Philosophy: Practitioner เป็น "channel" สำหรับ universal life force · ส่งผ่านมือไปยังผู้รับ · ไม่ใช่พลังงานของผู้รักษาเอง

Technique: Light touch หรือ hands hovering 1-2 inches above body · 12-20 hand positions ครอบคลุมร่างกาย · session 60-90 min · ผู้รับนอน fully clothed

Training: 3 ระดับ (Level I, II, Master) · ต้องได้ "attunement" จาก Reiki Master · เริ่มฝึก hands-on ตั้งแต่ Level I

Mechanism (proposed): Vagal stimulation · therapeutic relationship · placebo · biofield interaction (unproven)

Evidence: MODERATE Cochrane: limited but positive for anxiety + cancer-related fatigue + chronic pain · Cochrane 2008 review · Thrane & Cohen 2014 review^[2]

Best use: Adjunct สำหรับ anxiety · sleep · cancer fatigue · post-surgery · palliative

Safety: Extremely safe — minimal touch · no contraindications except patient refusal

Philosophy: "Human energy field" can be assessed + balanced through hand passes · grounded in nursing theory (Rogers' Science of Unitary Human Beings)

Technique: 5 phases: Centering · Assessment · Unruffling · Treatment · Evaluation · hands hover 2-4 inches above body · sweeping motions head-to-toe · session 15-30 min

Training: Healing Touch International + nursing schools · 100+ hours certification

Mechanism: Similar to Reiki — relaxation + autonomic shift + therapeutic relationship

Evidence: WEAK to MODERATE Multiple RCTs in pain · anxiety · wound healing · cancer · ครึ่งหนึ่ง positive, ครึ่งหนึ่ง null^[3]

Famous study: Emily Rosa (1998, JAMA) — at age 9, designed RCT showing TT practitioners couldn't detect "energy field" above ผู้รับ blind test · controversial but influential

Best use: Anxiety · pain · wound healing adjunct · ICU patients

Philosophy: Similar to TT but more techniques · combines TT + Reiki + other modalities

Technique: 30+ specific techniques: "Magnetic Clearing", "Mind Clearing", "Chakra Connection", etc. · session 45-60 min

Training: 5 levels · Healing Touch International accredited · widely used in US hospitals

Evidence: MODERATE studies in cardiac surgery patients · cancer · pain — ลด anxiety, opioid use^[4]

Best use: Pre-/post-surgery · ICU · oncology · burn care · pediatrics

Philosophy: Diseases manifest in energy body first · clean "diseased pranic energy" + replenish with "fresh prana" · 7 chakras assessment

Technique: "Scanning" ใช้มือ assess energy field · "Sweeping" diseased energy out · "Energizing" by drawing prana from environment + transmitting

Training: Multi-level certification through World Pranic Healing Foundation

Evidence: WEAK Small studies · limited high-quality RCTs · much testimonial

Best use: Adjunct for general wellness · stress · anxiety · subjective benefit

Philosophy: Body has + / - / neutral poles · energy flows through body following ปกติวิถี · disease = blocked flow

Technique: Combine: gentle touch + body manipulation + nutrition + stretching exercise + counseling · 4 elements (5 in some teachings)

Training: American Polarity Therapy Association — 155-hour Associate, 660-hour Practitioner

Evidence: WEAK Few controlled trials · used in nursing homes for behavioral symptoms

Best use: Adjunct · holistic wellness · gentle approach for chronically ill

Philosophy: Qigong master emits Qi to patient through hands (no touch) · cultivated through years of practice

Technique: Master uses hand positions + breathing + intention to direct Qi · session 15-30 min · combines internal cultivation with external emission

Training: Years of internal Qigong before external · TCM hospital integration in China

Evidence: MODERATE Studies in cancer patients · diabetes · pain · some show benefit · evidence quality varies^[5]

Best use: Cancer adjunct (in TCM-integrated centers) · chronic pain

Technique: Hands directed at patient · 5-30 min · no touch

Evidence: WEAK Limited studies · used in religious context

Technique: Practitioner uses hands to "reconnect" patient to "universal field"

Evidence: CONTROVERSIAL Limited research · much marketing

Technique: Combine breathing + body awareness + light touch · claims "raises vibration"

Evidence: WEAK Mostly testimonial

⚠: Use of "quantum" — marketing term · not actual quantum physics

Forms: 5 major styles — Chen, Yang (most common), Wu, Sun, Hao · 24-form, 48-form, 108-form sets

Practice: Slow flowing movements · weight shifting · spiraling · 20-60 min/session · daily

Evidence: STRONG Cochrane + meta-analyses ใน:

• Fall prevention (older adults) — Cochrane 2012 · risk reduction 28-50%
• Knee OA · Fibromyalgia · COPD · Cardiovascular
• Sleep · anxiety · depression
• HRV · balance · bone density (modest)

