The Effect of Reiki on Pain, Functional Status, and Holistic Well-Being in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative joint disease that causes pain and adversely affects functional status and holistic well-being. This randomized controlled trial investigated the effect of Reiki on pain, functional status, and holistic well-being in patients with knee OA. The sample consisted of 42 patients. The control group received standardized treatment only, whereas the intervention group received face-to-face Reiki (nine positions; 39 minutes) and distance Reiki on two consecutive days in addition to standardized treatment. The Reiki group had lower pain scores than the control group as measured by the Visual Analog Scale (p < .001) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index pain score (p < .001). Those participating in the Reiki group had improved holistic well-being scores specifically for the subscales of Sadness, Perception of Sadness, Spiritual Disruption, Cognitive Awareness, and General mood. Reiki is a safe, noninvasive, and cost-effective alternative treatment technique that has the potential to reduce symptoms of pain and improve holistic well-being in patients with knee OA.

Biofield therapies: Guidelines for reporting clinical trials.

A set of guidelines has been developed to help improve reporting of clinical trials of biofield therapies. The need for enhanced transparency when reporting trials of this family of integrative health practices, e.g., External Qigong, Healing Touch, Reiki and Therapeutic Touch, has been advocated in systematic reviews of these studies. The guidelines, called Biofield Therapies: Reporting Evidence Guidelines (BiFi REGs), supplement CONSORT 2010 by including details of the intervention protocols relevant to biofield therapy trials. BiFi REGs evolved through a draft document created by a core group, two rounds of a Delphi process with an international group of subject matter experts and two panels, meeting via Zoom, which included editors of complementary and integrative medicine journals. BiFi REGs comprises a 15-item Intervention checklist. Modifications of two other CONSORT topic areas are also proposed to enhance their relevance to trials of biofield therapies. Included for each item are an explanation, and exemplars of reporting from peer-reviewed published reports of biofield therapy trials. When used in conjunction with all other items from CONSORT 2010, we anticipate that BiFi REGs will expedite the peer review process for biofield therapy trials, facilitate attempts at trial replication and help to inform decision-making in the clinical practice of biofield therapies.

Biofield Therapies: Guidelines for Reporting Clinical Trials.

Highlights Guidelines have been created to improve the reporting of clinical trials of biofield therapies, e.g. External Qigong, Healing Touch, Reiki, and Therapeutic Touch. Appropriate use of these guidelines is likely to strengthen the evidence base for biofield therapies as well as increase their usage as stand-alone practices and as complementary therapies within mainstream healthcare.

The effect of therapeutic touch on sleep quality and fatigue in menopausal women.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The management of well-known and common complaints such as insomnia and fatigue experienced in the menopausal period has the potential to affect many aspects of life in women during this period positively. This research was carried out to determine the effect of therapeutic touch on sleep quality and fatigue in menopausal women. METHODS: This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted with 48 (24 in the intervention group and 24 in the control group) women who sought treatment in the gynecological outpatient clinic of a public hospital. According to the study procedure, while the intervention group received therapeutic touch, the control group received SHAM therapeutic touch for 10 min a day for five consecutive days. Data were collected through the Personal Information Form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Piper Fatigue Scale. RESULTS: The median post-test total sleep quality score was significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group (p=0.010). However, the mean total fatigue scores did not differ significantly between the groups (p=0.917). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed that therapeutic touch was effective in improving sleep quality, but it did not affect fatigue in menopausal women.

Configuring the Professional Touch in Physical Examinations in Chinese Outpatient Clinical Interaction: Talk, Touch, Professional Vision, and Intersubjectivity.

