How Can Reiki Help People with Digestive Disorders?

About Reiki and Digestive Disorders

Can Reiki help people with SIBO, GERD, IBS or other digestive disorders? Digestive disorders dramatically impact the sufferer’s quality of life. Depending on the issue, the sufferer may be forced to avoid certain foods to alleviate symptoms, or the sufferer may have symptoms regardless of the preventative steps he, she or they takes. People with these disorders sometimes spend their entire lives searching for ways to improve their condition, both in traditional and alternative medicine. One of the approaches that may be utilized as an adjunct therapy is Reiki, a modality that may potentially be able to provide some comfort or relief of symptoms even when other treatments have failed.

How Can Reiki Help People with Digestive Disorders?

People with digestive disorders may experience a number of symptoms, including bloating, pain, bleeding, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, heartburn, weight changes, and trouble swallowing. Depending on the nature of the condition, these symptoms may or may not come and go on their own. For example, people with irritable bowel syndrome tend to notice more symptoms when they eat trigger foods or experience high levels of stress. People with lactose intolerance, on the other hand, tend to notice symptoms only after consuming dairy products.

Regardless of the specifics of the disorder, participating in regular Reiki sessions may be beneficial in some cases. Reiki helps to provide an environment of stress reduction and relaxation, which in turn may be beneficial for the body to balance and help heal. The idea behind this type of modality is that the symptoms of discomfort and pain within the body, including for digestive disorders, may be related to disturbances in the individual’s energy pathways. Reiki is a non-invasive therapeutic technique intended to support the body’s resolution with these disturbances, to help restore the normal flow of energy or ‘chi’ or ‘ki’ and to help potentially improve the client’s symptoms. A relaxed body with strong energy may very well better handle stressors than one whose energy is frazzled and scattered.

Specific Potential Benefits of Reiki

Some of the specific potential benefits of Reiki for people with digestive disorders may include:

Working towards alleviation of pain or discomfort.

Many people who have undergone Reiki treatments report fewer pain sensations after therapy. Because most digestive disorders cause pain, this may be beneficial for individuals with these conditions.

Lower stress levels.

Studies have shown that people who participate in Reiki sessions report feeling less stressed than those who do not participate in this type of therapy. Because stress plays a role in the pathology of many digestive conditions, this effect of Reiki may help to lessen the symptoms of individuals with digestive problems indirectly.

More control over the condition.

When an individual participates in Reiki sessions, he or she is doing something proactive to improve his, her or their condition. This gives the individual a greater sense of control over the condition and life in general.

On the road to improved digestive function.

Currently, very little scientific research on Reiki’s ability to improve digestive disorders has been completed. However, anecdotal reports from individuals who suffer from digestive disorders indicate that Reiki may be a supportive tool for dealing with pain and discomfort. Reiki can support conventional medicine in a healing or wellness plan.

Reiki is non-invasive and doesn’t pose any risk to the client. It also causes no side effects. Thus, Reiki can be used in conjunction with virtually any other treatment prescribed by a physician, including medication and other types of therapy.

Finding a Reiki Practitioner Near You

If you are ready to schedule your first Reiki session, you can search for a practitioner in your area right here on the IARP website.

(c) 2022. International Association of Reiki Professionals. All Rights Reserved.

All articles on this site are intended for informational purposes only. Reiki should only be used as a supportive technique and as one part of a wellness or healing program to complement traditional and conventional care. Reiki should never take the place of conventional medical care or therapy, one should seek a physician or licensed health professional for their primary care and Reiki should only be used to enhance conventional care and one’s healing or wellness plan.

Sources: https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007447.htm, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26343105, http://www.vitalitylink.com/article-reiki-1354-journey-reiki-class-treatment-master-treatments