We all know how diagnosis can affect the patient's physical, emotional, and mental health. It is not just a patient but also his immediate family, so it is crucial to reach out to professionals and support groups. Benefits of Biofield Therapies are recognized many times in medical publications like the International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care, The Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing, etc. Another publication in 2014 said, "Our recent study has shown that Reiki induces relaxation, decreasing anxiety, stress and a patient's perception of pain." Jun Mao, MD, director of the Integrative Oncology Initiative at the Abramson Cancer Center. (https://www.pennmedicine.org/news/internal-newsletters/hupdate/2014/january/reiki-a-light-touch-that-helps-cancer-patien)
Since I start to practice, one question has come repeatedly – is it a placebo? Several recent studies, I believe, answer this. Well-structured studies were conducted in the universities in the USA and abroad to research the effect of biofield therapies on cancer cells. These randomized, controlled, double-blind study studies were conducted in the group of cells in some cases and mice in others. Dramatic improvement was shoed between treated subjects and the control group. It was a surprise that treatments affect only cancer cells and not the healthy. Experiments were done with master-practitioners using Therapeutic Touch, Reiki, or Qigong.
Any cancer patient can now receive Reiki treatment in a hospital or cancer center. The benefits of these treatments are no longer questioned. To be clear, Reiki is not a substitute for traditional cancer treatments but is an integrative or complementary energy therapy that works with the human biofield. Patients and their families should consider Reiki as part of a comprehensive cancer treatment plan.
Many times, our diagnosis is a wake-up call. It informs us that something in our diet, lifestyle, or environment contributed to or triggered our illness. To heal, we must make changes. Hippocrates said that we could only heal when we give up things that made us sick. Now is the time to re-evaluate our diet, our social atmosphere, with what kind of people we interact with daily. We need to analyze the surrounding for environmental toxins. Our body wants to heal and have the ability to do this; our role and goal are to remove the obstacles.
"In today's oncology world, we are discussing chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgical intervention; we are also talking about the physical and emotional side effects of long-term treatments. Complementary therapies in cancer care are on the rise and have broken through some previously defined barriers. I have had some very effective and powerful experience with one such alternative therapy, Reiki, in treating the side effects and emotional aspects of cancer with my oncology patients." Kristen Nicastro, RN, BSN, OCN. Oncology Nursing News (February 27, 2018)
I want to summarize some benefits of Reiki treatment and add some of my own experiences. Reiki increases, balances, and restores energy flow in the patient's body, enhancing the body's natural ability to heal itself and minimizing the side effects of aggressive treatments. It can be performed on cancer patients at any time following their diagnosis. I worked with patients just after receiving their diagnosis, helping control their anxiety and stress, bringing relaxation and calming effects.
Reiki helps switch from Sympathetic to Parasympathetic central nervous system response, making treatment more effective. It also helps with patients' emotional and mental health. I have clients who requested a distance session during their cancer treatment. Reiki sessions reduce serious side effects for many patients that include nausea, constipation, and fatigue. My clients report that they were finally able to have a whole night's sleep after a Reiki session. I also found that Reiki is a handy pain management tool that could minimize the need for pain medicine. I recommend starting with a series of three sessions in the short period between them. Sessions also benefit patients in remission or with a poor prognosis.
I firmly believe that anyone treating you should hold a minimum of a Level 2 Reiki certification. For more information, you can visit my blog post, "How to Choose a Reiki Practitioner."
Recommended reading: https://www.uclahealth.org/rehab/workfiles/urban%20zen/clinical_perspective_reiki_for_mind.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871310/
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.
Disclosure: The information on this page is not intended to be a substitution for diagnosis, treatment, or informed professional advice. Always consult with a qualified health professional.
With love and light,
Roman
October 2019