Reiki Is Better Than Placebo and Has Broad Potential as a Complementary Health Therapy

Check out this article published in 2017 by David E McManus, PhD “Viewed collectively, these studies provide reasonably strong support for Reiki being more effective than placebo. From the information currently available, Reiki is a safe and gentle “complementary” therapy that activates the parasympathetic nervous system to heal body and mind. It has potential for broader use in management of chronic health conditions, and possibly in postoperative recovery. Research is needed to optimize the delivery of Reiki.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871310/

McManus DE. Reiki Is Better Than Placebo and Has Broad Potential as a Complementary Health Therapy. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2017 Oct;22(4):1051-1057. doi: 10.1177/2156587217728644. Epub 2017 Sep 5. PMID: 28874060; PMCID: PMC5871310.

Effect of Reiki Therapy on Pain and Anxiety in Adults: An In-Depth Literature Review of Randomized Trials with Effect Size Calculations

Another excellent resource, this piece reviewed 49 articles in-depth to come to the conclusion that “there is evidence to suggest that Reiki therapy may be effective for pain and anxiety.”https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4147026/

Thrane S, Cohen SM. Effect of Reiki therapy on pain and anxiety in adults: an in-depth literature review of randomized trials with effect size calculations. Pain Manag Nurs. 2014 Dec;15(4):897-908. doi: 10.1016/j.pmn.2013.07.008. Epub 2014 Feb 28. PMID: 24582620; PMCID: PMC4147026.

Evaluation of a Distance Reiki Program for Frontline Healthcare Workers’ Health-Related Quality of Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This next article explores distance reiki specifically concluding that “reiki … was feasible and was associated with decreased stress, anxiety, and pain, and an increased wellbeing and sleep quality in frontline healthcare workers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic”

Dyer NL, Baldwin AL, Pharo R, Gray F. Evaluation of a Distance Reiki Program for Frontline Healthcare Workers’ Health-Related Quality of Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health. 2023;12. doi:10.1177/27536130231187368