Reiki and research
Interest in Reiki has increased, and with it also research into the benefits of using it. On this page you will find links to some articles and sources that can shed light on the benefits of using Reiki.
Reiki for patients with rheumatic pain
En forundersøkelse viser at Reiki kan hjelpe personer med revmatiske smerter. Smerter og betennelser avtok, søvn og livskvalitet ble bedre.
I en ny studie (fra Minnesota, USA) hadde 13 personer med revmatiske smerter kraftig redusert, i noen helt eliminert, symptomene. De kroniske smertene avtok. Leddbetennelse avtok. Angsten ble redusert. Søvnen ble bedre og livsenergien økte. Generelt var livskvaliteten betydelig forbedret.
Rapporten peker på at Reiki kan bidra til bedre velvære og livskvalitet hos pasienter med revmatiske smerter.
Denne studien bør imidlertid sees på som en forstudie. For det første er det få deltakere (kun 13) og et vilkårlig antall økter. Det kan også være en forventningseffekt i resultatene da pasientene selv hadde valgt Reiki som metode. Interessant er det uansett, selv om det trengs mer forskning på akkurat dette området.
Artikkelen vi tok utgangspunkt i er: Forventninger og utfall av å velge reiki for revmatoid artritt
Jimenez, T. Walden University, 2021
Link til artikkelen: Expectations and Outcomes of Choosing Reiki for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Kilde Reikiforbundet Sverige
Touch provides some pain relief
Oppsummering av artikkel fra Cochrane Library
Smerte er et globalt og vanlig helseproblem som rammer mange pasienter og deres familier. Noen sykehus, i for eksempel USA, tilbyr berøringsterapi som en del av behandlingen til pasienter med smerter.
Resultatene fra forskningen er ikke entydig, men det finnes noe støtte for at berøringsterapier hjelper. Berøringsterapier («Healing Touch», «Theraputic Touch» og «Reiki») kan redusere smerter hos barn og voksne. Studiene hvor terapeutene var mest erfarne viste best effekt. Det er også mulig at terapeuter som brukte Reiki ga best effekt. Om mer erfarne terapeuter og spesiell type berøringsterapi gir bedre smertelindrende effekt må likevel utdypes mer.
Studiene var små og det trengs mer forskning, særlig når det gjelder effekten på barn. Det ble ikke dokumentert noen bivirkninger.
Resultatene baserer seg på 24 studier med totalt 1153 pasienter. Forfatterne søkte etter studier fram til juni 2008.
Kilde Sykepleien.no
So PS et al. Touch therapies for pain relief in adults. Cochrane Database of Systeamtic Reviews 2008, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD006535. DOI: 10.1002/14651858. CD006535.pub2.
The application of Reiki in nurses diagnosed with Burnout Syndrome has beneficial effects on concentration of salivary IgA and blood pressure
This study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of the secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), α-amylase activity and blood pressure levels after the application of a Reiki session in nurses with Burnout Syndrome. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design was conducted to compare the immediate effects of Reiki versus control intervention (Hand-off sham intervention) in nurses with Burnout Syndrome.
Link
The effects of Reiki therapy on pain and anxiety in patients attending a day oncology and infusion services unit
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.
Autonomic nervous system changes during Reiki treatment: a preliminary study
Objectives: to investigate if a complementary therapy, Reiki, has any effect on indices of autonomic nervous system function.
Design: Blind trial.
Results: Heart rate and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the Reiki group compared to both placebo and control groups.
Link
Pilot crossover trial of Reiki versus rest for treating cancer-related fatigue
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. Link
In vitro effect of Reiki treatment on bacterial cultures: Role of experimental context and practitioner well-being
Objective: To measure effects of Reiki treatments on growth of heat-shocked bacteria, and to determine the influence of healing context and practitioner well-being.
Methods: Overnight cultures of Escherichia coli K12 in fresh medium were used. Culture samples were paired with controls to minimize any ordering effects. Samples were heat-shocked prior to Reiki treatment, which was performed by Reiki practitioners for up to 15 minutes, with untreated controls. Plate-count assay using an automated colony counter determined the number of viable bacteria.
Biological correlates of Reiki Touch(sm) 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. Link
Reiki improves heart rate homeostasis in laboratory rats
Objectives: To determine whether application of Reiki to noise-stressed rats can reduce their heart rates (HRs) and blood pressures.
Rationale: In a previous study, we showed that exposure of rats to 90 dB white noise for 15 minutes caused their HRs and blood pressures to significantly increase. Reiki has been shown to significantly decrease HR and blood pressure in a small group of healthy human subjects.
Link