Best use: Older adults · chronic conditions · fall prevention · general wellness

Types: Medical Qigong · Martial Qigong · Spiritual Qigong · Static (sitting/standing) vs Dynamic (moving)

Common practices: Ba Duan Jin (8 Brocades) · Wu Qin Xi (5 Animal Frolics) · Yi Jin Jing (Tendon Changing) · Liu Zi Jue (6 Healing Sounds)

Technique: Combine — gentle movement + deep breathing + mental focus + intention · 20-30 min/session

Evidence: STRONG Similar to Tai Chi — pain · cancer fatigue · hypertension · diabetes · sleep · mood^[7]

Best use: Versatile — works for all ages · accessible than Tai Chi for those with mobility issues

Modern types: Hatha · Iyengar · Vinyasa · Ashtanga · Yin · Restorative · Kundalini · Bikram (hot)

Practice: Asana (postures) + Pranayama (breath) + Dhyana (meditation)

Pranayama techniques:

• Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril) — balance ANS
• Ujjayi (ocean breath) — calming
• Kapalabhati (skull shining) — energizing
• Bhastrika (bellows) — heating
• Bhramari (bee humming) — vagal stimulation
• Sheetali (cooling) — Pitta pacifier

Evidence: STRONG Massive evidence base — > 300 RCTs · effective for: low back pain, depression, anxiety, hypertension, asthma, sleep, PTSD, oncology adjunct^[8]

Best use: Almost universal · adapt to individual

Philosophy: "Hermits self-stretching" — designed for ascetics + monks doing long meditation · combines stretching + breathing + acupressure

Technique: 80 named postures · each addresses specific เส้นประธาน · 10-30 min/session

Evidence: WEAK to MODERATE Limited RCTs · Buahom et al. (2020) showed back pain reduction in office workers

Best use: Office workers · sedentary lifestyle · combine with Thai massage

Mechanism: Low-frequency EM field (0.1-100 Hz) penetrates tissue · induces microcurrentใน cells · activates voltage-gated ion channels · stimulates bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) · ลด inflammation · mitochondrial activation

Frequencies used:

• 7.83 Hz — "Schumann resonance" (Earth's frequency)
• 10-20 Hz — bone healing
• 20-40 Hz — soft tissue
• 100-1000 Hz — pain

Evidence: STRONG for:

• Nonunion fractures — FDA approved
• OA pain — Cochrane 2013
• Depression-resistant (rTMS-related)
• Postoperative pain + edema

Devices: Medical-grade (Magna Wave, PEMF 8000) · consumer (BEMER, Curatron) · "wellness" devices vary widely in quality

Safety: Very safe · contraindications: pacemaker · implanted devices · pregnancy (caution)

Mechanism: Surface electrodes deliver low-voltage current · activates Aβ fibers → gate control · ↑ endogenous opioids

Parameters: Conventional (high freq 50-100 Hz, low amplitude) for acute pain · Acupuncture-like (low freq 1-4 Hz, high amplitude) for chronic pain

Evidence: MODERATE Cochrane: effective for various pain conditions · ใช้กว้างใน PT clinic

Technique: Needles + low-voltage electrical pulses 1-100 Hz · 20-30 min

Evidence: MODERATE to STRONG for chronic pain · OA · postoperative · nausea · stroke recovery^[10]

Mechanism: Red (630-700 nm) + Near-IR (780-1000 nm) light penetrates skin · absorbed by cytochrome c oxidaseใน mitochondria → ↑ ATP production · ↓ inflammation · ↑ collagen · NOS modulation

Devices: LED panels (Joovv, Mito Red) · handheld lasers · masks · indoor "red light therapy"

Dose: Energy density 1-10 J/cm² · session 5-20 min

Evidence: STRONG for:

• Wound healing (diabetic ulcers · burns)
• Hair loss (androgenic alopecia)
• Skin rejuvenation (collagen)
• Acne (especially blue light combo)
• OA joint pain
• Tendinopathies

Safety: Very safe · ระวังตา (UV protection if device emits UV)

Mechanism: Similar to PBM · monochromatic coherent light · deeper penetration than LED · pulsed for tissue stimulation

Use: Musculoskeletal pain · wound healing · post-surgical recovery · dermatology · acupuncture point stimulation (laser acupuncture)

Evidence: STRONG for OA · tendinopathy · oral mucositis (cancer chemo)

⚠: Eye protection required · trained operator

Static magnets: Wearable (bracelets, mattress pads) · WEAK evidence · Cochrane: no significant benefit for OA

Pulsed magnetic (PEMF): See §6.1 — strong evidence

rTMS (Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation): Medical device · FDA approved for depression · OCD · migraine · STRONG evidence^[12]

Technique: วาง bowl บนร่างกาย (vibroacoustic) หรือใกล้ตัว · ใช้ wooden mallet ตี-หรือลูบ · เกิดเสียง + vibration 100-500 Hz

