Reflexology
What is it?
Reflexology is a specific massage for the hands, feet, and ears.
The principle behind the practice is that reflex points on these areas of the body are connected to specific organs and body systems. Reflexologists believe that stimulating these areas (usually the feet) initiates healing and health benefits in the corresponding organ or body system.
Many people find reflexology relaxing and destressing.
The reflexology of today is based on ancient therapy dating back to 2500 BC, and variations of it can be traced to Egypt, China, and India. Similar to acupressure and acupuncture, it works on specific areas outside the body to treat areas inside the body.
The reflexes on our feet and hands act as a map of our internal organs and systems, which the therapist gently massages to promote healing.
How does it work?
The reflexology we know today is thanks to Eunice Ingham, whose work is still taught in the school she founded, The International Institute of Reflexology. Eunice mapped out reflex points on the hands and feet that correspond to organs, glands and body parts.
Eunice, a physiotherapist who researched and developed zone therapy findings, developed her foot theory in the early 1930s after treating hundreds of patients to explore and check reflex points. Eunice felt confident that the reflexes on the feet were an exact image of the body's organs.
The practice of reflexology dates back to the ancient Chinese belief that qi, or "vital energy", can become diminished or imbalanced due to stress, leading to illness. Reflexology aims to replenish the flow of qi to keep the patient disease-free. Practitioners of this therapy believe that their touch sends energy through the body to the area that needs healing.
During the treatment, the patient either lies or sits, fully clothed, with only the area being massaged exposed. Before starting, the therapist will ask about health, diet, conditions and lifestyle. The answers will determine what body part the therapist works on.
A reflexology treatment can feel calming with the practitioner gently massaging and stimulating the feet (hands or ears) as the patient relaxes.
However, it could also be that the therapist wants to stimulate specific ‘stuck’ or ‘inflamed’ points and this can hurt.
It is up to you to decide (and communicate) with your therapist what kind of intensity you would like to enjoy. During the thirty to sixty-minute session, the therapist will work on all pressure points, not just the points corresponding to the symptoms, and will use a variety of pressure.
Many people say that they feel so relaxed they do or could fall asleep during their treatment, and others say they feel a rush of emotions or energy.
Is this for you?
It is said that Reflexology can treat a wide variety of symptoms, focusing on organs and blockings in other places in your body. Depending on your condition, it could be that a therapist will confirm that this treatment could be beneficial.
However, as much as with acupuncture, there is yet to be published rigorous scientific evidence that reflexology could have a benefit or positive impact.
Different from Acupuncture, Reflexology - by its nature in bodywork/massage, has been widely accepted as a treatment to decrease muscle tension, to stimulate blood circulation and to make people feel more relaxed.
On that note the answer to the question “is this for you?” very much depends on what you want to get out of it.
Do you see it as just a way to relax and take care of your tired body? Or do you hope to make drastic changes in your health?
For the former, - though still depending on the therapist - there is a general consensus that just like a spa massage, Reflexology could have the benefit you want. For the latter, it get’s a bit more complicated.
As with some of the other treatments described in this blog it is key to understand what benefits you could expect from Acupuncture and how these match with your current health needs.
Number one: do your research. Understand the practice, talk to people who have already tried this treatment and find out who could deliver the highest quality care in your area.
Secondly, make sure to prepare yourself as well as you can: be clear upfront about your complaints, make sure you write down its intricacies and what a good outcome of the treatment would be for you. What would 20% improvement look like? And 50%?
Another important step is to make sure that you’re able to track your progress in some way, so you’re not spending money left, right and center without any idea of impact. How can you measure the result of the reflexology sessions in relation to the pain that you have?
If you have any of the complaints listed for which reflexology may be an effective treatment and you’re (financially) ok with it not having the impact you hope, Acupuncture could be a next step for you.
What is my experience?
I absolutely love Reflexology, and have done so since I lived in hong Kong for work and getting a midnight Reflexology therapy was as normal there as it was to get a croissant for breakfast in France.
I revelled in it. As my body is always sore I am a great fan of bodywork and massage in every shape and form, and when i tried reflexology for the first time it felt like a whole new world of ‘feeling revived’ opened in front of my eyes.
What I think is so beneficial is that it is a bottom up approach, and literally the parts of your body that in some ways never get the attention but do hold all the pressure, now have an opportunity to recover. In Hong Kong, they tend to be rough though, and it is not that relaxing an experience. They use little bamboo sticks for the points with most tension and really make it there responsibility to loosen it up no matter what. This gives more than a couple of “shriek” responses during the one hour massage, but from the beginning I thought especially that part was fascinating.
Because - how can it be that in our feet there are so many sensitive points hidden? And that these points can hurt so badly? I never fully subscribed to the findings like: “oh if this point hurts it means your kidney have a problem'“ (there’s no real way for me to check as well), however, I am surprised when a specific point that hurts really badly is related to an issue that I’m actually already aware off.
For instance, my therapist asked me if I had car sickness, when a specific point hurt very badly, and I told him that indeed that’s a 100% true, and something I struggle with from the moment I get into a car. Apparently, that specific point corresponds with my vestibular system and hence he derived that I just might have that issue. These funny little findings do make you wonder if there is more to it than you think.
I haven’t had too many treatments yet (and definitely still very much so have car sickness), so I’m not yet a convert in terms of how it can heal my body beyond this basic level of deep relaxation, however, just for that, it is worthwhile for me to keep doing this treatment on this road to feeling healthy.
How can I try this?
If you’re interested in this treatment, and you have no one in your network that can recommend you someone, Google is your best friend. With the above key-words and desired area you should get quite a lot of result. Please check out my article on How to book a treatment for the first time here.
Disclaimer:
This blog provides general information and discussion about health, treatments and related subjects. I try to shine light on a vast and often ambiguous arena by sharing my own experiences. The words and other content provided in this blog, as well as any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. I’m not a medical expert. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately-licensed physician or other health care worker.