Conventional Medicine and Reiki
Conventional medicine, alternative medicine, complimentary medicine…where do we fit in?
Alternative therapies offer steps you can take on your own to achieve and maintain health and wellness. As health issues become pandemic and health insurance costs continue to escalate, now more than ever we must take responsibility for our general health.
So what constitutes “complimentary and alternative medicine” and where does Reiki fall in the menu of alternative therapy offerings?
The AMA Health Care Careers Directory lists Reiki as Energy Medicine under the category of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine and Therapies (CAM). The directory presents the National Institute of Health’s definition for CAM as “a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine is used together with conventional medicine, and alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine”. It is noted that “the list of what is considered to be CAM changes continually, as those therapies that are proved to be safe and effective become adopted into conventional health care and as new approaches to health care emerge”.
Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine, 2nd Edition, developed by Mayo Clinic 
physicians and editors presents easy-to-understand information addressing natural
therapies covering 20 top health issues.Their sales portal states “The best of natural
therapies and conventional medicine. We’ve seen explosive growth in the field of
alternative medicine and people are looking for more “natural” or “holistic” ways to
maintain good health – not only their physical health, but also their mental and spiritual
health.
Mayo Clinic Book of Alternative Medicine is your guide to safe and effective therapies from
the world of complementary and alternative medicine. Put this natural-healing wisdom to
use for your better health. Use these recommended alternative health therapies and many
more alongside conventional medicine to improve your total health – mind, body and spirit.”
In Chapter 5 – Energy Therapies, the preface is written by Susan Cutsall, R.N., C.N.C., a Mayo Integrative Health Specialist – Surgery. In it she states, “Those that practice energy medicine are looking to heal the body by activating its natural energies and restoring energies that have become weak, disturbed or out of balance. Energy-based therapies include a variety of practices such as acupuncture, therapeutic touch, magnetic therapy, qi gong and reiki.”
She goes on to explain “Energy-based therapies may be among the most controversial
practices because of the difficulty in convincingly using any biophysical means to measure
the effects of some of the therapies. However, active investigations are being conducted at academic medical centers, including Mayo Clinic, and energy medicine, in general, is
gradually gaining popularity. Further studies involving energy-based therapies are being
developed to help confirm the existence of subtle energies. In the meantime, the therapies
are increasingly being integrated into patient care practices at medical centers across the
United States.”
The Reiki description states “Recipients sometimes describe a deep sense of relaxation
after a session, accompanied by a feeling of well-being. They also report sensations of
warmth, tingling and sleepiness, and feelings of refreshment. Reiki is used to treat stress,
chronic pain and nausea from chemotherapy, to speed recovery from anesthesia and
enhance well-being.”
Reiki compliments all other moralities.
