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Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.
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I think that it's dodgy to sell these sorts of things as 'treatments', but they could well be a nice thing to do, and that can be valuable in and of itself.
I think that it's dodgy to sell these sorts of things as 'treatments', but they could well be a nice thing to do, and that can be valuable in and of itself.
I have found Reflexology helpful for pain and general wellbeing (it was relaxing and so on). I also found it helped me to get rid of excess water.
I have had energy work done on me (different types of energy healing). One type helped me get rid of my migraine. Didn't do anything for the M.E. in general.
I found it helps acute issues rather than my longstanding day to day stuff. So if I have an acute pain problem it can help with that.
I found it depends on the practioner - their energy - as 3 different people have done various forms of it in me... One was Reiki (I found that particular one totally ineffective... I felt worse after as the therapy couch was super uncomfy and I was cold in the room). With the Reiki experience I also did not feel at one with the practioner. I felt as if the practioner was more likely sucking energy out of me than anything!
So if you do try it, I recommend consulting with a ptactioner to see if you feel comfy with them and to check out how they work and so on.
I did see some reaction to lymphatic massage - I herx after it. I found it helpful at one point as after the initial hortible herx I'd feel a bit better. It especially helped my chronic sinus issues as I'd get my face/head/neck/shoulders/arms done.
Hi Cosmo,
I've tried both Reflexology and Reiki. Found both to be relaxing. The practitioners needed to be told that that I wasn't well enough to talk to them. It was hard to get across that if I did talk to them I would get PEM and feel worse off after.
The Reiki was best for me as the therapist I had was good at dealing with my sluggish stomach. Also her touch wasn't as painful as I find massage. It was good in dealing with tension in my shoulders as well.
It is the expense and having to travel and keep appointments that stops me from having these.
Overall though. I have obtained far better health benefits from antiviral drugs and immune modulators and I can't afford as many of them that I need so things like Reiki go into the nice but too expensive luxury category for me now.
If I was a working "well" person I'd like to do these every now and then but I'm not, so my time and money needs to be prioritised to the real things that make me feel physically better and increase my functioning.
I've had Reiki from someone who didn't touch me and only the "energy" around me. Another Reiki person did touch me and it was a medium touch but in a specific way (not like a massage) but more like a gentle manipulation with movement (sorry hard to describe). She also did the energy bit as well.