Mechanism: Vibration ส่งผ่านเนื้อเยื่อ · กระตุ้น mechanoreceptors · vagal afferents · ทำให้เข้าสู่ alpha-theta brain waves

Evidence: WEAK to MODERATE Goldsby et al. (J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med 2017) ใน 62 participants พบลด tension · anger · fatigue · depression^[13]

Best use: Stress · sound healing sessions · meditation adjunct

Technique: Weighted (32-128 Hz) for body · unweighted (256-528 Hz) for biofield · placed on body หรือใกล้

Common frequencies:

• 128 Hz — "OM" — bone healing
• 432 Hz — "natural tuning"
• 528 Hz — "love frequency" (controversial claim)

Evidence: WEAK Limited research · mainly testimonial

Types: Receptive (listening) · Active (playing/singing) · Improvisational · Songwriting

Evidence: STRONG:

• Dementia + Alzheimer's — Cochrane 2018 · reduces agitation
• Cancer — anxiety, mood, pain
• Premature infants — weight gain, breastfeeding
• Depression — adjunct to therapy
• Surgery — reduces opioid use, anxiety
• Stroke rehab — speech, motor

Best use: Almost universal · MT-BC in hospitals · hospice · pediatrics · psychiatric

Mechanism: Slow exhalation + vibration in skull/chest + sustained focus → vagal stimulation · HRV ↑ · default mode network changes

Evidence: MODERATE

• OM chanting — fMRI shows deactivation of limbic regions (Kalyani et al. 2011)
• Bhramari (humming) — Nitric Oxide ↑ × 15-fold (Lundberg et al.)
• Gregorian chanting — Alfred Tomatis research
• Buddhist chanting — autonomic effects

Best use: Self-practice · meditation deepening · stress · spiritual development

Mechanism: ฟัง 2 tones ใกล้กัน (eg. 200 Hz one ear, 210 Hz other) → brain perceives "beat" frequency (10 Hz) · entrains brainwaves

Target frequencies:

• Delta (0.5-4 Hz) — deep sleep
• Theta (4-8 Hz) — meditation
• Alpha (8-13 Hz) — relaxed alertness
• Beta (13-30 Hz) — focus
• Gamma (30+ Hz) — peak cognition

Evidence: WEAK to MODERATE Garcia-Argibay et al. 2019 meta-analysis — small effect for anxiety + memory^[14]

Apps: Brain.fm · Endel · Calm · Headspace

Philosophy: Dilute substance to extreme levels (often beyond Avogadro's number) · serial dilution + succussion (shaking) → "potentized" remedy · "water memory" carries information

Common dilutions: 6C, 30C, 200C (1 in 10⁻¹², 10⁻⁶⁰, 10⁻⁴⁰⁰)

Evidence: CONTROVERSIAL

• UK House of Commons report 2010: "not effective beyond placebo"
• Australian NHMRC 2015 review: no reliable evidence
• EU Academies Statement 2017: "homeopathy is at best a placebo"
• NCCIH: "scientific evidence does not support homeopathy as effective"
• FDA 2019: no homeopathic product approved as efficacious

⚠ Concerns: Use for serious conditions (cancer, asthma, infections) can delay effective treatment · several reports of harm from omission

Note: Despite negative evidence — homeopathy widely practiced · regulated in some countries (UK NHS removed, France delisted) · safety profile of remedies themselves OK (essentially water)

Philosophy: Flower essences "carry vibration" of plant · affect emotional state · "Rescue Remedy" most popular (5-flower combination for acute stress)

Evidence: WEAK Cochrane: not different from placebo · Halberstein et al. 2010 systematic review

Safety: Very safe — alcohol-based extracts

Claims: Devices detect "energetic frequencies" of body · diagnose disease · transmit "healing frequencies"

Evidence: CONTROVERSIAL No reliable evidence for diagnostic claims · BMJ 2009: "no scientific basis"

⚠ Concerns: Major risk if used for serious diagnoses · multiple "alternative cancer" cases involving bioresonance · regulatory action in several countries

Claims: Specific crystals have "healing vibrations" · placed on chakras · clear "energy blockages"

Evidence: WEAK Best-known study: French + Williams 2001 — RCT showed no difference between real crystals and fakes when participants blinded · psychological/placebo effect

Note: Use as meditation focus + ritual = benign · use to replace medical care = harmful

Mechanism: Volatile molecules from essential oils → olfactory bulb → limbic system · also TRP channels · some absorption through skin/lungs

Evidence: MODERATE

• Lavender — anxiety, sleep (multiple RCTs)
• Peppermint — nausea (esp. postoperative)
• Tea tree — antimicrobial (topical)
• Bergamot — anxiety
• Frankincense + spike — palliative care

Note: Mechanism is biochemical + olfactory-limbic — not purely "energy" · but classified as energy medicine in some frameworks

Safety: Dilute essential oils · patch test · avoid eyes · ingestion เฉพาะ supervised use only