Prayer, Distant Healing

What is it?

Prayer involves aiming to connect with God or another object of worship. Distant healing is the projection of healing intention for another from afar.

Prayer is a part of many religious traditions. It might make some people feel more positive or hopeful, which might result in relaxation. Distant healing may or may not involve prayer. It’s a broader concept that includes other approaches to help heal another from afar.

People use prayer and distant healing for depression, high blood pressure, pain, heart disease, anxiety, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support these uses.

Do not confuse prayer or distant healing with guided imagery, mindfulness, mantra meditation, qi gong, reiki therapy, or spiritual healing. These are not the same.

Is it effective?

NatMed Pro rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate.

Possibly Ineffective for …

Death from any cause. Prayer does not seem to reduce the risk of death in people with various illnesses.
Recovery after surgery. Prayer does not seem to improve recovery time or prevent complications after heart surgery.
Warts. Neither prayer nor distant healing seems to help heal skin warts.

There is interest in using payer and distant healing for a number of other purposes, but there isn’t enough reliable information to say whether it might be helpful.

Is there concern for the safety of its use?

Prayer and distant healing are likely safe. There’s no reason to expect safety concerns. But prayer and distant healing shouldn’t be used in place of standard treatments or therapies.

Special Precautions & Warnings:

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There isn’t enough reliable information to know if prayer and distant healing are safe during pregnancy and breast-feeding. But there’s no reason to expect safety concerns when used along with standard treatments or therapies.

Are there any drug interactions?

It is not known if this treatment interacts with any medicines. Before using this treatment, talk with your health professional if you take any medications.

Are there any interactions with herbs and supplements?

There are no known interactions with herbs and supplements.

Are there any interactions with food?

There are no known interactions with foods.

What dose is used?

Prayer is a part of many religious traditions. It can be described as requests made while trying to connect with God or another object of worship. Hospital chaplains and counselors are trained to respect different religious backgrounds in addressing the spiritual and emotional needs of patients, their families, or loved ones. The chaplains and counselors often incorporate prayer in their support.

Distant healing is a broader concept than prayer. It includes prayer, but also other approaches to help heal another from afar. For example, it might include attempting to mentally project influence for another’s well-being without asking for the help of a supreme being.

By what other names is the product known?

Absent Healing, Attitudinal Healing, Centering Prayer, Compassion and Healing, Compassionate Intention, Distant Healing, Divining, External Qigong, Faith Healing, Intentionality, Intercessory Prayer (IP), Kahuna Healing, Native American Faith Healing, Noetic Therapy, Psychic Healing, Quantum Healing, Reiki, Religion, Remote Healing, Remote Prayer, Spiritual Healing, Sufi Healing.

Information on this website is for informational use only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. While evidence-based, it is not guaranteed to be error-free and is not intended to meet any particular user’s needs or requirements or to cover all possible uses, safety concerns, interactions, outcomes, or adverse effects. Always check with your doctor or other medical professional before making healthcare decisions (including taking any medication) and do not delay or disregard seeking medical advice or treatment based on any information displayed on this website.

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