Reflexology for pain relief -
Reflexology may help with stress relief , pain relief, anxiety, and relaxation in combination with other treatments. McCullough JEM, Liddle SD, Sinclair M, Close C, Hughes CM.
The physiological and biochemical outcomes associated with a reflexology treatment: a systematic review. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine.
Cancer Research UK. Reflexology and cancer. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Whatley J, Perkins J, Samuel C. Reflexology: exploring the mechanism of action. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.
Embong NH, Soh YC, Ming LC, Wong TW. Revisiting reflexology: concept, evidence, current practice, and practitioner training. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine. Kotruchin P, Imoun S, Mitsungnern T, et al. The effects of foot reflexology on blood pressure and heart rate: A randomized clinical trial in stage-2 hypertensive patients.
J Clin Hypertens Greenwich. doi: Liang X, Wu S, Li K, et al. The effects of reflexology on symptoms in pregnancy: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Anderson KD, Downey M. Foot Reflexology: An Intervention for Pain and Nausea Among Inpatients With Cancer. Clin J Oncol Nurs.
University of Minnesota. What does the research say about reflexology? Huang HC, Chen KH, Kuo SF, et al. Can foot reflexology be a complementary therapy for sleep disturbances? Evidence appraisal through a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
J Adv Nurs. McGill University. Tabatabaeichehr M, Mortazavi H. The Effectiveness of Aromatherapy in the Management of Labor Pain and Anxiety: A Systematic Review. Ethiop J Health Sci.
Li D, Li Y, Bai X, et al. The Effects of Aromatherapy on Anxiety and Depression in People With Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Front Public Health. Morrison I. Keep calm and cuddle on: social touch as a stress buffer. Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology. Association of Reflexologists. What is reflexology? Ontario College of Reflexology.
What can I expect in a first reflexology visit? Therapeutic Reflexology Institute. Reflexology therapy. By Heather Jones Heather M. Jones is a freelance writer with a strong focus on health, parenting, disability, and feminism.
Research has linked chronic stress to several diseases. According to TCM, reflexology helps relieve stress in a number of ways to help balance qi and prevent disease. For example, you might feel a general sense of relaxation when pressure is applied to specific points in your hands and feet.
Stimulating reflex points in your feet helps activate your parasympathetic response, which relaxes your body. Keep in mind that it might take multiple reflexology sessions to notice changes in your stress level. Research has found that reflexology helps release endorphins, or chemicals that help relieve pain.
For example, in a study published in , people with rheumatoid arthritis RA received a minute reflexology session once per week. The researchers reported that they had significantly less pain after six weeks.
RA causes painful, swollen, and stiff joints, typically in the wrist and fingers. People with various health conditions can benefit from reflexology. For example, those who have had strokes might use reflexology as an alternative therapy to recover.
Research has shown that reflexology might also relieve symptoms of multiple sclerosis MS , a nervous system disorder. Some evidence suggests that reflexology might improve the loss of sensations and burning sensations that occur in the hands and feet of people with diabetes.
Reflexology may also improve pain in people with diabetic neuropathy, or a type of nerve damage. Reflexology is generally safe, but some people might need to avoid it.
Reflexology might lead to unwanted adverse effects for some people with health conditions or concerns like:. You might want to avoid reflexology if you have had multiple sessions and continue to feel stressed. In that case, reflexology might not be well-suited for your body.
Reflexology is a type of massage that's rooted in TCM. A reflexologist applies pressure on specific points in your hand and feet, which TCM says correlate with different body parts. Reflexology can provide relief from everyday stress and help relax your body.
People often use reflexology as a complementary therapy to treat health conditions like anxiety, depression, and chronic migraine. Talk to a healthcare provider about whether reflexology might be useful and how this method might help manage stress and pain.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Embong NH, Soh YC, Ming LC, et al. Revisiting reflexology: Concept, evidence, current practice, and practitioner training. J Tradit Complement Med. McCullough JE, Liddle SD, Sinclair M, et al.
The physiological and biochemical outcomes associated with a reflexology treatment: A systematic review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. National Cancer Institute. Complementary and alternative medicine.
Wojciech K, Pawel L, Halina RZ. Effects of feet reflexology versus segmental massage in reducing pain and its intensity, frequency and duration of the attacks in females with migraine: A pilot study. J Tradit Chin Med. Low back pain - chronic. Kandemir D, Abdullayev A, Seyhan Ak E, et al.
The effect of reflexology on low back pain in operating room nurses. Holist Nurs Pract. Generalized anxiety disorder. Wang WL, Hung HY, Chen YR, et al.
Effect of foot reflexology intervention on depression, anxiety, and sleep quality in adults: A meta-analysis and metaregression of randomized controlled trials.
To receive certification, practitioners must meet training and testing requirements that include a foot reflexology course of a minimum of hours with practical instruction.
The ARCB and the Reflexology Association of America , a professional membership organization for which reflexologists must meet certain standards to join, have directories on their websites to help you find a practitioner near you. You might not feel the benefits of reflexology after just one session so keep an open mind and give it some time.
Frank likens it to eating healthy. Kreydin recommends trying a few sessions spaced a week or two apart to see how your body responds. Pick up a reflexology book from a library or watch how-to videos from reputable sources online. The World Reflexology Foundation instructs reflexologists on how to teach the public.
However, there are generally some things you can expect before, during, and after therapy. When you arrive at your session, your reflexologist will discuss the therapeutic approach with you and ask about your health history, as well as your expectations and wellness goals.
After assessing the therapeutic area for cuts, scrapes, bruising, or other areas of caution, your reflexologist will begin with gentle range-of-motion techniques, then move into alternating pressure techniques, Kreydin says.
