Studies on Reiki for Fibromyalgia
Reiki is certainly an effective complementary treatment for fibromyalgia. This means that it can be used along with the prescription medications and not replace it. However, it is not yet known as to how long should a patient undergo Reiki therapy. This is something that is still being studied.
In a randomized and controlled study published that was published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, they tested Reiki against a “sham” or fake Reiki, which was performed by an actor and not a practitioner. The study was done on 100 adults who suffer from fibromyalgia symptoms.
The authors of the study have not discovered any benefit in terms of pain relief and overall mental or physical functioning of the patient. This has led to their conclusion that Reiki must first be studied rigorously before using it as a means of treatment for patients suffering from chronic pain symptoms, including fibromyalgia.
Researchers pointed out that although the study did not result in any differences in the primary outcome. However, at the end of the trial, it was found that the number of pain medications that the subjects used was 29% lower in the group that was given the authentic Reiki treatment. This could be an indication of Reiki’s positive effect.
