Complimentary and alternative therapies

 

 

 

 

Energy balance therapy

This is a form of natural healing originating from Japan and is based on the

principle that the correction of any imbalances in energy, known as qi will restore health

and wellbeing in the body. 

 

•  It was discovered by Mikao Usui in the early twentieth century who believed all living organisms survive due to energy known as qi.

•  Reiki is performed with the patient lying down or sat upright in a comfortable position,

there is no need to remove clothing as it is believed that qi is able to penetrate through all

materials. The therapist place the hands in non-intrusive areas of the body to channel and

to correct energy imbalance, this does not involve massage or manipulation.

 

Evidence

Since double blind trials is not possible in this type of therapy due to the hands on nature of

Reiki, only single blind trials can be conducted. Results from trials have been inconclusive of

the benefits. For example a study compared genuine reike with an actor imposing to

perform reiki and this produced no significant difference in terms of symptoms

management in both groups. Therefore, a conclusion could not be reached on the

effectiveness of Reiki in palliative care.