Breast Cancer and Reiki

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The American Most cancers Society estimates that in 2006, about 212,900 girls within the U.S. will study they’ve invasive breast most cancers. American girls have a 1 in 8 probability of growing one of these most cancers in some unspecified time in the future of their lives, and roughly 2 million have already been handled for the illness. Fortunately, loss of life charges from breast most cancers have dropped dramatically. Early detection in addition to advances in chemotherapy and different remedies imply that every yr yields an increasing number of breast most cancers survivors.[i]

As with all most cancers, conventional remedies for breast most cancers may cause their very own array of well being challenges. Nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and low blood cell counts usually observe chemotherapy and radiation. In a current examine printed in The Journal of the Nationwide Most cancers Institute, Dr. Michael Hassett of Boston’s Dana-Farber Most cancers Institute discovered that 16 % of breast most cancers sufferers underneath age 64 required a hospital go to to handle chemotherapy uncomfortable side effects.[ii] Chemotherapy targets all quickly rising cells, together with white blood cells (often known as neutrophils), which assist the immune system. Neutropenia, that means white blood cell counts have dropped under regular ranges, lowers immune response to invaders like micro organism, viruses and fungi.[iii] Consequently, the most typical and critical cause for the post-chemo hospital visits was excessive fever from infections. Anemia-resulting from low purple blood cell count-poses extra struggles within the type of excessive fatigue.

Anti-nausea medication, blood transfusions and lab-made white blood cell “boosters” now kind a part of a rising arsenal of coping methods.[iv] However for girls who really feel conflicted about taking medication within the first place, these options can appear too poisonous and even add extra complaints. The neurtophil enhancers, for instance, trigger non permanent bone ache because the marrow quickly produces extra cells. Leigh Leming, 54, a breast most cancers survivor whose most cancers later returned and metasticized, determined that this time she wished to strive one thing completely different. Unable to eat as a result of nausea, she now follows the recommendation of an Ayurvedic chef. She drinks a shot of ginger, lemon juice, and honey earlier than every meal. “It is the one factor that retains my meals down,” Leming explains. She additionally takes wheat grass juice to construct up her blood counts, as a result of 2 ounces of wheat grass juice include vitamins equal to 4 kilos of natural produce: “The distinction in my vitality ranges is wonderful!”

A affected person at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Leming seen fliers providing Reiki classes there. Reiki (pronounced “RAY-key”) is an historical therapeutic vitality system rediscovered within the late nineteenth century by a Japanese monk named Dr. Mikao Usui. The “Rei” stands for “common,” and the “ki” refers to “life pressure vitality” much like “Chi” in Chinese language therapeutic or “prana” in yoga. Thus, Reiki means “common life pressure vitality,” which works on all levels-physical, psychological, emotional, and religious. By influencing all these ranges, Reiki is believed gently however dramatically to amplify individuals’s innate talents to heal themselves. One can carry out Reiki with fingers on or above the physique, and even throughout nice distances. Most individuals discover it as warmth, tingling or a sense of deep love and assist.

Leming’s buddies at St. Luke’s Wellness Heart defined that they obtain Reiki classes previous to chemotherapy with a view to offset a few of their post-chemo reactions. Different sufferers seen dramatic enchancment in ache ranges following Reiki remedies. After experiencing a few of this ache reduction herself-“I really overlook to take my ache tablets after a Reiki session”-Leming gathered a bunch of sufferers and survivors to discover ways to deal with themselves with Reiki. Having acquired an attunement (opening of the physique’s pure vitality paths) from a Reiki Grasp Instructor, they’ll now really feel Reiki flowing by their very own fingers. Though her ache returns, Leming experiences a better sense of calmness and peace when coping with ache, in addition to different most cancers stressors like funds and household relationships.

