Reiki therapy for postoperative oral pain in pediatric patients: Pilot data from a double-blind, randomized clinical trial

Purpose: To examine the effects of Reiki as an adjuvant therapy to opioid therapy for postoperative pain control in pediatric patients. Methods: This was a double-blind, randomized controlled study of children undergoing dental procedures. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either Reiki therapy or the control therapy (sham Reiki) preoperatively. Postoperative pain scores, opioid requirements, and side effects were assessed. Family members were also asked about perioperative care satisfaction. Multiple linear regressions were used for analysis. Results: Thirty-eight children participated. The blinding procedure was successful. No statistically significant difference was observed between groups on all outcome measures. Implications: Our study provides a successful example of a blinding procedure for Reiki therapy among children in the perioperative period. This study does not support the effectiveness of Reiki as an adjuvant therapy to opioid therapy for postoperative pain control in pediatric patients. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.