Reflexology is a holistic therapy, suitable for anybody at any age. Treatment involves applying pressure to reflexes on the hands and feet. This naturally promotes balance and healing within the body and mind. It can be used alongside standard medical care to reduce stress and encourage relaxation, enabling individuals to cope more efficiently in everyday life. The reflexes, or pressure points, mirror and can be used to stimulate organs and areas of the body. The hands and feet function as ‘mini maps’. Reflexes can also be worked through the face and ears.
Zone therapy is an important part of reflexology. The body can be divided into ten longitudinal zones (five on each side on the median line), as well as five transverse zones (body cavities). Congestion in a body zone can be located and alleviated by feeling for crystal deposits in the corresponding foot or hand zone. Applying pressure to the reflexes will break them up. Many organs are spread over multiple zones which must all be decongested during a treatment – this is achieved through zone walking.
How does reflexology work?
There are many theories to explain how reflexology works, which include:
- Pain gate control – Rubbing an area is thought to stimulate larger diameter sensory fibres than pain so the pain signal is reduced.
- Placebo effect – An improvement in symptoms is likely to be felt if the client believes in reflexology.
- Energy – Reflexology stimulates the flow of energy through the body which encourages good health.
- Therapeutic relationship – The reflexologist, whose energy must be balanced, helps the client to heal themselves and balance their energy, which encourages the energy of the universal life force to flow freely.
- Endorphin and enkephalin release – Reflexology is believed to increase the release of endorphins and enkephalins by stimulating the pituitary gland reflex, which reduces pain.
- Autonomic and somatic integration – Reflexology is thought to change the body’s response to stress by causing predictable reflex actions in the autonomic and somatic nervous systems.
- Lactic acid – The crystal deposits found in the reflexes are believed to be a build up of lactic acid which are worked out by the reflexologist.
- Meridians – Qi flows through the body in meridians, or energy pathways, and congestion in these is thought to cause an imbalance.
- Nerve impulse – Reflexology is believed to clear congestion from the nerve pathways to improve the function of nerve impulses.
- Embryo containing the information of the whole organism (ECIWO theory) – Every cell and functional part of the body is thought to be a map of the whole body.