“The Effect of Reiki on Pain and Anxiety in Women With Abdominal Hysterectomies” Essay (Critical Writing)

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Background

The concerned article examines the effects of alternative energy medicine, Reiki in this case, on women with surgical interventions. Reiki has been increasingly considered a palliative and stress reducer intervention in surgeries and in treating cases of post-surgical stress. Reiki Research Foundation has listed improvements in cases of Multiple Sclerosis and M.E. when Reiki treatments were given. This particular article compares the rehabilitation of two groups of women who have had an abdominal hysterectomy. One group undergoes standard post-operative nursing care while the other group is given repetitive sessions of Reiki. There was a significant improvement in patient’s condition and decrease in stress cum pain for patients receiving Reiki interventions (Anne et al, 2003).

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Summary of an article with the analysis

Reiki has been around for some time and clients and practitioners are increasingly making use of this methodology to alleviate symptoms relieve stress and improve well-being. The authors, deliberate on consumer-driven interest in this methodology so the push, for using alternative therapy modes like these, may come from the recipient clients or customers. This also suggests that authors are not sold on using a methodology like Reiki out of their consent and present grudging acceptance of this intervention technique, saying its “societal demands”, (Anne et al, 2003) that is driving adoption of alternative care systems like Reiki.

Reiki allows the empowerment of the clients and they start feeling in control of their health. Holistic practices that are non-invasive and do not require expensive equipment are more readily embraced. Reiki has based on the premise that illness is a physical manifestation of imbalance in the energy body and healing is consequent to the energy body returning to a state of harmony, Yin/Yang balance (Anne et al, 2003)!

Reiki Pitfalls

Reiki involves hands-on healing much like Touch Therapy (TT) and Healing Touch(HT). Authors provide scientific evidence for energy flow in Reiki healing shows that Reiki healing relaxes the body making it conducive towards self-healing. During the study, there is no specific methodology for preventing any untoward effects from Reiki treatments. There is a possibility of increased trauma because of energy treatments because of psychological distress or through refusal to accept Reiki’s healing efficacy- no mention of these possibilities are mentioned.

The Rogerian theory also is based on the interaction of man and the environment as a continual interaction between energy fields and the human energy field if strong will lead to a healthier human being. This very foundation raises a question mark if the will is not strong enough to positively affect the patient? About the possibility of the vulnerability of patients – patients undergoing traumatic surgery which not only has acute after operation pain but also trauma due to affectation of femininity – thus the patient is venerable to any treatment which may allay pain. Authors extend Rogerian principles in HT and TT, saying these methodologies show Rogerian principles in action. TT has been thoroughly evaluated in the nursing environment for well over 30 years and has proved effective in pain management and in promoting faster healing.

Reiki, they believe, was ancillary or exterior to nursing discipline and has a history of being practiced outside mainstream healthcare (Anne et al, 2003). This according to the authors is the primary reason for the lack of adequate research on Reiki. When a lack of Reiki research has explained the effect or methodology of healing via Reiki remains largely a black box thus increasing the possibility of negative side effects during experimentation or research.

No documented evidence is available to effectively check against any mishaps because of a lack of documented evidence. Reiki in Japanese means life force which is prevalent and present within and all around us and Reiki practitioners channel this life force energy through themselves to their clients. Lifeforce is something that is not easily monitored through standard scientific apparatus, hence another element of the unknown is introduced and this also introduces the possibility that subject’s healing may not be measurable. Once a student has been attuned to Reiki via Reiki Master he/she channels energy intending to do so for the highest good.

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The highest good is an abstract term and the level of “highest good” is different with different perspectives. The Reiki healing energy enters the crown chakra (or the top of the head) of the Reiki Practitioner and passes on through his hands to the intended recipient. There are various hand positions for treating the whole body and the complete Reiki healing experience partakes of each position on the client’s body. Reiki energy has the quality of reaching where there is energy imbalance or where it is most needed as it is channeled through the client’s body (Anne et al, 2003). If Reiki is empowered enough to reach the affected part without outside intervention then there should be appropriate documentation of does this happens – this explanation is missing from the article.

Subtle Energy works and benefits

Lack of appropriate research into Reiki has limited uptake of this and other subtle energy healing methodologies. A large body of scholars, as well as consumers, have been supportive of this healing method. There have been various observations pointing towards the benefits of this healing methodology – be it in pain reduction, stress relief, or reduction of anxiety. One fallback in the study is an ostensible healing session of Reiki.

There is no control methodology whereby the control group is only laying hands on the patients and checking if this method provided other results than laying hands by Reiki practitioner. Authors report various clinical trials to gauge the effectiveness of Reiki. One test by Wardell and Engebretson took 23 healthy individuals and measured their stress response indicators before and after the Reiki session. There was a significant drop in systolic blood pressure post-Reiki session. Another study by Olsen and Hanson reported a reduction in pain of patients with cancer, after a 30 minutes Reiki session.

