Reflexology- May the Force Be With Your Fingers

Reflexology is a holistic healing technique in which pressure with the thumbs and fingers is applied to “reflex” zones that have been mapped out on the feet and hands. By applying pressure and stimulating the feet or hands you are increasing circulation and promoting healing in the corresponding part of the body.

Therefore stress and other conditions can be improved in the same way an acupuncturist can break up blockages in chi using acupuncture needles. Yes, I think Reflexology involves more than just a foot massage.

Reflexology dates back to Ancient Egypt, India and China but it wasn’t until 1913 when Dr. William Fitzgerald introduced the therapy to the West as “zone therapy” that it became well-known to the western world. He noted that reflex areas on the feet and hands were linked to areas and organs in the same zone on the body.

According to the zone theory the body is divided into ten equal longitudinal zones (five on the left and five on the right) running through the body from the crown of the head to the tips of the toes. The five zones on the left correspond to the left foot; the five on the right side correspond to the right foot.

In the 1930’s Eunice Ingham further developed this zone theory. As she worked with Dr. Joe Shelby Riley, an osteopath, she observed that congestion or tension in any part of the foot was mirrored in the corresponding part of the body. She plotted these “reflex” points on a foot map and the practice became known as Reflexology.

The Reflexologist learns the “reflex buttons” on the hands and feet which connect to all the organs and glands. When stimulated these “reflex buttons” send out a surge of healing energy, encouraging the corresponding body part to heal itself.

Your feet are extensively connected to your nervous system through the 7200 nerve endings in each foot. These nerves are part of the sympathetic nervous system that senses pain and pressure, hot and cold, wet and dry, etc. and that lead to the “fight or flight” response.

Proper stimulation of these nerves can induce the “relaxation response.” This will produce a cascading effect, reducing stress throughout the entire nervous system. Your body as a whole will relax and begin to repair the damage caused by excess stress.

Studies have shown Reflexology to be a natural therapeutic approach to health and healing and consider it safe and effective. Reflexology can be performed anywhere, requires no special equipment, is noninvasive and is an avenue for the healing power of human touch. It is inexpensive, low-risk, flexible, and easily applied.

Several studies have shown Reflexology to be effective in pain relief. The physiological response to pain can create harmful effects that prolong the body’s recovery after illness or surgery. Patients often report mild to moderate pain even after pain medication has been given.

In patients hospitalized with cancer, all had significant and immediate relief from pain and nausea after a ten minute foot massage. Patients also felt more relaxed and less anxious.

Subjects in another group showed decreases in sympathetic responses to pain (e.g., decreased heart rate and respiratory rate) during a Reflexology session. However there were no changes in the blood pressure of the patients, seeming to show the method was basically safe.

Other studies have shown Reflexology to be effective for:
• Back Pain
• Migraine
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Infertility
• Arthritis
• Sleep Disorders
• Hormonal Imbalances
• Premenstrual Syndrome
• Sports Injuries
• Digestive Disorders, and
• Stress-related Conditions

Reflexology will work for anyone and everyone. You don’t have to believe it will work for it to have a positive outcome for you. The key is relaxation. The more fully you allow yourself to relax during the session, the better your outcome will be.