Reflexology: Benefits and Limitations
Reflexology, the age-old Chinese Acupressure Therapy, is a non-invasive treatment that uses thumb and finger techniques to apply pressure to reflexes on the body’s Reflexology Chart, which shows reflexes on the outer ears, hands, and feet.
Therefore, the Reflexology Definition is applying pressure to specific areas with the guidance of a Reflexology Foot Chart, Hand Chart, or Ear Map.
You apply constant pressure by alternating between your finger and thumb on your hands or feet by simply massaging or rubbing the area. By pressing the zone, you can treat illnesses and relieve tension in the body.
Sometimes, deep pressure using a thumb walk through different zones of the foot is used for soft kneading. At other times, you can use various items, from sticks and balls to rubber bands.
The important thing is stimulating the pressure points correctly. However, the treatment we will discuss here has reflexology benefits and limitations.
Furthermore, before we can provide the benefits and limitations, you need to know how Reflexology Works.
Reflexology: How Does It Work?
Reflexology works on the theory of Chee (Qi), an invisible field force flowing through various channels in the body. When Qi is blocked through illness, stress, and other causes, the body becomes unbalanced.
During this time, your body cannot heal, and pain develops. Reflexology Massage aims to help unblock the cheese to allow it to flow freely through your body until it is in a state of balance (homeostasis.)
Stimulating the Reflexology Pressure Points on the foot, hand, or ear helps improve the flow of energy linked to various body parts to restore the flow of chi.
Therefore, it allows you to relax, enabling your body to heal. It produces chemicals and endorphins to reduce stress and pain during the simulation.
Reflexology Scientific Verification
According to diverse reflexologists, you can treat patients using acupoints on the Reflexology Hand Chart, Foot Chart, and Ear Map to treat a wide selection of medical conditions:
- Asthma
- Diabetes
- Cancer
However, there is no verified methodical data to authenticate these claims. On the other hand, several studies by the NIH (National Institute of Health) and the NCI (National Cancer Institute) state that it does help lessen pain.
Therefore, it leads to a decrease in medication and improves psychological conditions from anxiety to depression.
Furthermore, therapists found that using Reflexology to induce reflexologists with the intensity of labor pains works in cancer patients with palliative care.
What Can You Treat Using Reflexology?
There are different ailments you can treat using Reflexology. Here are reflexology points you can use to treat anxiety and constipation:
Reflexology for Headaches
In general, headaches start with anxiety and stress. One excellent way to help relieve migraines is to use the Reflexology Hand Chart to help remove the pain.
You can apply pressure to the LI4 (Large Intestine) point found between the base of the thumb and index finger. Use gentle force by pinching and massaging the fleshy area while focusing on the sore spot.
Alternatively, you can apply pressure to the P6 (Pericardium 6) point located a few inches below the wrist crease between the two tendons and gently massage the spot for one minute on both hands.
Reflexology for Anxiety
A simple hand massage can help lessen anxiety. You apply pressure to the HT7 (Heart 7) point, which is located below the crease of your wrist on the outer side of your hand. To find it, you will feel a dent, and you need to massage the spot for up to a minute on both hands.
Reflexology for Constipation
While Reflexology helps reduce neurological causes, it can also help reduce the physical effects of constipation. It would help if you used the same acupoint for headaches, the LI4 point. However, remember to repeat the method on both hands.
Reflexology for Sinus
To treat sinuses, you can find different pressure points to alleviate the conditions, making breathing easier.
- Apply pressure between your index finger and thumb on the joint to reduce nasal pain by stimulating it for up to two minutes.
- Another excellent method is to put pressure on the fingertips and nails by stimulating them for a while.
- Furthermore, using the inner gate on the back of your wrist also results in practical results.
Plantar Fasciitis is widespread foot pain, and the best way to treat it is with pressure applied to the reflexology kidney points. Here are some of the known acupoints you can apply pressure to:
- The KI7 is on the front inner side of your Achilles tendon, and the KI8 is on the inner side of the rounded border of the shinbone above your ankle. Apply pressure to both points simultaneously.
