Reiki is a type of energy healing and is a complementary therapy, meaning it can be used alongside traditional medications and treatments. It aims to relax you, ease stress and tension and help with well being. Reiki is commonly used in hospitals and hospices through out the world and is sometimes used as a palliative or supportive therapy for people with cancer. You can read what Cancer Research UK says about the use of Reiki below:
Lets get the first thing out of the way – There is currently no scientific evidence that reiki can help prevent, treat or cure cancer. So why do people with cancer sometimes choose to include Reiki sessions alongside their traditional treatment as a complementary therapy?
Some patients say they feel more relaxed after using therapies such as reiki which aim to :
- help you to feel deeply relaxed
- help you cope with difficult situations
- relieve emotional stress and tension
- help to improve wellbeing
Most doctors agree that treatment is at its best when aimed at ‘the whole’ person and managing stress is an important part of a full patient care plan. Whilst there is no scientific evidence that reiki can help prevent, treat or cure cancer there is evidence that it may be one way of helping to reduce anxiety and stress. Below is what the National Cancer Institute says in relation to stress and cancer:
- “People who have a serious medical condition may find the physical, emotional, and social effects of the disease to be stressful. Those who attempt to manage their stress with risky behaviours such as smoking or drinking alcohol or who become more sedentary may have a poorer quality of life after serious medical treatment. In contrast, people who are able to use effective coping strategies to deal with stress, such as relaxation and stress management techniques, have been shown to have lower levels of depression, anxiety, and symptoms related to the cancer and its treatment. ” https://www.cancer.gov/research/participate/clinical-trials-search/v?id=NCI-2023-08600
- Reiki for carers
- A small 2021 study concluded that :
Reiki reduces the stress levels of caregivers, is effective in regulating blood pressure and pulse rate, does not cause a significant change on saliva cortisol level, and provides relief to caregivers. You can find more on this study at : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33675935/
- Reiki for anxiety and pain control
- In 2014, a literature review looked at whether reiki could help with pain and anxiety. The authors reviewed information from various studies that had used reiki on people with cancer and people without cancer.
- Some of the people had recently had surgery so they wanted to see if reiki could help with pain after surgery. Others were about to have a breast biopsy and were feeling anxious. They found that after reiki, women having a breast biopsy had a reduction in their anxiety. And patients who had recently had surgery reported a decrease in their pain.
- There were only a small number of studies (7 studies in total) and the authors concluded that reiki may be helpful for pain and anxiety. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/reiki
Whether you choose to use Reiki as a complimentary therapy alongside traditional medical treatments or simply want to find an alternative way of coping with everyday stress, You can find a Qualified Reiki practitioner on the website below. The CNHC is the holder of an Accredited Register by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, an independent body, accountable to the UK Parliament. https://www.cnhc.org.uk/#gsc.tab=0