Touch is a fundamental resource mobilized by clinicians in physical examinations in outpatient clinical consultations. However, few studies have been conducted to explore the sequential organization of touch in the interactional process of physical examinations where clinicians' touch is launched and responded to in Chinese medical settings. Based on a collection of video recordings of naturally occurring clinician-patient interaction in an orthopedic outpatient clinic in China, we observed four types of clinicians' touch in the physical examination framework: the guiding touch, the diagnostic touch, the demonstrative touch, and the therapeutic touch. Together with clinical expertise, the sensorial knowledge obtained through touch enables clinicians to professionally evaluate patients' physical conditions and diagnose their illnesses. We also demonstrated that patients do not merely put themselves into clinicians' hands as clinical objects for inspection and defer to clinicians' medical authority. Instead, they actively and agentively participate in physical examinations to jointly accomplish social actions and activities through the temporal and sequential mobilization of their multimodal resources. This study not only adds to an emerging body of research on touch in medical settings but also sheds some light on the understanding of the clinician-patient interaction in Chinese outpatient clinics.

The Effect of Reiki Intervention on Fatigue and Anxiety in Hemodialysis Patients: A Randomized Controlled Study.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of Reiki on fatigue and anxiety in hemodialysis patients. This study was designed as a randomized controlled study. The population of the study consisted of hemodialysis patients at the hemodialysis clinic of Siirt State Hospital, Turkey, between January and August 2021. The patients were divided into 2 groups: Reiki and control, with 30 patients in each group. The patients in the Reiki group underwent their respective interventions once a day for 4 consecutive weeks (30-35 minutes). The intervention of Reiki reduced fatigue and anxiety in the hemodialysis patients.

The Effect of Reiki and Aromatherapy on Vital Signs, Oxygen Saturation, and Anxiety Level in Patients Undergoing Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A Randomized Controlled Study.

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.

Effects of Reiki on the Perception of Quality of Life Determined by the Questionnaire WHOQOL-BREF.

Reiki is a philosophy and healing technique that directs the use of vital energy (ki) for energy rebalance, as well as healing, in a holistic sense, of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual processes. The practice is part of the integrative and complementary practices recognized by the World Health Organization. This study aimed to evaluate the Reiki effects on people's life quality perception, by using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). We analyzed the answers of 144 individuals, and the data were categorized in quartiles according to the number of Reiki sessions attended. The results of each question and dimension of the questionnaire were analyzed by Student's t test (individual questions) and analysis of variance (dimensions). We observed significant improvement in the perception of physical pain, need for medical treatment, meaning of life, physical environment, availability of money, availability of information, locomotion, work capacity, access to health, place of residence, and transportation facilities. Reiki sessions have improved people's quality of life perception in many aspects, proving its therapeutic efficacy in a broader approach to health promotion.

The effects of therapeutic touch and music on sleep quality, menopausal symptoms, and quality of life in menopausal women.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the effects of therapeutic touch (TT) and music on sleep quality, menopausal symptoms, and quality of life in menopausal women. METHODS: This study was carried out in an experimental model with a pretest, a posttest, and a control group. The study was completed with a total of 108 menopausal women in the TT, music, and control groups. Data were collected using a Participant Information Form, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Menopause Rating Scale, and the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Scale. TT was applied in the TT group once a week for 4 weeks, and the music group was asked to listen to music for 30 minutes before bedtime every day for 4 weeks. Posttest data were collected in all groups 4 weeks after the pretest. The χ 2 , analysis of covariance, post hoc tests, and partial η2 methods were used to analyze the collected data. RESULTS: When the effect of the pretest scores was adjusted, compared with the control group, there were statistically significant differences in the posttest scores of the participants in both the TT and music groups in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index dimensions of subjective sleep quality ( P < 0.001), sleep latency ( P ≤ 0.001), and sleep disturbances ( P < 0.05). When the effect of the pretest scores was adjusted, compared with the control group, there were statistically significant differences in the posttest scores of the participants in both the TT and music groups in the Menopause Rating Scale and Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Scale ( P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: It was concluded that TT and music increased sleep quality (subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, and sleep disturbances) and quality of life and reduced menopausal symptoms.

The Effect of Reiki on Pain Applied to Patients With Cancer: A Systematic Review.

