bodies, or visualize them, while silently chanting the symbol’s name. Level II must be attained before Reiki distance healing is possible.4,5 Becoming a Reiki Master requires another attunement during which additional symbols are received for use in initiating other trainees into Level I.
Clinical Studies
A thorough search of conventional and complementary therapy databases produced a small number of clinical trials of Reiki, with their references leading to others. Two studies hypothesized that Reiki would change the blood’s oxygen-carrying capability as reflected by hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.10,11 Two others measured subjects’ anxiety levels using physiological measurements.6,12 All of these studies found significant differences between the measurements made before and after Reiki. However, control groups were not used so that cause of the changes cannot be attributed to Reiki itself or to some other general component of the healing session.
A similarly uncontrolled pilot project used Reiki with 20 subjects experiencing moderate pain at 55 sites for a variety of reasons.13 Subjects used various pharmaceutical and alternative pain-reducing therapies concurrently. Reiki was administered in a dimly lit room accompanied by burning candles and soft music. Pain scores were significantly lower after therapy compared to immediately before therapy (2.25 reduction on a visual analogue scale; 1.25 reduction on a Likert scale; P < 0.0001).
Five controlled clinical trials were obtained, although some of these tested Reiki along with other complementary therapies making it difficult to draw conclusions regarding Reiki alone. One study reported faster wound healing in the control group compared to subjects receiving a combination of Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Intercessory Prayer, and LeShan (a distance healing technique said to raise people’s conscious awareness of healing processes).14 All subjects received 4 mm skin biopsy wounds and after 10 days, one of the 15 treated wounds was fully healed, compared to seven of the 15 untreated wounds.
Two controlled studies failed to support claims that Reiki induces relaxation. The first monitored skin resistance response (SRR) as a measure of relaxation.9 Three Reiki practitioners treated 15 healthy subjects recruited from relaxation courses at the researchers’ institution. Distance Reiki was where practitioners attempted to either induce relaxation or arouse subjects’ autonomic activity for 30-second intervals in a randomly determined sequence (25 minutes altogether). SRR changes during relaxation or arousal intervals did not differ significantly. In the other study, nursing students received either hands-on Reiki (n = 22) or mimic-Reiki (n = 20).15 No significant differences were found for perceptions of anxiety, personal power, or well-being using two questionnaire instruments.
One controlled clinical study examined Reiki’s pain-relieving effects. Impacted third molars were extracted from 21 patients in a randomized, double-blind, within-subject crossover study.16 Subjects had a lower third molar removed and two weeks later crossed over to the other group for the removal of their second lower third molar. Subjects took 1,000 mg acetaminophen orally at 3, 6, and 9 hours postoperatively. Practitioners were "several" miles away and commenced either Reiki or LeShan treatments at hour 3, alternating hourly for six hours. Subjects evaluated their pain intensity hourly from hour 3 to 9 while at home, unsupervised. The treatment group had significantly lower pain intensity and significantly higher pain relief at hours 4-7 (P < 0.05) and hours 8 and 9 (P < 0.01).
Adverse Effects
Proponents claim Reiki cannot cause harm as the energy adjusts itself to provide only the needed effects. No patient adverse effects have been reported in studies. An Australian nursing journal printed a letter claiming Reiki training caused a nurse much anxiety and discomfort.17 A storm of controversy erupted subsequently, with some nurses reporting similar negative effects and others defending Reiki as completely harmless.18 However, caution should be exercised given the types of experiences reported by people receiving Reiki.6 Such changes in states of consciousness and time perceptions have led to psychological problems in people receiving other complementary therapies.19
Conclusion
The few Reiki studies have diverse designs and often include other therapies. Confounding factors could account for the improvements found. The authors of one Reiki study concluded: "Despite the growing interest in Reiki, no strong evidence is yet available regarding its effectiveness."8
Recommendation
Reiki’s growing popularity probably reflects the importance of meaningful, personal interactions between healthcare providers and patients. Controversy regarding Reiki’s spiritual roots, and the secrecy associated with many aspects of Reiki, require particular caution before suggesting Reiki to patients. Before patients agree to receive this therapy, they should be informed of the lack of supportive evidence and the controversy surrounding its spiritual roots. This information is essential so that patients can make informed decisions as to whether the practice is in keeping with their spiritual beliefs.
References
1. Nield-Anderson L, Ameling A. Reiki. A complementary therapy for nursing practice. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv 2001;39:42-49.
2. Alandydy P, Alandydy K. Using Reiki to support surgical patients. J Nurs Care Qual 1999;13:89-91.
3. Barnett L, Chambers M. Reiki Energy Medicine: Bringing Healing Touch into Home, Hospital, and Hospice. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press; 1996.
4. Ray B. The Reiki’ Factor: A Guide to the Authentic Usui System. St. Petersburg, FL: Radiance; 1988.
5. Stein D. Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art. Freedom, CA: Crossing Press; 1995.
6. Engebretson J, Wardell D. Experience of a Reiki session. Altern Ther Health Med 2002;8:48-53.
7. International Center for Reiki Training. Available at: www.reiki.org/FAQ/WhatIsReiki.html. Accessed Oct. 1, 1999.
8. Mansour AA, et al. A study to test the effectiveness of placebo Reiki standardization procedures developed for a planned Reiki efficacy study. J Altern Complement Med 1999;5:153-164.
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13. Olson K, Hanson J. Using Reiki to manage pain: A preliminary report. Cancer Prev Control 1997;1: 108-113.
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15. Thornton LM. A study of Reiki, an energy field treatment, using Rogers’ science. Rogerian Nurs Sci News 1996;8:14-15.
16. Wirth DP, et al. The effect of complementary healing therapy on postoperative pain after surgical removal of impacted third molar teeth. Complement Ther Med 1993;1:133-138.
17. Anonymous. A warning about Reiki healing. Aust Nurs J 1994;1:4.
18. Tattam A. Reiki—healing and dealing. Aust Nurs J 1994;2:3,52.
19. O’Mathúna DP. Therapeutic Touch: What could be the harm? Sci Rev Altern Med 1998;2:56-62.
O'Mathuna DP. Reiki for relaxation and pain relief. Altern Ther Women's Health 2003;5(4):29-31.You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
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