- Two more acupoints on the reflexology foot chart are the KI4 behind the bony knob on the inner side of your ankle and the KI5 on the inner wall of your heel in the depression below in front of the KI4 point.
- KI1 is found on the sole of your foot and works with the reflexology liver LV3 on the backside of the foot. Apply pressure to both the pressure points.
With the above reflexology ankle points, you can treat different ailments regarding foot pain. There are various acupoints found in Reflexology on top of Reflexology.
However, it would help if you remembered to treat organs on your right side using the reflexology chart for the right foot. The reflexology chart for the left foot is used to administer pressure to the organs on the left side of the body. You can even use the reflexology foot chart for reflexology back pain, reflexology stomach ailments,
Reflexology Head and Reflexology Ear Charts
Using the head and ear chart for Reflexology, you can treat a wide selection of illnesses in the body:
- Use it to address the Thyroid Gland
- Improve bowel movement
- Pancreas
- Lungs
- Spleen
- Stomach
- Liver and lymphatic problems
- Improve your digestive system
- Improve your facial skin
- Treat anxiety by improving your nervous system
- By pinching the ears, it helps the whole body
- Stimulate your sex glands and so much more
The fantastic thing is that while these are only some of the best treatments for specific ailments, as shown, reflexology can also help with weight loss.
Is Reflexology During Pregnancy Safe?
Many mothers use Reflexology to treat pelvic pain, morning sickness, and insomnia. Alternatively, a woman can use it to manage labor pain as well.
However, if you are pregnant, there are not enough studies to claim that Reflexology helps during pregnancy.
Furthermore, if you do plan to use a Reflexology Tuscan or Reflexology Elk Grove reflexologist as an example, you need to inform your midwife or doctor.
Overall, Reflexology is safe. Reflexology takes anything into your body; you can sit or lie comfortably during the massage.
On the other hand, you may experience some side effects, such as feeling light-headed, tired, and emotional. You may find that several reflexologists do not perform Reflexology during the twelve weeks, as it could lead to induced labor.
Reflexology Benefits
By manipulating the heart, ears, or feet using the different reflexology charts, you get various benefits as follows:
- By stimulating pressure points, it improves your blood circulation and energy in the body
- Helps with Stress Management
- It can help relieve neck stiffness, headaches, back pain, shoulder tension, and more.
- Improves the digestive system to reduce stomach-related problems like gas, chest burn, ulcers, and more
- It helps with weight loss as it removes food cravings and reduces the amount of body waste, which can cause nausea, mental disorders, and depression.
- It can help with nasal and sinus congestion
- Relieves lung problems to help make breathing easier
- Can improve skin tone and other skin disorders
- Helps improve eyesight through massaging
- Relieve knee, elbow, and ankle pain
- Helps with sexual problems and relaxes the body and mind
- Can apply Reflexology anywhere, without pain
Reflexology Limitations
While Reflexology has many advantages, it also has limitations. Always remember you need to use it in combination with your medication, as it cannot heal the disease and can be harmful in some instances, as follows:
- If you apply pressure to the wrong acupoint, it will not relieve the pain and may lead to other problems
- An inexperienced reflexology practitioner can cause more harm than good, so getting the education needed to apply pressure to the points is best.
- Reflexology does not cure cancer, but it can help relax the body and mind in the short term.
The Bottom Line
Reflexology is considered safe as a natural, non-invasive treatment. Learning the techniques is easy, but knowing what you are doing before applying pressure to the reflexology points on the chart for the hand, ear, or foot is essential.
Reflexology is a harmonizing therapy you can use along with your usual medicine. Furthermore, it helps if you use it as an alternative therapy to help remove tension in the body and treat specific ailments.
It would be best not to use italonen, which is more beneficial with your current medical treatment. So, if you have a headache, feel nauseous, have a toothache, or any other form of pain, you can apply pressure to the acupoints mentioned to help.
However, if the pain persists, talk to your doctor, as the pain can be a result of something more severe than expected.
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