This is one of the few things that kind of upsets and bothers me so much in the nursing world (well healthcare in general, but since im in nursing it bothers me when i see it with nurses more)
But so frequently there are so many people who recommend this alternative nonense, to seeking real medical attention, and it really just worries me.
Theres the obvious danger of interactions with real medication, but then it also promotes people to either avoid actually treating their problem. Or it takes money away from going to real healthcare, and instead ends up in the pockets of these charlatans.
In nursing school I saw it so incredibly frequently, and even in the hospital I see it somewhat often. Nurses who tell patients that eating grains causes their diabetes, or ranting about GMOs and this crap. Other nurses who are stubborn/ignorant enough to avoid getting vaccinated (flu shots!) for reasons other than legitimate medical reasons (id never expect someone with a history or guillain barre or allergies to force a shot on themselves)
If medical professionals want to do all this nonsense in their personal lives, thats their right. Its just when they bring it into the workplace and involve patients in it that it really worries me.
When its relatively harmless it doesn't bother me (ie some of the out there ideas that people may have for patients to improve their pain without drugs) fine. But when it just spreads ignorance and confuses the patient, its terrible.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
One of our emerg docs is also a cardiologist, and happens to practice acupuncture... He uses it frequently on people with migraines in emerg and the patients love him/it. I don't think it's a load of crap and I'd be happy to see someone tell him they think he's practicing nonsense!
I worked with an anesthesiologist who did acupuncture. One day, I had a blazing migraine that wasn't responding to Imitrex. He offered me acupuncture, and I thought, "What the heck. My meds aren't working." After about 30 min, my headache was much better, and so was the nausea.
I think there's a lot we could learn from Eastern medicine. I'm not so closed-minded as to think that our Big Pharma medical practice is the be all, end all to health care.
There are several studies that show that it does have benefits. It may not be as effective as big pharma products, however to say it is a scam is discounting the fact that for some, the benefits are real.
There are several studies that show that it does have benefits. It may not be as effective as big pharma products, however to say it is a scam is discounting the fact that for some, the benefits are real.
With a domain name like that, I'm sure it's an unbiased, scholarly source. /sarcasm
Several others have posted scholarly sources; where are yours?
Personally, I may not be willing to try certain alternative therapies (acupuncture needles stuck in me? no thanks!). However, I've found lots of benefits to massage therapy and other non-pharmaceutical methods to deal with my chronic pain, including the ability to continue to work in a physically demanding job without the necessity of pain medications, OTC or prescription.
I worked with an anesthesiologist who did acupuncture. One day, I had a blazing migraine that wasn't responding to Imitrex. He offered me acupuncture, and I thought, "What the heck. My meds aren't working." After about 30 min, my headache was much better, and so was the nausea.
I think there's a lot we could learn from Eastern medicine. I'm not so closed-minded as to think that our Big Pharma medical practice is the be all, end all to health care.
I volunteered in a neurologist office in my teens where a neurologist there was certified in Acupuncture...this was almost 20 years ago. He wrote and published articles about those effects; I think this particular modality has made great strides in the past 20 years and it has been proven effective; If my neurologist suggested to receive accupuncture; I am confident that it would be a great option for me.
With a domain name like that, I'm sure it's an unbiased, scholarly source. /sarcasm
Several others have posted scholarly sources; where are yours?
Personally, I may not be willing to try certain alternative therapies (acupuncture needles stuck in me? no thanks!). However, I've found lots of benefits to massage therapy and other non-pharmaceutical methods to deal with my chronic pain, including the ability to continue to work in a physically demanding job without the necessity of pain medications, OTC or prescription.
Massage therapy isnt voodoo nonsense like Reiki. Id imagine the mechanism of action is similar to a hottub with jets, stretching etc. And at least something happens, believing in Reiki is no different than magic and other nonsense.
The "studies" people listed were pretty much junk studies. Pathetically irrelevant sample sizes, without comparing to an alternative treatment.
Distraction, placebo effect, music, talking to people etc all have been shown to have some sorts of impact on a person. So when a study says something like "Reiki is shown to have biological effects on sympathetic activity, albeit minor" . That doesnt mean that Reiki actually works, nor does it address if the Reiki magic actually caused anything, or if it was simply the person in there and the environment that just relaxes and distracts them.
I honestly feel bad for the people who believe in herbal therapy,having Reiki lumped in with herbal medications. Because at least some herbs do actually have medical potential (but desperately need research and to be controlled/regulated), while Reiki is just 100% pure trash and ridiculousness.
[h=4]SUBJECTS:[/h]Forty-five (45) subjects assigned at random into three groups. Interventions: Three treatment conditions: no treatment (rest only); Reiki treatment by experienced Reiki practitioner; and placebo treatment by a person with no knowledge of Reiki and who mimicked the Reiki treatment.
[h=4]OUTCOME MEASURES:[/h]Quantitative measures of autonomic nervous system function such as heart rate, cardiac vagal tone, blood pressure, cardiac sensitivity to baroreflex, and breathing activity were recorded continuously for each heartbeat. Values during and after the treatment period were compared with baseline data.
[h=4]RESULTS:[/h]Heart rate and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the Reiki group compared to both placebo and control groups.
[h=4]CONCLUSIONS:[/h]The study indicates that Reiki has some effect on the autonomic nervous system. However, this was a pilot study with relatively few subjects and the changes were relatively small. The results justify further, larger studies to look at the biological effects of Reiki treatment.
It's called the Placebo effect
These studies include placebo groups (see above). Just because you discount the effects of Reiki does not mean that there have not been studies that prove that it does have at least SOME effects.
I don't think the OP is particularly interested in scholarly discourse, only in finding like minded persons, anti anything that is not Western/allopathic medicine....,
OCNRN63, RN
5,979 Posts
I worked with an anesthesiologist who did acupuncture. One day, I had a blazing migraine that wasn't responding to Imitrex. He offered me acupuncture, and I thought, "What the heck. My meds aren't working." After about 30 min, my headache was much better, and so was the nausea.
I think there's a lot we could learn from Eastern medicine. I'm not so closed-minded as to think that our Big Pharma medical practice is the be all, end all to health care.