Reiki Women Podcast Episode 204: What has Reiki actually cost us? (Ep 1)
June 15, 2026
Holistic Nursing Practice
2017 · Vol. 31(2) · pp. 80–89
Baldwin, Vitale, Brownell, Kryak & Rand · University of Arizona & Center for Reiki Research
Reiki Treatments · 3-Group Controlled Study
In this study:
Reiki Treatment = hands-on Reiki session given to surgical patients
Reiki = the spiritual energy itself
What this study is about
The question
Knee replacement is one of the most common major surgeries — and one of the most painful. This study investigated whether Reiki treatments could significantly reduce pain, blood pressure, respiration rate, and anxiety in surgical patients — compared to both sham Reiki and standard hospital care.
Why it’s significant
This study included a sham Reiki group — patients receiving an identical-looking treatment with no actual Reiki energy Reiki. Only the real Reiki treatment group showed significant improvements — making this one of the more methodologically rigorous studies in Reiki treatment research.
The three groups
Reiki treatment group
15
patients received real Reiki treatments from trained practitioners
Sham Reiki group
15
patients received identical-looking sessions with no actual Reiki energy
Standard care group
16
patients received routine hospital care only — no Reiki treatments
Only the Reiki treatment group improved
Pain significantly reduced Reiki Treatment
Only the Reiki treatment group showed a statistically significant reduction in pain scores. Neither the sham Reiki group nor the standard care group showed the same result — confirming the effect is specific to Reiki energy.
Blood pressure significantly reduced Reiki Treatment
The Reiki treatment group showed significant blood pressure reductions — an objective, physiological outcome. The sham and standard care groups did not.
Respiration rate significantly reduced Reiki Treatment
Breathing rate dropped in the Reiki treatment group — a physiological sign of the relaxation response associated with reduced pain perception. Not seen in either other group.
State anxiety significantly reduced Reiki Treatment
State anxiety — the acute anxiety experienced before and after surgery — was significantly reduced in the Reiki treatment group. Reducing surgical anxiety is clinically meaningful for recovery.
Be aware
- This is a pilot study — 46 patients total (15–16 per arm), designed to support a larger multisite trial
- The researchers acknowledge the small sample size and call for a full-scale study
- Despite being a pilot, the 3-arm design including sham Reiki makes the findings methodologically strong
What the researchers concluded
Of the three groups — Reiki treatments, sham Reiki, and standard care — only the Reiki treatment group showed significant reductions in pain, blood pressure, respiration rate, and state anxiety. These findings provide evidence that Reiki energy produces specific therapeutic effects in surgical patients beyond what a placebo or standard care can achieve, and support a full-scale clinical trial.
Baldwin, Vitale, Brownell, Kryak & Rand · Holistic Nursing Practice · 2017
What this means in practice
1
Reiki treatments outperformed sham Reiki AND standard care. Not only was Reiki better than standard care alone — it was better than a placebo treatment that looked identical. The effect is specific to Reiki energy Reiki.
2
Surgical settings are an underutilised opportunity. Reiki has been used in hospital operating rooms since 1995. This research confirms measurable physiological benefits both pre- and post-operatively.
3
Blood pressure and respiration are objective measures. Pain scores can be questioned as subjective. Blood pressure and respiration rate cannot. These physiological changes validate what Reiki practitioners and clients have experienced for decades.
4
Reiki treatments meet healthcare regulatory needs. The Joint Commission in the US requires hospitals to offer non-pharmacological pain management approaches. Reiki treatments now have evidence supporting their inclusion in surgical care protocols.
Baldwin AL, Vitale A, Brownell E, Kryak E, Rand W. Effects of Reiki on pain, anxiety, and blood pressure in patients undergoing knee replacement: a pilot study. Holist Nurs Pract. 2017;31(2):80–89. doi: 10.1097/HNP.0000000000000195.
If you would like to learn more about Reiki Treatments, how they work and what they can do for you, come and join my Shinpiden+ on-demand course.
Bronwen Logan
With over two decades of expertise, Bronwen Logan is one of the leading voices in the system of Reiki. A key founder in both the International House and Shibumi International Reiki Association, she's also penned multiple books on the system including The Reiki Sourcebook; The Japanese Art of Reiki, Beginning Reiki, Beginning Healing, The Art of Gratitude, The A-Z of Reiki, and Your Reiki Treatment as well developing many meditations to support students and teachers in this work. Apart from studying the Japanese aspects of the system, writing and working with animals is a core passion. Bronwen is also a co-founder of Reiki Women Podcast, a blog all about Reiki by women! You can find Bronwen teaching privately online or around the globe!
