Originally posted: 11th February 2019
Lupus is an autoimmune disease which is extremely difficult to diagnose, and it can be a long, worrying time before this diagnosis occurs. Our daughter, Danni suffers with it, amongst other related issues, which is why we decided to write this blog, in the hope that, if it only helps one person, it will have been worth doing. Who knows it may even help more!
We asked Danni to contribute from a personal point of view, as it is very difficult for people to even start to comprehend the struggle of the many Lupus sufferers every single day. This is what she said. We are both extremely proud of her and thank her for this frank and somewhat brave review.
“Lupus is a thief, it's an uninvited, awful illness that robs you of your health, your vanity, and your energy. It makes you feel like you’ve got a constant hangover without the fun of an overindulgent party. In medical terms, it’s a chronic autoimmune disease which causes your body’s immune system to become hyperactive. This means it tells your body to attack normal cells and healthy tissues. You become very symptomatic and it’s different in every sufferer. It can lead to damage to the joints, skin, blood, and organs and usually arrives with a party load of extra diseases such as Fibromyalgia, B12 deficiency, and Raynaud's (to which I have the pleasure of acquiring.) It’s not at all an easy ride, and there’s no known cure to date. It’s managed with immunosuppressant treatments, steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs, and pain medication, and depending on the severity of the diagnosis, chemotherapy. It affects me mainly by skin interaction, fatigue, constant pain, and hair loss. I sport a lovely butterfly (malar) rash across my face a lot of the time and it makes you feel insecure, ugly and like everyone is looking at you. However, I found that regular Reiki treatments helped me to unwind, I don't sleep well, and the Reiki would relax me down enough to just get some rest bite (even if just for the duration of the treatment.) I highly recommend for anyone who is dealing with an autoimmune disease to give it a try! Lupus is poorly understood by many, as it’s just not spoken about enough, which is why charities such as The Hibbs Lupus Trust are so valuable to people like me. They’re a group of volunteers who raise awareness as much as they can to make sure no one faces Lupus alone and they are incredible”. Danni Richards
For this reason, they are our chosen charity here at Earthbound Holistics. We try to help where we can, we attend their annual lupus walk up Cannock Chase and we also put together "an extra spoon” Lupus charms bracelet, alongside earrings which we have sold in the past to raise money and help to spread awareness. We will be putting them back on sale again on our shop and all proceeds will be sent monthly to Hibbs Lupus Trust, in support of all the Lupus Warriors out there.
We’ve attended their support meetings at Cannock Hospital to donate some of our time to mini treatments so that people can experience them for themselves to see whether this could be something that might help them.
If you follow The Hibbs Lupus Trust on Facebook because you are a fellow lupus sufferer, then you can contact them to receive a discount on our treatments.
So why Reiki, and how can it help?
Reiki is a gentle, but powerful hands-on treatment, using universal energy. It is one of the most ancient, pure, and simplest forms of healing in use today. It helps to relax the body, balance the emotions, and clear the mind, reducing stress, increasing vitality, and nurturing wellbeing. It creates greater self-awareness and promotes personal growth. Treatment helps to release blocked channels and systems within, helping the body to heal itself. Reiki enhances all other forms of healing, medicine, alternative therapies, or natural remedies, helping the body to cleanse itself of toxins and other metabolic waste.
Please note: Reiki does not replace medical treatment
It is difficult to explain how Reiki works and it is more of a case of experiencing the treatment to feel the benefits. Therefore, we often carry out taster sessions so that people can judge for themselves. The proof of the pudding is in the eating as they say.
From my own personal experience with Fibromyalgia, Reiki can help patients with autoimmune diseases such as Lupus/Fibromyalgia to ease chronic pain especially during a flare-up, when patients cannot stand for their skin or body to be touched, as it is simply too painful.
The reason for this is that unlike massage which “rubs” and stimulates the skin, Reiki is non-invasive, so although, the therapist’s hands are generally placed directly onto the client (over clothing), no physical massage involved. It works just as effectively when the hands are held slightly away from the area being worked upon, it is irrelevant, so long as the energy is allowed to flow. Other benefits include a soothing of the mind and emotions, and your spirit (which in turn helps heal your pain).
As Reiki is non-invasive, there is no need to remove clothing.
All that is required is that the recipient is open to the energy, to receive the benefit, but it does not require any faith or particular beliefs for the process to have an effect.
What does Reiki feel like?
The hands are placed onto different areas of the body during the treatment. The most common sensation felt is a soothing warmth, which leaves the recipient feeling deeply relaxed and all tension reduced. This is particularly beneficial in Lupus clients.
Who will benefit?
All can benefit from a regular session for relaxation purposes, but it is particularly beneficial to people suffering from stress, as it balances the emotions and for those who suffer from chronic pain, a regular treatment will help to reduce flare-ups and ease attacks.
From a personal perspective, I find it extremely beneficial in reducing pain, mental fatigue, and other symptoms. On visiting the Psychologist at the Pain Management Clinic after my diagnosis in 2003, she said, that in her opinion, Reiki was one of the best treatments for the condition that she knew of, and that I was very lucky to be able to utilise it on a regular basis.