No formal U.S. research have confirmed Reiki’s effectiveness in treating most cancers; nevertheless, The Canadian Breast Most cancers Analysis Initiative lately awarded a $20,000 grant to Dr. Ahlam Mansour of the Faculty of Nursing, College of Saskatchewan. Dr. Mansour will examine “the consequences of Reiki on the extent of hysteria, bodily issues, religious well-being, and full blood counts in sufferers present process their preliminary AC (chemotherapy).”[v] The June 1997 problem of Most cancers Prevention Management shared preliminary outcomes from a managed examine on the Cross Most cancers Institute in Edmonton, Canada. Twenty volunteers with persistent ache, together with ache from most cancers, acquired Reiki remedies from an authorized Reiki Degree 2 practitioner. Research supervisors used each a visible analog scale (VAS) and a Likert scale to measure ache earlier than and after Reiki. The examine discovered that receiving Reiki drastically improved ache ranges.[vi]

Throughout the US, hospitals and hospices have begun to worth Reiki. In 1997, Nancy Samson, RN, BS, started coordinating a volunteer Reiki program within the radiation oncology ward at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Heart in New Hampshire. At present, the middle hosts Reiki Certification Lessons and advertises 50% reimbursement of sophistication value for DHMC staff. [vii] The esteemed California Pacific Medical Heart’s Well being and Therapeutic Clinic provides Reiki, together with acupressure, dietary remedy and yoga. [viii] Hospices more and more provide Reiki to sufferers as a way of easing ache and lowering anxiousness concerning the unknown.

Arizona hosts one of many longest relationships between Reiki and conventional most cancers therapy. Sally Soderlund, RN (Help Companies Coordinator for Oncology) directs the Tucson Medical Heart (TMC) Reiki Clinic. The Reiki program at TMC started over 11 years in the past within the Most cancers Care Unit. It has since branched out to different areas of the hospital as nicely. Reiki practitioners at TMC often describe Reiki as “therapeutic vitality” and work collectively in two particular person groups. They emphasize the stress-free and therapeutic qualities of Reiki, quite than delving into metaphysics. Though some sufferers report religious experiences throughout Reiki classes, volunteers clarify that Reiki is a therapeutic system, not a faith. The TMC clinic’s success continues as a result of affected person requests for repeat classes in addition to nurse experiences of improved affected person temper and therapeutic charge.[ix]

The American Most cancers Society regards Reiki as a “protected” complementary most cancers remedy. Their web site acknowledges sufferers’ subjective experiences of Reiki’s means to hurry therapeutic and improve their sense of well-being. Like therapeutic massage, Reiki induces rest, lowers coronary heart charge and reduces stress ranges. Research point out that individuals heal higher if they’ll stay in a low stress state. As a result of therapeutic massage really manipulates tissue, although, the American Most cancers Society recommends avoiding areas close to tumors till analysis reveals if tissue manipulation can unfold most cancers cells to different components of the physique.[x] In contrast to therapeutic massage, Reiki includes a lightweight contact or no contact in any respect: there isn’t a tissue manipulation. Recipients stay clothed whereas vitality flows above and into their physique. For individuals with a number of tumor websites, Reiki provides an opportunity to faucet into the therapeutic energy of rest with none contraindications.

[i] American Most cancers Society: Caner Reference Info. most cancers.org/docroot/CRI/content material/CRI_2_2_1X_How_many_people_get_breast_cancer_5.asp?sitearea=

[ii] About Well being and Health: breastcancer.about.com/

[iii] “How Most cancers Can Put You at Danger of Severe An infection.” Healthmonitor: July-August 2006, p. S3.

[iv] “Take Care of Your self.” Healthmonitor: July-August 2006, p. S4.

[v] Supply: Workplace of Communications, College of Saskatchewan, Canada, usask.ca/communications/ocn/Apr24/news8.html.

[vi] Supply: Olson Ok, Hanson J, 1997. “Utilizing Reiki to handle ache: a preliminary report.” Most cancers Prevention Management 1997, June, Vol.1(2): pages 108-13.

[vii] Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Heart: Lessons and Occasions. dhmc.org/dhmc/webpage.cfm?site_id=2&morg_id=0&org_id=1&sec_id=3&gsec_id=3&item_id=3

[viii] CPMC Institute for Well being and Therapeutic. cpmc.org/companies/ihh/professionals/overview.html

[ix] Rand, William Lee. “Reiki in Hospitals.” Reiki Information Articles: The Worldwide Heart for Reiki Coaching. reiki.org/reikinews/reiki_in_hospitals.html

[x] American Most cancers Society. “Reiki” and “Therapeutic massage.” most cancers.org/docroot/eto/content material/eto_5_3x_massage.asp?sitearea=eto

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Source by Laura Bruno

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