Pain, the most common and major source of fear in patients with cancer, reduces the quality of life. This systematic review was conducted to determine the effect of Reiki on pain applied to patients with cancer. The creation of a systematic review protocol and the writing of the article were based on the PRISMA-P (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols) criteria. The literature review was carried out in PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases. Seven experimental and quasi-experimental studies met the inclusion criteria, and a total of 572 patients with cancer with sample sizes ranging from 18 to 180 were included. In-person Reiki was applied in 6 of the studies included in the systematic review, while in one of them, distance Reiki was applied. Although Reiki was found to reduce pain in 5 studies included in the review, it was determined that it was not effective on pain in 2 studies. A limited number of studies show that Reiki applied to patients with cancer has a positive effect on pain. It is recommended to conduct more randomized controlled trials with a high methodological quality that examine the effectiveness of Reiki application for patients with cancer.

Deep Pressure Therapy: A Promising Anxiety Treatment for Individuals With High Touch Comfort?

One method for managing anxiety, a highly prevalent modern mental health condition, is the calming touch sensations of deep pressure therapy (DPT). Solutions for administering DPT include the Automatic Inflatable DPT (AID) Vest, which we designed in past work. Although benefits of DPT are clear in a subset of the related literature, these benefits are not ubiquitous. There is limited understanding of what factors lead to DPT success for a given user. In this work, we present the findings of a user study ( N = 25) that evaluates the effects of the AID Vest on anxiety. We compared physiological and self-reported measures of anxiety across Active (inflating) and Control (inactive) states of the AID Vest. In addition, we considered the presence of placebo effects and assessed participant comfort with social touch as a potential moderator. The results support our ability to reliably induce anxiety, and show that the Active AID Vest tended to reduce biosignals related to anxiety. We also found a significant relationship between comfort with social touch and reductions in self-reported state anxiety for the Active condition. Those who seek to successfully deploy DPT can benefit from this work.

Evaluation of the Impacts of Reiki Touch Therapy on Patients Diagnosed With Fibromyalgia Who Are Followed in the Pain Clinic.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of Reiki application on pain, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. The study was completed with a total of 50 patients: 25 in the experimental group and 25 in the control group. Reiki was applied to the experimental group and sham Reiki to the control group once a week for 4 weeks. Data were collected from the participants using the Information Form, Visual Analog Scale, McGill-Melzack Pain Questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Short Form-36. There was a significant difference between the mean Visual Analog Scale pain scores during and before the first week (P = .012), second week (P = .002), and fourth week (P = .020) measurements of the individuals in the experimental and control groups, after application. In addition, at the end of the 4-week period, the State Anxiety Inventory (P = .005) and the Trait Anxiety Inventory (P = .003) were significantly decreased in the Reiki group compared with the control group. Physical function (P = .000), energy (P = .009), mental health (P = .018), and pain (P = .029) subdimension scores of quality of life in the Reiki group increased significantly compared with the control group. Reiki application to patients with fibromyalgia may have positive effects on reducing pain, improving quality of life, and reducing state and trait anxiety levels.

Programa "Naru": Efeito de um Programa de Promoção do Bem-estar Socioemocional nos Estudantes de Licenciatura em Enfermagem / "Naru" Program: Effect of a Program to Promote Socio-emotional Well-being in Undergraduate Nursing Students

