Massage and Reiki used to reduce stress and anxiety: Randomized Clinical Trial.
Leonice Fumiko Sato Kurebayashi, Ruth Natalia Teresa Turrini, Talita Pavarini Borges de Souza and 3 others
PMID 27901219WHAT IT FOUND
Massage plus rest and massage plus Reiki lowered stress and anxiety more than no treatment.
Because Reiki was only given with massage, its separate effect cannot be known.
Key findings
01In 101 analysed participants, stress and anxiety-state scores were lower after treatment in massage plus rest and massage plus Reiki than in no treatment.
02The reported percentage reductions were -24 for stress and -16 for anxiety-state in massage plus rest, and -33 and -21 in massage plus Reiki.
03Reiki was only added to massage, and there was no Reiki-only or placebo group, so its separate contribution cannot be separated.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
There was no Reiki-only or placebo group, so the separate contribution of Reiki cannot be separated from massage or expectation. Stress and anxiety were self-reported, and no placebo comparison was used. Sessions were delivered by massage students at one institute, so transferability to other settings is limited. 21 of 122 randomised participants left during treatment or did not complete questionnaires. Outcomes were measured only after one month, so longer-term effects were not tested.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that Reiki alone reduced stress or anxiety. Reiki was only delivered after massage, and the trial had no Reiki-only or placebo group, so the separate contribution of Reiki cannot be known.