When Lisa S., 55, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2016, after decades of symptoms, she began taking a disease-modifying medication, which helped. But other medications prescribed for symptoms created new problems, and Lisa, a resident of Long Island, New York, decided to explore a more holistic approach to managing them.

She found yoga, meditation, physical therapy, and a “clean” diet helpful, and when a yoga instructor introduced her to Reiki — a Japanese energy healing technique — she was intrigued by the idea of a natural, noninvasive therapy that involved only touch and had no side effects.

Her first Reiki session was relaxing and gave her a feeling of peace and serenity — so much so that Lisa took a level 1 Reiki class so she could perform it on herself.

She now credits Reiki, in combination with other modalities, with helping her feel significantly better.

What Is Reiki?

Like acupuncture, tai chi, and qigong, Reiki — which means “universal life force energy” — aims to alter the flow of energy in and around the body, and is believed to facilitate relaxation, improve sleep, reduce anxiety and fatigue, and, perhaps, address more specific symptoms such as pain and spasticity.

The ability to perform Reiki is transferred from a master to a student in a process known as an attunement.

Beth Kane, a licensed clinical social worker and life coach in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, works frequently with people with chronic illnesses such as multiple sclerosis. Several years ago she began to explore Reiki. After taking the required classes and receiving the attunements, Kane became a Reiki master teacher and has been practicing for the past three years.

How Is Reiki Done for MS?

Reiki treatments, which typically last 45 to 60 minutes, “are administered through the healing hands of a certified practitioner with the client lying fully clothed on a massage table,” says Kane. There’s no manipulation of bones or tissues, she adds. The practitioner merely holds her hands on, above, or around the client's body to channel energy. Some clients, she says, will fall asleep during a session, and most report a sense of “warmth, peace, and relaxation.”

Reiki, she explains, “can also be sent distantly, as it is an energy and therefore is not bound to one geographic location.” In addition, patients can become attuned so they can provide Reiki therapy to themselves, and caregivers can also learn to practice.

Are Reiki’s Effects on MS Real?

“Although little scientific research has been completed on Reiki, there are many patients and practitioners who believe in its benefits,” says Kane. Despite the lack of evidence and even in light of conflicting study results, Reiki is in great demand and is practiced by nurses and others at hundreds of hospitals and health centers across the country. It’s offered at renowned hospitals such as the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and is a service provided at the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence.

Whether or not Reiki’s benefits are the result of a placebo effect, as some suggest, it’s popular because patients claim it works.

Kane’s experience suggests that it can greatly benefit anyone who suffers from a chronic or an acute illness. “Reiki helps reduce stress and anxiety, balancing the body’s energy system to allow for healing while helping the body heal itself,” she says.

In a review published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine in 2017, Reiki was found to be more effective than placebo (sham Reiki) or progressive muscle relaxation in reducing pain, depression, and anxiety in chronically ill individuals.

The review included 13 studies and concluded that the studies provided reasonably strong support for Reiki being more effective than placebo, and that the practice is “a safe and gentle ‘complementary’ therapy that activates the parasympathetic nervous system to heal body and mind.’”

Common Benefits for People With MS

Sometimes clients don’t feel anything immediately after a Reiki session, says Kane, but benefits may be seen in as little as one session, depending on what the client needs and desires.

“Many people report a sense of calm, decreased stress, and improved rest following even one session,” Kane says.

“Reiki, being the highest form of energy, goes where it is needed to promote healing and, therefore, works on every level, including physical, mental, and spiritual,” says Kane. It also may be used to address particular symptoms, with practitioners setting an intention for it to heal in those particular areas. “However, Reiki always knows what healing is needed, and so we trust in that process,” she says.

Even Reiki Skeptics Can Feel Its Effects

Such comments may raise eyebrows and provoke disbelief, even ridicule. But Kane points out that it’s not necessary for a person to believe in Reiki for it to work. “Try it and then talk to me,” she says, laughing. “I’ve had many skeptics walk through my door and leave an hour later totally in awe of how they are feeling.”

Lisa is quick to point out that Reiki is not a cure for MS. “I don’t believe it’s a quick fix or a miraculous healing technique,” she says. “However, the energy is known to bring balance to one’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.”

Four Levels of Reiki Attunement

According to Kane, anyone can be attuned to perform Reiki. “We aren’t changing the energy,” she says. Kane explains the four levels of training as being increasingly advanced and working with progressively higher levels of energy.

“Level 1 is generally for people who are just learning and is mostly used for self-Reiki and for friends and family. Level 2 teaches how to send Reiki distantly and incorporates Reiki on a more emotional level. Level 3 incorporates Reiki on a more spiritual plane, and students learn more advanced techniques.”

The final level leads to the ability to practice as a Reiki master teacher, teaching Reiki and giving attunements.

Lisa took a Reiki level 1 attunement. “For the first 21 days and afterward I practiced daily as recommended,” she says. “I followed a series of hand positions every evening and found it to be meditative and relaxing, and I would shortly fall into a deep and restful sleep.”

“I would absolutely recommend anybody to try it, not only MS patients,” says Lisa. “There is no downside. Relaxation and restful sleep in itself is healing for the body. To have another available tool for relaxation is wonderful.”

Additional reporting by Becky Upham.