Reiki for Breast Cancer Patients

Introduction

A 45-year-old Caucasian woman whose 1^st child was born when she was between 20-24 years of age has an 8% chance of contracting breast cancer before age 90[i]. In addition to coping with the illness itself, chemotherapy and radiotherapy have undesirable and challenging side effects, and radical surgeries leave patients psychologically as well as physically changed. This article examines some of the effects of breast cancer on the patient, and how Reiki can be used to address them.

According to the classification of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the US National Institute of Health (NIH), Reiki belongs to "Biofield Medicine, which involves systems that use subtle energy fields in and around the body for medical purposes"[ii]. Reiki is a 2,500-year-old hands on system of healing which was introduced to Western cultures in the mid 1900s, and more recently has been adopted by a number of hospitals, and other health care settings, given increased attention in those settings to alternative health care strategies[iii]. Nurses often practice Reiki as an adjunct to conventional Western Medical treatment. As of 2001[iv], 47% of US state nursing boards recognized providing alternative therapies including Reiki as being within the scope of nursing practice (if the nurse is qualified in that therapy).

Reiki is a complement to treatment by a physician. It does not provide services in lieu of a doctor, nor is it a medical diagnostic tool. However, we perceive that integrative medicine that takes advantage of all parts of the care spectrum as appropriate is much more effective (and cost-effective) than allopathic treatment alone.

Reiki therapy is safe and non-invasive. It is proving useful in hospices, nursing homes, emergency rooms, pediatric, neonatal, operating rooms, organ transplantation care units, pediatric, neonatal and OB/GYN units facilitating relaxation and recovery and decreasing anxiety and pain [v]It can be a helpful addition to conventional therapy for HIV/AIDS and cancer patients For Reiki to be applicable in breast cancer treatment requires that it address in some way the primary symptoms. Other than healing the tumor itself (for which there is anecdotal – but not experimental - evidence that Reiki can be helpful), the primary effects of breast cancer on a woman are pain, the side effects of the chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and the psychological impact of the disease and the surgery.

For Reiki to be applicable in breast cancer treatment requires that it address in some way the primary symptoms. Other than healing the tumor itself (for which there is anecdotal – but not experimental - evidence that Reiki can be helpful), the primary effects of breast cancer on a woman are pain, the side effects of the chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and the psychological impact of the disease and the surgery

Breast Cancer Pain

“For women affected by breast cancer, overcoming pain can be a major part of dealing with the disease and its treatment. Surgery can cause discomfort in the breast and underarm area, chemotherapy can cause joint pain and mouth sores, and metastatic disease can cause pain in other parts of the body.” [viii] - Dr. Marisa Weiss, Oncologist specializing in breast cancer, Author of Living Beyond Breast Cancer (Random House)

Reiki has been found to be effective for dealing with pain. “We use probably 50-80 percent of nonpharmacologic methods in our NIH pain clinic, meaning non-medication. The things we use include massage, relaxation, hypnosis, and Reiki therapy, which is also very helpful in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndromes.” [ix] - Ann Berger, R.N., M.S.N., M.D., Medical oncologist specializing in pain treatment, Chief of the Pain and Palliative Care Service at the National Institute of Health in Washington, D.C.

Medical studies using sham practitioners have been carried out with Reiki, and it has been shown to be effective for pain management. For example: one double-blind study[x] found that “Reiki is an effective modality for reducing pain, depression, and anxiety”; Hartford hospital reports that Reiki provides significant pain relief for surgery patients[xi]; Edmonton’s Cross Cancer Institute concluded that Reiki showed a highly significant reduction in pain in a pain management study including cancer.

In a study of Reiki for treating HIV-related pain and anxiety[xii], Pamela Miles found that newly trained Reiki practitioners perceived reductions in pain and anxiety when they performed Reiki on themselves or classmates. Breast cancer patients can, similarly, be taught first-level Reiki (which only takes about a day, and has no significant age or ability barriers). Miles found no significant differences between improvements whether oneself or a classmate did the treatments. The argument for Level 1 Reiki training for breast cancer patients is compelling, both for pain management and empowerment.

