Q: "My grandmother suffers from advanced dementia. My mom is the main person in the family taking care of her. Recently she has been really exhausted and discouraged. Then one day I overheard her talking with my dad about taking my grandmother to a "Reiki" practitioner. It is my understanding that this is some ancient form of healing. She is pretty set on doing at least a few sessions. It is supposed to help with my grandma's anxiety and strange behavior she sometimes gets. I am pretty skeptical, but at the same time I have not seen my mom so elated for months. Should I share my doubts with her? It is only a question of time before she asks me my opinion. Have you ever seen a patient helped by this? Should we do it? Is it dangerous? I really appreciate your advice.

Siobhan: A: After all these years it never ceases to amaze me how we can still find intriguing topics to discuss. I will try to share with you my view of Reiki and other alternative approaches to medicine. If practices such as Reiki or acupuncture are performed together with mainstream medical treatment, they are called complementary medicine. Many hospitals and even the National Institutes of Health have complementary alternative medicine institutes and practitioners.

Now forgive the skeptic in me, but I tend to believe in only two types of medicine: proven and unproven. Proven means tested in a strict way in rigorous blinded studies as free of bias as possible. Reports of healing, testimonials of very famous people (think Oprah Winfrey!) are just those. They do not constitute any truth beyond that individual's experience. Given that half of what I practice every day in my office has never been truly proven, one has to stay open-minded about these things. I believe, however, that Reiki's successes are yet another example of the power of placebo medicine.

Yes, I know, half of you are upset with me already and the other half is getting there. Before you stop reading, though, let's review what Reiki is and what, if any, are the dangers of using Reiki and other forms of alternative medicine.

Reiki, according to Wikipedia, is a spiritual practice developed in 1922 by a Japanese Buddhist, Mikao Usui. It uses a technique called palm healing to transfer healing energy to a sick person. This is all under the assumption that the Universe is permeated by an invisible form of energy, "ki," and that we all are connected through it somehow. The Reiki therapists channel this energy by lightly touching or nearly touching the person they want to help. There is an assumption that by doing so, the "energy balance" is "restored," since illness according to this philosophy is secondary to energy "distortion."

The founder of this movement acquired his ability to teach others how to channel the energy through his many days of fasting, meditation and chanting. He apparently taught more than 2,000 students, with only 16 of them reaching the highest level of Reiki skills. Usui died of stroke in 1926.

From the earliest years Reiki practitioners followed five major principles they call precepts. The first two are the secret art of inviting happiness, followed by the miraculous medicine for all diseases. Next comes the third one dealing with daily practices. It asks of the Reiki apprentice to not be angry, not worry, be grateful, work with diligence and be kind to people every single day (sounds like a very good mantra for all of us).