Remember that reflexology does not have to be painful to be productive. The cost of reflexology can vary greatly depending on the practitioner's experience, the region of the country, and how many reflexologists practice near you. A big factor is overhead costs for running a practice, Kreydin says.
If reflexology is used to treat a medical condition, the cost is eligible for reimbursement with a letter of medical necessity through a flexible spending account, health savings account, or health reimbursement arrangement, per the FSA Store.
Reflexology has ancient roots and has been practiced in cultures around the world for thousands of years. It has evolved into various modern techniques and is now used as a complementary therapy to potentially help with a number of conditions, including pain, sleep troubles, depression, anxiety, and digestive issues.
Overall, despite a number of studies, the quality of the research is highly variable, and more research is needed to clearly demonstrate reflexology's efficacy for most conditions and in the long term. Still, some people should exercise caution, such as those with open wounds, deep bruising, or broken bones.
Individuals with blood clotting issues and acute infection or fever should not receive reflexology therapy. American Reflexology Certification Board. The American Reflexology Certification Board is the only national reflexology-certifying agency for reflexologists in the United States.
While mainly for practitioners, the board's website also offers a number of resources for those interested in the treatment, including recent news stories about reflexology and the latest in scientific research , as well as a directory to help you find a local reflexologist near you.
Reflexology Association of America. The Reflexology Association of America RAA is a professional membership organization for practitioners. Its website has a detailed primer of what reflexology is, as well as a list of research articles examining the potential health benefits of the practice.
The RAA also has a directory of reflexologists practicing across the country. World Reflexology Foundation. The World Reflexology Association is a nonprofit organization with a mission to make reflexology accessible to all by teaching people how to practice on themselves and their families.
The WRF does this through community workshops , training programs , and free online events. Press Here! Reflexology for Beginners. Written by nationally certified reflexologist and past president of the Reflexology Association of California Stefanie Sabounchian, this book offers contemporary takes on the traditional practice.
It serves as an introductory guide to reflexology and is full of colorful and clear illustrations to help you learn where to find the reflex points on the foot, how each relates to the other parts of the body, and the appropriate pressure to apply for the strongest effect.
The Busy Person's Guide to Reflexology: Simple Routines for Home, Work, and Travel. This simple how-to book offers quick step-by-step, five-minute foot and hand reflexology routines to promote health and reduce stress. It includes full-color photographs and diagrams of hand and foot positions that clearly illustrate reflexology points.
Easy-to-follow text explains the pressure techniques to help you reap the benefits of reflexology. Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy.
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By Ashley Welch. Medically Reviewed. Justin Laube, MD. History How It Works Jump to More Topics. Definition of Reflexology Reflexology is a form of massage therapy that focuses on pressure points on the hands and feet meant to help relieve a number of health issues, including pain, sleep troubles, and anxiety, per the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health NCCIH.
Who should not do foot reflexology? Can you feel unwell after reflexology? Is reflexology painful? Per the Reflexology Association of Canada , types of reflexology include: Foot Reflexology The stimulation of points on the feet Hand Reflexology The stimulation of points on the hands Ear Reflexology The stimulation of the outer ears Other forms combine reflexology with principles from other approaches, including: Facial reflexology Craniosacral reflexology Body reflexology Dermoneural reflexology Maternity reflexology Fertility reflexology Vertical reflex therapy.
May Help Reduce Pain One of the most common reasons that people seek reflexology is to help relieve pain, and this is where it appears to have the most benefit, Ingegno says.
May Boost Mental Health Some research suggests that reflexology is a beneficial complementary therapy for certain mental health disorders. May Promote Better Sleep For people who find it difficult to stay asleep at night, some research shows that reflexology may be an effective supportive therapy.
May Help Symptoms in People With Cancer Reflexology may help ease some of the side effects of cancer and cancer treatments , research suggests. May Help With Digestive Issues Some research suggests that reflexology may help with digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome IBS , which causes symptoms like diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain.
According to Kreydin, following a reflexology therapy session, you may feel: A change in energy level, such feeling fatigued or energized Increased thirst Increase in urination or bowel movements A sensation of floating or lightness Some people may feel soreness in the treated area, Ingegno notes, though this should resolve on its own fairly quickly.
Who Reflexology Is For Most healthy people can safely receive reflexology. Who Should Avoid Reflexology People with acute infection or fever should not receive reflexology, Kreydin says.
Give It Some Time You might not feel the benefits of reflexology after just one session so keep an open mind and give it some time. Favorite Organizations With Essential Info on Reflexology American Reflexology Certification Board The American Reflexology Certification Board is the only national reflexology-certifying agency for reflexologists in the United States.
Reflexology Association of America The Reflexology Association of America RAA is a professional membership organization for practitioners. World Reflexology Foundation The World Reflexology Association is a nonprofit organization with a mission to make reflexology accessible to all by teaching people how to practice on themselves and their families.
Favorite Books on Reflexology Press Here! Reflexology for Beginners Written by nationally certified reflexologist and past president of the Reflexology Association of California Stefanie Sabounchian, this book offers contemporary takes on the traditional practice.
The Busy Person's Guide to Reflexology: Simple Routines for Home, Work, and Travel This simple how-to book offers quick step-by-step, five-minute foot and hand reflexology routines to promote health and reduce stress.
Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking.
info ffor. Long, hot summer days Reflxeology Snacking for hormonal balance the weekend warrior in many of Ginseng for menopause with Reflexology for pain relief spent Refldxology tennis, golf, volleyball, or surfing, and weekdays spent recovering from an aching back. Actually, pain in the back is more than just a physical problem. The good news is that reflexology can provide relief from acute and chronic back pain. Using reflexology to loosen your spine will help improve circulation and blood flow to the sensitive nerves of the back.
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