Reduce pain without medication: study finds Reiki and mindfulness may ease knee osteoarthritis pain

Researchers at Harvard, the University of Utah and Florida State University report that Reiki and a mindfulness practice reduced knee osteoarthritis pain in a small trial with follow-up at one and two months; the authors say larger clinical trials are needed.

Knee osteoarthritis can interfere with everyday activities for many people. A small trial led by researchers at Harvard, the University of Utah and Florida State University tested two complementary therapies for knee osteoarthritis pain. The study, published in Complementary Therapies in Medicine, compared Reiki and a mindfulness practice. The report notes reductions in reported pain and includes follow-up assessments at one and two months. Key findings: - The trial reported that both Reiki and a mindfulness practice reduced knee osteoarthritis pain in participants. - The mindfulness practice was reported to have stronger pain-reduction effects than the Reiki arm in this study. - Researchers followed participants at one month and two months to assess whether benefits persisted. - The authors and quoted experts state that larger clinical trials are needed and that these therapies may be used in addition to, not instead of, traditional treatments. Summary: The study presents early evidence that Reiki and a mindfulness practice can reduce pain reported by people with knee osteoarthritis and that benefits were observed at one- and two-month follow-ups. Larger, more rigorous trials are required to better understand effectiveness and durability, and researchers describe these approaches as potential complements to conventional care.