Reiki for alleviation of physical and psychological distress in end of life care in children with cancer in Pakistan

Abstract

Background/Objectives: End of life care has been seen as a field fraught with challenges and according to the American Psychological Association, much research is required to make this part of life easy on the children dying from cancer and the caregivers who watch their slow and painful death. Design/Methods: Complementary alternative medicine is something that has slowly been gaining a foothold in alleviation of physical and psychological distress. Reiki, a Japanese complementary alternative energy therapy, is used for alleviation of stress, anxiety, increasing relaxation and improvement of the overall quality of life. Sixty patients were enrolled in the study on whom Reiki was carried out. The method involved the laying of hands on key points where the patient pointed out as painful spots till the patient would report a reduction in pain. Results: It was found over a period of 3 years with patients on end of life care, that Reiki was an effective medium of pain alleviation. Of the sixty patients on whom Reiki was carried out, 90% of them reported a reduction of physical and psychological distress. Conclusion: The children would call the laying of hands over affected areas as ‘magic’, and as something that helped alleviate their suffering and give them respite from the constant excruciating pain that they suffered. It was concluded that Reiki needs to be offered as an option for the alleviation of physical and psychological distress of children with cancer.