There have been many types of research on the beneficial and efficacious effects of Reiki buy probably because of small sample sizes or lack of adequate care in following of full scientific protocol the significance of the results cannot be termed scientific. However, it is to be noted that all clients who had Reiki interventions did register lower blood pressure, pulse, and pain indices. Lack of empirical-based research is commonly criticized and presented to most members of the scientific community who go out to support Reiki.

The Rogerian theory provides a theoretical basis for energy interaction and says that energy fields are the fundamental units of human beings and the environment and that these energy fields are complex systems that continually interact with each other.

“acute pain is a function of the individual’s unified nature in interaction with their environment” (Anne et al, 2003). Another study that forms the core study of the paper took a sample of women scheduled to undergo a hysterectomy. Patients were told of the study in the beginning and were randomly assigned to the control group or Reiki interventionist group. This specific group’s participants were given 30 minutes 3 Reiki sessions spaced throughout the patient’s length of stay. The Reiki sessions were given by the nurses themselves – who had been trained to Reiki III level. The patients’ state of anxiety index was noted.

There was a significantly reduced requirement for pain killers in the group which received Reiki as well as reduced anxiety and stress conditions. Breakthrough pain was controlled in Reiki administered group as well as reduced time for surgery, as Reiki was given to patients before surgery as well. A significant number of patients reported falling asleep during Reiki sessions showing an enhanced degree of relaxation. Authors themselves suggest Kirlian or aura photography to gauge the effectiveness of Reiki sessions. The effects of Reiki on a limited group showed the positive aftereffects of Reiki (Anne et al, 2003).

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Discussion

The studies presented in favor of Reiki and other energy healing methodologies were limited because of the small sample size and controlled conditions. The women undergoing surgery were positively influenced by the Reiki, however, the limitation of 3 Reiki treatments might be considered a barrier – possibly more sessions of shorter duration could have been more beneficial. There is no comparison of other techniques like hypnosis and positive reinforcement to compliment or contrast with Reiki treatments. Reiki Research Foundation presents cases of patients with M.S. and M.E. who have benefitted with continuous Reiki treatments – possibly scientific measurements of Reiki’s benefits in less invasive diseases might help formulate a scientific opinion about Reiki.

The paper at the outset sets out the author’s partiality towards alternative treatments. With a mindset like that variations in the Reiki, modus operandi could not be adequately explored. Authors have failed to mention that if Reiki energy flows to the affected part directly why the protocol for hand positions is necessary or helpful why not just treat the affected area directly?

Also, the authors have set a long preamble in defining the abstract nature of subtle energy treatments that reader gets unjustly biased about the nonscientific validity of the treatments. Coming from a medical background where disease requires respective appropriate medication the paradigm shift of restoration of energy balance may seem outré. Authors have also stressed that adoption of these techniques is on the behest of the consumers themselves and societal demands. The Authors have not cited works from societies and organizations dedicated to Reiki, rather have only used sketchy analysis from medical communities.

Reiki research foundations and Reiki practitioners themselves have compiled veritable success stories that underscore the efficacy of Reiki in a variety of situations where traditional medicine falls short. There is no description of long-term effects of Reiki interventions nor their explanations of the effectiveness of Reiki amongst other alternative energy interventions so clear acceptance or denial of Reiki is not possible.

Conclusion

The paper may be a good introduction to possible positive effects of Reiki but it falls short of taking positions or giving definitive viewpoints of using Reiki or other subtle energy interventions in surgery or other illnesses.

References

Anne T. Vitale, Priscilla C. O’Connor (2006). The Effect of Reiki on Pain and Anxiety in Women With Abdominal Hysterectomies. Holistic Nursing Practice. Pp 263-272.

M.E Studies, M.S. Studies. Reiki Research Foundation. Web.

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IvyPanda. (2021, August 28). "The Effect of Reiki on Pain and Anxiety in Women With Abdominal Hysterectomies". https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-effect-of-reiki-on-pain-and-anxiety-in-women-with-abdominal-hysterectomies/

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"The Effect of Reiki on Pain and Anxiety in Women With Abdominal Hysterectomies." IvyPanda, 28 Aug. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/the-effect-of-reiki-on-pain-and-anxiety-in-women-with-abdominal-hysterectomies/.

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IvyPanda. (2021) '"The Effect of Reiki on Pain and Anxiety in Women With Abdominal Hysterectomies"'. 28 August.

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IvyPanda. 2021. "The Effect of Reiki on Pain and Anxiety in Women With Abdominal Hysterectomies." August 28, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-effect-of-reiki-on-pain-and-anxiety-in-women-with-abdominal-hysterectomies/.

1. IvyPanda. "The Effect of Reiki on Pain and Anxiety in Women With Abdominal Hysterectomies." August 28, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-effect-of-reiki-on-pain-and-anxiety-in-women-with-abdominal-hysterectomies/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "The Effect of Reiki on Pain and Anxiety in Women With Abdominal Hysterectomies." August 28, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-effect-of-reiki-on-pain-and-anxiety-in-women-with-abdominal-hysterectomies/.

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