UCLA

BACKGROUND: In the non-surgical cosmetic setting, anxiety (blood-injury-injection phobia) and pain are strongly associated with a procedure that involves facial injections. Reiki therapy, a Japanese healing technique, is already used in the healthcare setting to assist with reducing anxiety and pain. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether Reiki therapy effectively reduces anxiety and pain while also improving patient satisfaction in patients receiving facial injections. STUDY DESIGN: Using a randomized experimental control group design, Reiki therapy (Reiki group) lasting 15 minutes was compared against the current standard of care (control group) in a non-surgical cosmetic office in women ages 25-65 receiving botulinum toxin facial injections. METHODS: Measurements include anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory), procedural pain (Analog Pain Scale), satisfaction (likely to refer survey), and vital signs measured pre- and post-Reiki in the intervention group and pre- and post-procedure in the control group. Statistical analysis includes descriptive statistics, independent and paired sample t-test, Mann-Whitney test, and Wilcoxon matched pairs test. RESULTS: Anxiety and pain were significantly decreased, and satisfaction significantly increased in the Reiki group compared to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that Reiki therapy has a significant effect on reducing anxiety and pain while improving satisfaction in patients receiving facial injections in the non-surgical aesthetic medical care setting. Future studies should consider a larger sample size and target other treatments that involve needle injections.