What is Reflexology

Reflexology is a massage therapy method that promotes healing and beneficial changes in the body of a patient by applying pressure on reflex area(s) with the use of thumb, finger and hand techniques. This method of working on the reflexes of the hands and feet is capable of improving the health, relaxing the body, and relieving body pain.

The history of reflexology can be traced back many centuries ago in Ancient Egypt. Proofs regarding the use of this type of alternative medicine during that time are made evident by the wall paintings on the tombstones of physicians. These wall paintings depict the therapy by treating the patients with their hands and feet. There are also evidences of the use of reflexology on other countries such as Japan, Russia, Ancient Greece, China, and India. However, reflexology was not that popular until the modern reflexology methods were developed and added as a part of the regular wellness care of the public.

Reflexology tackles the reflex points all over the hands and feet of the patient. It is believed that these reflex areas play an important role in unblocking the energy pathways connecting all over the whole body of a patient. Blocked energy pathways may eventually result to the imbalanced energies within the human body thus weakening the immune system and making it prone to different kind of disease and body pain. Healing and maintaining the health of the patient by targeting these reflex areas is done by using different finger, thumb and hand techniques applied with different pressure depending on the need and preference of the patient. This process of stimulating and applying pressure on these areas of the hands and feet also allows a good circulation as well as promoting bodily and muscular functions.

The reflex points can be found on the reflexology charts that mirrors the body as a whole representation divided into two half parts based on which hands and feet the massage therapist is manipulating. When the therapist is massaging the right hand and foot, the right half area of the body will receive the treatment while when the left hand and foot is worked on by the therapist, the left half then gets the benefits.

Many studies and surveys prove the effectiveness and benefits taken from regular reflexology. Most of these cases involve patients with different types of disorders. These benefits are both helpful in the physical and mental health of the patients. After regular reflexology sessions, the patients will experience a significant improvement in their physical health such as release of muscle tension which creates relaxation of the whole body, reduces pain on targeted areas, increases the immunity, and helps the body to quickly recover from an injury or trauma. Reflexology also helps the patient recover emotionally by stimulating the nervous system which helps by improving and manipulating the mental health of the patient.

However, just like any type of massage therapy, a doctor's advice and opinion regarding reflexology should be asked first before taking the action in having a reflexology session