Introdução e objetivos: A transição para o ensino superior é uma das fases de vida mais impactantes que um jovem pode viver, não só pelas tarefas desenvolvimentais próprias da mesma, como pelos múltiplos desafios que lhes são colocados, deixando-o exposto a vários riscos com consequente repercussão no seu bem-estar socioemocional. Neste sentido, propôs-se avaliar o efeito de um programa de promoção do bem-estar socioemocional dirigidos aos estudantes do primeiro ano do Curso de Licenciatura em Enfermagem baseado nos princípios e técnicas meditativas do Reiki (Programa ?Naru?). Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo, com um desenho quasi-experimental, com pré-teste e pós-teste, em grupo único. Utilizaram-se para constituição da amostra os instrumentos: ansiedade - Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (Sousa et al., 2015); depressão - Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (Monteiro et al., 2019). Para avaliação do programa: bem-estar - Escala de Medida de Manifestação de Bem-Estar Psicológico (Monteiro et al., 2012); Sofrimento psicológico - Escalas de Ansiedade, Depressão e Stresse (Pais-Ribeiro et al., 2004). Resultados: Foi estudada uma amostra de 12 estudantes. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram relativamente ao sofrimento psicológico que sofrimento global (p=0,003), o stresse (p=0,002), a ansiedade (p=0,008) e a depressão (p=0,003) diminuíram após a participação do programa. Relativamente ao bem-estar, após a intervenção constatou-se um aumento do bem-estar psicológico (p=0,004), nas suas dimensões do equilíbrio (p=0,003), da sociabilidade (p=0,012) e da felicidade (p=0,002). Não houve influência na subescala de controlo de si e dos acontecimentos. Não se procedeu à análise duas subdimensões (envolvimento social e na autoestima) por se terem obtidos valores negativos na consistência interna. Isto pode ser explicado por múltiplos fatores, entre os quais a ausência de variabilidade de resposta em alguns itens e pelo tamanho da dimensão amostral. Conclusão: Demonstrou-se que o Programa ?Naru? ajudou a promover o bem-estar socioemocional dos estudantes de enfermagem. Há necessidade de realizar mais estudos que permitam a validação do Programa ?Naru?.

The effect of Reiki on fatigue and comfort in hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: This prospective, single-blind, randomized parallel controlled study was conducted to determine the effects of distant Reiki on the fatigue and comfort levels of patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) treatment. METHODS: The study was conducted in a private dialysis center located in one of the metropolises of Turkey between October 2020 and September 2021. Sixty-two patients receiving HD treatment were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 31) and control (n = 31) groups. Distant Reiki was administered to the patients in the intervention group three times a week for four weeks. Distant Reiki sessions were held the night before the patient's hemodialysis day and lasted approximately 36-40 min. The patients in the control group were administered routine treatment under the institutional policy without any further intervention. Data were collected using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ). Measurements were performed before Reiki was applied, after Reiki was applied (the first day after the 12th session), and four weeks after the last measurement in order to assess whether Reiki has a long-term effect. The data obtained were assessed using Shapiro Wilk, Repeated Measures, Student's t, Pearson chi-square, Likelihood Ratio chi-square, and Fisher Exact chi-square tests. RESULTS: The patients in the intervention and control groups were statistically similar in terms of their descriptive characteristics (p>0.05). The intervention group's fatigue score decreased from 5.42 (SD=1.20) to 3.44 (SD=1.00) immediately after the intervention and 3.21 (SD=0.86) four weeks after the intervention. In the control group, these values were 4.50 (SD=1.29), 4.70 (SD=1.22), and 4.65 (SD=1.02), respectively (p<0.05). The general comfort total score of the intervention group increased from 2.86 (SD=0.30) to 3.03 (SD=0.20) immediately after the intervention and 2.98 (SD=0.22) four weeks after the intervention. In the control group, these values were 2.71 (SD=0.33), 2.63 (SD=0.23), and 2.59 (SD=0.30), respectively (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: This research has shown that distant Reiki, as one of the non-pharmacological methods, positively affects the fatigue severity and comfort level of patients receiving HD treatment.

Healing Touch: A Strategy for Acute Care Nurses' Stress Reduction.

The purpose of the study is to determine whether administering healing touch (HT) is more effective than deep breathing (DB) for reducing acute care nurses' stress during a shift. A randomized cluster trial assessed 150 nurses' vital signs and Visual Analog Scale for Stress (VASS) levels pre, post, and at follow-up to achieve a power of .7 and medium affect size. Open-ended questions following the intervention enriched quantitative findings describing the experience, facilitators, and barriers to potential use in nursing. The generalized estimating equation 1 (GEE1) comparisons of mean change over time, found that nurses in the HT intervention, had significantly lower VASS stress scores at posttreatment (-0.95, p = .0002) and at follow-up (-0.73, p = .0144) than the DB group, and the respiratory rate (RR) rate differences were nearly significant at post-intervention and significant at follow-up, respectively (1.36, p = .0568 and -2.28, p = .0011), indicating lower RR after HT. These findings support the use of HT as an effective stress reduction strategy as a relevant strategy to sustain a viable nurse work force post-COVID-19.

