An interventional study of reiki and Sham Reiki in Nausea and Vomitting, Distension; Bowel and Pain, sponsored by TC Erciyes University. Completed at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-21.
Sponsored by TC Erciyes University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
The aim of this clinical trial was to determine whether Reiki administered to patients after bariatric surgery reduced abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, and pain severity, and improved their comfort levels. The primary research questions were as follows:
Does Reiki reduce abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, and pain severity? Does Reiki improve patient comfort? The researchers compared Reiki with sham Reiki (a procedure designed to resemble Reiki) and routine care. Seventy-five patients were assigned to one of the three groups using stratified randomization according to age and sex.
Participants: For three days after bariatric surgery, participants received one session of Reiki, one session of sham Reiki, or routine care and completed questionnaires assessing abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, pain, and comfort.
Bariatric surgery may lead to abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, increased pain severity, and decreased comfort. This study examined the effects of Reiki administered after bariatric surgery on patients' abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, pain, and comfort levels.
The study was conducted between November 2025 and March 2026 at a city training and research hospital in Türkiye. Seventy-five patients who underwent bariatric surgery were assigned to one of three groups using stratified randomization according to age and sex: the Reiki group (n = 25), the sham Reiki group (n = 25), and the routine care group (n = 25).
Patients in the Reiki group received one session of Level 1 Reiki, lasting approximately 30 minutes, on postoperative day 0, four hours after analgesic administration. Reiki was administered through touch at nine specific points on the body. Patients in the sham Reiki group received a procedure designed to mimic Reiki, whereas those in the control group received routine care without any additional intervention. The assigned procedures were repeated on postoperative days 1 and 2, and the intervention period lasted three days.
The researchers assessed abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, pain, and comfort using questionnaires. In addition, only the index of nausea, vomiting and retching was administered by telephone on the evening of postoperative day 3, after the patients had been discharged. Clarify the intervention schedule Specify the study design.
840 studies on the registry are indexed under Nausea; 106 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 75 is below the median of 115 across 716 interventional studies indexed under Nausea.
Browse Nausea studies →TC Erciyes University is the lead sponsor of 346 studies on the registry; 76 are open to participants now.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Reiki Group participants who underwent bariatric surgery received a 30-minute Level 1 Reiki session administered by a researcher trained and experienced in the Usui method, four hours after analgesic administration.
Other: reiki
Sham Reiki Group participants who underwent bariatric surgery received a single 30-minute sham Reiki session four hours after analgesic administration. The session was administered by an individual who had not received Reiki training or Reiki attunement. The procedure was presented to participants as Reiki.
Other: Sham Reiki
Routine care
Participants received a single 25-30-minute Level 1 Reiki session targeting nine specific areas of the body. The session was conducted four hours after analgesic administration following bariatric surgery by a researcher who had received Reiki attunement, in accordance with the study protocol.
Sham Reiki in addition to routine care, participants received a 25-30-minute sham Reiki session targeting nine specific areas of the body, administered four hours after analgesic administration following bariatric surgery. In accordance with the study protocol, the session was conducted by Interviewer 2, who had not received Reiki training.
Nausea and Vomitting
Nausea was assessed using the Rhodes Index of Nausea, Vomiting, and Retching (INVR). The maximum possible score is 32, with higher scores indicating more severe nausea, vomiting, and retching symptoms.
Time frame: Before Reiki administration and on postoperative days 0, 1, and 2. On the evening of discharge, the scale was administered by telephone on postoperative day 3.
Pain
The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) was used to assess pain intensity. Participants were informed that "0" represented "no pain at all," that pain intensity increased as the numbers increased, and that "10" represented "unbearable pain." They were then asked to select the number that best represented their pain intensity.
Time frame: Twice daily (before and after the intervention) for three postoperative days.
Distension
The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) was used to assess abdominal distension. Participants were informed that "0" represented "no abdominal distension," that the severity of abdominal distension increased as the numbers increased, and that "10" represented "the most severe abdominal distension imaginable." They were then asked to select the number that best represented their perceived level of abdominal distension.
Time frame: Twice daily (before and after the intervention) for three postoperative days.
Comfort
Patient comfort was assessed using the General Comfort Questionnaire (GCQ). The maximum possible total score is 192, and the minimum is 48.
Time frame: Twice daily (before and after the intervention) for three postoperative days.
Plan to share: Undecided
Ran from Nov 2025 to primary completion in Mar 2026, 4 months.
Of 174 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Nausea, half reached primary completion within 12 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 24. This study's 4 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 177 studies reached it within 12 months; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 24.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is completed, as verified in Oct 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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