Reiki helps health anxiety in fibromyalgia says new research

Reiki may be helpful for people with fibromyalgia after new research shows it reduces anxiety.

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a complementary non-invasive health approach in which practitioners place their hands lightly on or just above a person, with the goal of facilitating the individual’s own healing response. It means “universal life energy” in Japanese; its advocates believe that our energy fields affect our physical and spiritual health.

New findings

A team looked at the effects Reiki therapy has on alleviating anxiety in 824 adults. They found that short-term Reiki therapy of up to eight sessions reduced anxiety about health in people with fibromyalgia, depression and gastrointestinal endoscopy inflammation, as well as in the general population.

Large trials involving many people are needed before Reiki is accepted by the mainstream medical profession, and these trials are unlikely to happen due to lack of funding. Reiki should not be used in place of conventional healthcare but for some people it is a useful approach and it is gaining in popularity. Make sure you carefully check the credentials of practitioners before getting started.

Further information

• Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council, visit www.cnhc.org.uk or tel 020 3668 0406
• The Reiki Association, visit www.reikiassociation.org.uk or tel 01892 458708
• The Reiki Council, visit www.reikicouncil.org.uk
• UK Reiki Federation, visit www.reikifed.co.uk or tel 01264 791 441