The effects of Reiki and hand massage on pain and fatigue in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

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.

The Effect of Reiki on Anxiety, Stress, and Comfort Levels Before Gastrointestinal Endoscopy: A Randomized Sham-Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: This study's aim is to determine the effect of Reiki when applied before upper gastrointestinal endoscopy on levels of anxiety, stress, and comfort. DESIGN: This single-blind, a pretest and post-test design, randomized, sham-controlled study was held between February and July 2021. METHODS: Patients who met the inclusion criteria were separated by randomization into three groups: Reiki, sham Reiki, and control. A total of 159 patients participated in the study. In the intervention groups (Reiki and sham Reiki), Reiki and sham Reiki were applied once for approximately 20 to 25 minutes before gastrointestinal endoscopy. FINDINGS: When the Reiki group was compared to the sham Reiki and control groups following the intervention, the decrease in the levels of patient stress (P < .001) and anxiety (P < .001) and the increase in patient comfort (P < .001) were found to be statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Reiki applied to patients before upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was effective in reducing stress and anxiety and in increasing comfort.

Effect of Reiki Therapy on Blood Pressure and Alcohol Consumption in Young Adults: A Clinical Trial.

Introduction: The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes Reiki therapy as a form of therapy within the classification of alternative therapies. Recently, a growing interest regarding the implementation of Reiki therapy in patient care relating to the field of nursing has been detected; however, there are few scientifically rigorous studies that support this. Objective: To determine the effect of Reiki therapy on blood pressure (BP) and alcohol consumption in young adults with hypertension, in two urban communities in northern of Mexico. Methodology: A randomized and controlled clinical trial, with an equivalent experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG). Longitudinal design of repeated parallel measurements and triple-blind masking. Results: The averages of the Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) of EG. vs. CG in the test vs. retest were: 109.91 ± 2.3 vs. 111.19 ± 3.3 (P = .140) and retest: 97.00 ± 4.9 vs. 110.94 ± 2.9 (P = .001). In alcohol consumption at test: 11.00 ± 2.9 vs. 11.54 ± 2.8 (P = .527) and at retest: 8.83 ± 1.02 vs. 11.83 ± 1.92 (P = .001). In the ANOVA analysis for the EG, the MAP decrease between measurements 1 and 2; and 1 and 3 (P = .001). Regarding alcohol consumption, there was no difference between measurements 1 and 2 nor in measurements 2 and 3. There was only a significant difference between measurements 1 and 3 (P = .015). Conclusion: The results obtained confirmed our hypothesis of the research, since the EG had a significant effect on the decrease of the MAP and alcohol consumption after 21 sessions of Reiki therapy intervention.

The effect of reiki on anxiety, fear, pain, and oxygen saturation in abdominal surgery patients: A randomized controlled trial.

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.

The effect of acupressure or reiki interventions on the levels of pain and fatigue of cancer patients receiving palliative care: A randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: Taking pain under control is important to calm the individual and reduce complications. This research was conducted with the aim of determining the effect of Acupressure or Reiki interventions on the levels of pain and fatigue of stage III and IV cancer patients receiving palliative care. METHOD: The research was a single-blind, repeated measures, randomized controlled study. Research data were collected between February and November 2022. The research sample consisted of Acupressure and Reiki intervention groups and a control group with 52 patients in each group for a total of 156 patients. Acupressure or Reiki was applied to their intervention groups for a total of eight sessions of 20 min each over four weeks, once a day on two days a week. Data were collected by means of a patient description form, an analgesic follow-up form, the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, and the Brief Fatigue Inventory. RESULTS: In comparison with the control group, a significant reduction was seen over time in the levels of pain (p < 0.001), analgesic use (p < 0.001), and fatigue (p < 0.001) in the Acupressure or Reiki intervention groups. CONCLUSION: Acupressure or Reiki interventions were found to effective in reducing levels of pain, analgesic use, and fatigue. It was seen that in addition to their use in routine nursing care, both treatments can be accepted as effective nursing interventions that reduce pain and fatigue in stage III and IV cancer patients receiving palliative care.