About 15 or so years ago I was backstage at the Magic Castle with an old chum known to most as Franz Harary... who had strained his shoulder moving props in for the show. Long story short, I did a Reiki treatment on him that was rather short and yet, it blew his mind just how much pain and discomfort I was able to remove. Franz is just one of several magic buffs I've done this or similar work with and the reactions have ALWAYS been positive and a bit of bewilderment; after all, it's all fake, right?
Truth is, there is something about human on human contact, especially when an injury or ailment exists. It may be pure psychology but I tend to believe that there is a very genuine biological explanation behind it as well; whether it's "healing" in the sense most assume said idea means or not, I can't say. I only know that I've seen and experienced some very unique end results.
I see a large number of skeptics mock Reiki and similar therapies even when the AMA acknowledge it, even with doctors prescribing said therapy systems for their patients; a fact that seems to say that there is far "more" to it than the assumptions projected towards it, Acupuncture, Chi Qong and other such ANCIENT healing methods that likewise gain endorsement via the Medical Industry.
Sure, there's going to be grifting... wherever you find more than two human beings brought together, you will find larceny. On the other hand, we are speaking of "sciences" that are quite ancient and proven to be effective... just not something that's "acceptable" to the Westernized mind... those rationalists that want a black & white world vs. the grey reality life actually offers.