Reflexology: Benefits and Limitations
Reflexology the age-old, Chinese Acupressure Therapy is a non-invasive treatment using thumb and finger techniques to apply pressure to reflexes shown on the Reflexology Chart of the body found on the outer ears, hands, and feet.
Therefore, the Reflexology Definition is applying pressure to specific areas with the guide of a Reflexology Foot Chart, Hand Chart, or Ear Map.
You apply constant pressure by alternating between your finger and thumb to 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 it is a deep pressure using a thumb walk through different zones for the foot to soft kneading. At times, you can use different items from sticks, and balls, to rubber bands.
The important thing is the pressure points you need to stimulate correctly. However, you do get Reflexology Benefits and Limitations with the treatment we will be discussing here.
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) which is an invisible field force flowing through various channels in your body. When your Qi is blocked through illness, stress, and more, your body becomes unbalanced.
During this time, your body cannot heal itself, and pain develops. Reflexology Massage aims to help unblock the Chee 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 Chee.
Therefore, it allows you to relax, enabling your body to heal itself. During the simulation, it produces chemicals and endorphins to reduce stress and pain.
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, there are several studies by the NIH (National Institute of Health) and the NCI (National Cancer Institute) stating 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 using Reflexology to induce labor helps with the intensity of labor pains and works in cancer patients with palliative care as well.
What Can You Treat Using Reflexology?
There are different ailments you can treat using Reflexology. Here are some methods you can use to treat anxiety to constipation:
Reflexology for Headaches
In general, headaches start with anxiety and stress. One excellent way to help relieve migraines is using 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 the fleshy area, and massage it while focusing on the sore spot.
Alternatively, you can also apply pressure to the P6 (Pericardium 6) point located a few inches below the wrist crease in between the two tendons. You can gently massage the spot for one minute on both your hands.
Reflexology for Anxiety
By doing a simple hand massage, helps lessen anxiety, and you can do this by applying pressure to the HT7 (Heart 7) point. You can find the pressure point below the crease of your wrist on the outer side of the hand. To locate it, you will feel a dent and need to massage the spot for up to a minute on both your hands.
Reflexology for Constipation
While reflexology helps relieve emotional causes, it can help reduce the physical effects of constipation as well. Here 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 sinus, you can find different pressure points to alleviate the conditions making it easier to breathe.
- 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 it for a while.
- Furthermore, using the Inner Gate found on the back of your wrist also gives effective 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:
- KI7 you find it on the front inner side of your Achilles tendon and the KI8 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 you find 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 when it comes to foot pain. A fact is there are various acupoints found in reflexology on top of the foot as well.
However, it would help if you remembered to treat organs on your right side using the reflexology chart for the right foot. While the reflexology chart for the left foot you used to administer 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 has many benefits as 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 while these are only some of the best treatments for specific ailments as shown you can also get reflexology for weight loss and reflexology for neck pain as well.
Is Reflexology During Pregnancy Safe?
Many mothers use reflexology during pregnancy 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 as you are not taking anything into your body and you can sit or lie comfortably during the massage.
On the other hand, you may experience some side effects of feeling light-headed, tired, and emotional. You may find that a number of reflexologists do not perform reflexology during your first 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
- 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
- Helps with weight loss as it removes food cravings and reduces the amount of waste in the body
- Relieves nausea, mental disorders, and depression
- 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 and it is not painful
Reflexology Limitations
While reflexology has many benefits, it also comes with limitations you need to know. Always remember you need to use it in combination with your medication as it cannot heal 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 lead to other problems
- An inexperienced reflexology person can cause more harm than good, so it is best to get the education needed to apply pressure to the points
- Reflexology does not cure cancer but can help relax the body and mind short term
The Bottom Line
Reflexology is considered safe to use as a non-invasive and natural treatment. Learning the techniques is easy, but it is essential to know what you are doing before applying pressure to the reflexology points on the chart for the hand, ear, or foot.
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 if you never used it on its own, and more beneficial when used with your current medical treatment. So if you have a headache, feel nausea, have a toothache, or any other form of pain, you can apply pressure to mentioned acupoints to help.
However, if the pain persists talk to your doctor as the pain can be a result of something more severe than expected.