Effects of reiki and back massage on pain in women having undergone abdominal hysterectomy

Objective: The present study with a pretest-posttest control group pattern was conducted to determine the effects of reiki and back massage on pain, vital signs and analgesic use in women having undergone open abdominal hysterectomy. Materials and methods: The study was conducted in Dicle University Training and Research Hospital and Gazi Yaşargil Training and Research Hospital, Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics, June 2017- September 2018. Two hospitals located in the city center of Diyarbakır, comprised the population of the study. The women having undergone open abdominal hysterectomy in two hospitals located in the city center of Diyarbakır, a province in southeastern Turkey, comprised the population of the study. The study sample included 102 women. They were assigned into the reiki, back massage and control groups each of which included 34 women. The participants in the reiki and back massage groups received 20 minutes of reiki or back massage respectively. The participants in the control group received only the standard postoperative care. Then, the participants were administered the data collection forms. The study data were collected using the Questionnaire (Survey Form), Numerical Pain Rating Scale and Vital Signs Form. The data were analyzed using numbers, percentages, arithmetic means, standard deviation (SS), chi-square test, dependent and independent samples t-test, and ANOVA test. Results: A statistically significant difference was determined between the participants in the Reiki group and the participants in the back massage and control groups in terms of pain intensity and analgesic use (p <0.05). While pulse and respiration rates, systolic and diastolic blood pressure values significantly decreased in in the reiki group, they significantly increased in the back massage and control groups (p <0.05). Conclusion: Of the women having undergone abdominal hysterectomy, those who had reiki experienced less pain. Key Words: Pain, Nursing, Hysterectomy, Reiki, Back massage.