Did You Know…that Reiki provides relief from chronic pain caused by various ailments?
Reiki is an ancient Japanese energy-based touch therapy that dates back thousands of years to the Tibetan Sutras. It reemerged in the 1800s thanks to the efforts of Dr. Mikao Usui, a Japanese monk.
In last 10 years, reiki has been a go-to healing aid among nurses, physicians, and rehabilitation therapists. Clinical observations suggest that Reiki helps alleviate both chronic and acute pain. It also imparts relaxation and stress management benefits.
What in the World Is Reiki?
Reiki is the Japanese word for “universal life energy,” or the “chi” that makes up and flows through all the life forms on this planet. Reiki practitioners focus on the 7 chakras, or energy centers, that comprise the human body. If your chakras are blocked, then your life energy cannot flow free. Pain and disease ensues.
Therapists use a combination of light and no-touch therapies to direct healing energy from their hands to the patient’s body. The aim is to increase energy flow, relax muscles, and release any blocked or stagnant energy. Reiki is believed to alleviate tension and pain, while freeing the patient of emotional pain and stressors that may be contributing to physical discomfort.
Does It Work?
Reiki is categorized as a “biofield” therapy, an alternative medicine that works with the energy fields in and surrounding the body.
According to a recent review of 66 clinical trials on biofield therapies published in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine…
Strong evidence shows that healing modalities such as Reiki can
decrease the intensity of pain in general.
Moderate evidence shows that they can decrease the
intensity of pain for hospitalized patients, such as those with cancer.
Other studies show that Reiki reduces anxiety and pain during colonoscopies and abdominal hysterectomies, and lowered fatigue, anxiety, and pain in cancer patients.
While reiki may not always be able to eliminate the pain completely, it certainly contributes to a better quality of life. For instance, senior citizens undergoing Reiki therapy reported decreased pain, anxiety, and depression.
According to Anthony H. Wheeler, a pain and orthopedic neurology specialist, 80% of Americans suffer from lower back pain at some point. Reiki offers relief from lower back pain by going beyond site-specific treatment and rebalancing the energy flow throughout the body. It also helps calm the stress and emotions that cause the body to tense up and contribute to lower back pain.
All in all, Reiki is a viable treatment for pain, especially for individuals in extreme pain who may not be able to tolerate touch.
Finding a Reiki Practitioner
The U.S. standards for Reiki practitioners are pretty lax, so experts advise selecting a therapist based on referrals, experience, and training credentials.
