POSTED: 5:33 p.m. PST January 27, 2003

Micki Flowers
KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Health Reporter

It's an unusual approach: Local researchers are launching the first study to prove "energy healing" is an option for patients suffering with fibromyalgia.

More Information On This Study Contact Jovine Umali, research coordinator at (206) 521-1731 Email reiki@u.washington.edu Visit the study's website

Millions of Americans, mostly women, suffer with pain, fatigue and a host of other debilitating ailments caused by fibromyalgia. For the most part traditional medicine has failed them.

An alternative treatment called Reiki may offer hope. Local researchers, with backing from the National Institutes of Health, are studying this ancient Japanese therapy.

After years of suffering Susan Guse' is still looking for an effective, long-lasting treatment for fibromyalgia symptoms.

"It mainly makes me tired, irritable and achy," she said.

Susan says while exercise has helped some, medications failed. Now she's willing to try something new.

Susan is trying an ancient Japanese therapy called Reiki. The Reiki therapist is trained to deliver so-called "universal life energy" into the patient's body to restore balance and promote healing.

"We don't, of course, know what really happens. But in my experience with Reiki and talking to patients who've had Reike, they feel some kind of energy. They feel warmth, tingling, peace. They just feel better," said Dr. Nassim Assefi.

What may sound like science fiction to some has captured the interest of researchers at the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center.

They're launching the first, government-supported study to see if they can prove scientifically that Reiki works for fibromyalgia patients.

And if it does, how? Dr. Nassim Assefi heads up the research.

"It may be just receiving touch, it may be a honed kind of warmth, compassion and presence with the patient, or maybe there is this kind of 'energy' that is being delivered to the body to restore wholeness and well being," Dr. Assefi said

The researchers hope to have answers for patients like Susan Guse' by spring of 2004.

"Feel better?"
"It does," says Susan.
"Good."