In a pilot study aimed to determine the impact of reiki therapy on the pain perception of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA), reiki was shown to have a statistically significant effect on pain reduction.
The study sample included 43 patients undergoing TKA. All subjects had unilateral TKA at the same hospital and were randomized into reiki and non-reiki groups. Pain was assessed before and after reiki therapy using a numeric rating scale.
While several study limitations were noted—the small subject sample, the non-blinded nature of the study, and other external factors that may have influenced the results—the findings are promising and provide a valid groundwork for future studies.
As a result of the positive feedback from patients and decreased pain ratings following reiki sessions, a reiki program was established at the hospital, and 10 nurses became trained and certified in reiki.
Read the abstract here.
For more information about reiki, read this past article from Massage & Bodywork magazine: "Reiki and PTSD."