Chemo- and Radiotherapy

Other than hair loss, common side effects of chemotherapy are fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, and infection due to a reduction in white blood cells known as neutropenia. Neutropenia affects as many as one-in-three patients receiving chemotherapy treatment for cancer. Patients can develop fever and infections, particularly in the mouth, throat, sinuses, lungs and skin.[xiii] 

Reiki may be an appropriate vehicle to help address these undesirable effects. Reiki causes significant increase in salivary Immunoglobulin A (IgA) [xiv], and decreases in blood pressure and anxiety. Immunoglobulin A protects the body’s mucosal surfaces from infections and is the main mechanism for providing local immunity against infections in the gut and respiratory tract. This increase in immune system function would tend to negate the effects of the therapy on the patient’s immune system. (Author has proposed a clinical study with CHEO to attempt to demonstrate this mechanism.)

The American Cancer Society [xv] cites anecdotal support that some patients undergoing chemotherapy have reported reduced intensity and frequency of nausea and vomiting after reiki sessions. While they conclude, “More clinical research is needed to determine the benefits of reiki”, Reiki is already used in several hospitals for cancer patients. Some examples are: Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (Lebanon, NH), Integrative Medicine Outpatient Center at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY), Integrative Therapies Program for Children with Cancer at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center (New York, NY), Metropolitan South Health Center (“ Direccion de Servicios Metropolitano Sur”, Santiago, Chile)[xvi]

Used in conjunction with conventional cancer treatments, Reiki is reported (anecdotally) to ease the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation, improve immune function, ease anxiety, enhance positive emotional attitude, decrease pain, and promote relaxation[xvii]. Reiki can be part of an integrated approach to managing cancer with reduced patient impact.

Psychological Effects

A Johns Hopkins research team [xviii] found that “It is not uncommon to find breast cancer patients experiencing mood disorders, depression, bipolar disorder symptoms, and in extreme cases, psychoses.”  The study found that one in three breast cancer patients experiences elevated levels of psychological distress as a result of post-operative treatment.

One of the early studies[xix] found that not only is Reiki “an effective modality for reducing pain, depression, and anxiety”, but that it is also “effective in enhancing desirable changes in personality and strengthening the faith in God.” Reiki has no religious affiliation, nor is an enhanced religiosity per se an intended outcome of Reiki. However, spiritual growth is considered to enhance the patients’ ability to cope with the life changes resulting from the cancer.

Finally, there is the matter of empowerment. Anyone with a serious illness loses some sense of control, due to the illness, to their dependence on other people for help, and to their dependence on the doctors and hospitals for their recovery. Learning to relieve symptoms on their own provides patients with a renewed sense of having some input and control over their lives.

Summary

Reiki provides the patient tools to deal with body, mind, and spirit, all of which are adversely affected by the cancer, the therapies, surgery, and state of their bodies upon recovery. That it can be learned by anyone, is useful immediately upon learning to address the primary symptoms other than the tumor itself, make a compelling argument for teaching Reiki to everyone diagnosed with breast cancer.

The Ontario Reiki Programme Centre is an Ontario not-for-profit corporation dedicated to providing Reiki programmes in health care centres. We provide presentations, training and treatments, and have a comprehensive website (at www.onreiki.com) of research on this non-invasive therapy. Reiki’s applications include pain control, palliative care, help for caregivers, and as a co-therapy for cancer and HIV/AIDS patients. Therapists and teachers are registered with the Canadian Reiki Association. These articles are presented as part of our mandate to inform people who may benefit from Reiki that this therapy exists, and how it has been shown to apply.

Peter Zorzella, BASc (EngSci), RT-CRA, founded the Ontario Reiki Programme Centre in order to make healing through Reiki available to everyone who could benefit from it. Peter is a registered practitioner with the Canadian Reiki Association; in addition to the work associated with the Centre, he has a clinical practice South of Ottawa.

Reiki is a complement to treatment by a physician. It does not provide services in lieu of a doctor, nor is it a medical diagnostic tool. However, we perceive that integrative medicine that takes advantage of all parts of the care spectrum as appropriate is much more effective (and cost-effective) than allopathic treatment alone. Additionally, quality of life includes mental, physical, and spiritual aspects, not only the physical aspects that are often the focus of allopathic medical treatment.

© 2003 P.Zorzella/ORPC

References

© 2003 P.Zorzella/ORPC

Last Updated: November 03, 2003

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