The ancient world has gifted many things to the present day civilization and modern world, and one of them is reflexology. Till now, the therapy has provided relief to millions of people from pain and suffering. But, what is reflexology? In simple words, it is the application of the correct amount of pressure on certain points on areas on the ears, hands, or feet.
The reflexology points present in our ears, hands, and feet correspond to various body organs as well as systems. When appropriate pressure is applied to those points, it can lead to numerous health benefits.
Usually, fingers or thumbs are used to apply pressure on the pressure points. Even though reflexology is not applied to cure or diagnose health disorders, still millions of people in different parts of the world use this therapy to treat conditions like cancer, diabetes, anxiety, asthma, headaches, cardiovascular issues, kidney-related problems etc.
The History Behind Reflexology
Before we talk more about what is reflexology, like we said, reflexology is a gift from the ancient civilization, and its principles are based on the fact that our body provides us, or comes equipped, with the ability to heal itself and restore its natural balance. The balance is crucial in order for the body to function properly, and to its fullest extent.
Reflexologists follow the theory that each and every organ and the structures in our body are completely mirrored on our feet and hand. If we can stimulate them by applying appropriate pressure on the right areas then our body may regain its lost balance.
As per the dictionary, the word ‘reflex’ means involuntary contraction of the muscles resulted from an external stimulus. However, if we take a look into the meaning of term ‘reflex’ defined by reflexology, it actually means a mirror image or reflection of what is going inside the various regions of our body signified on the soles and tops of our hands and feet. In addition, we can also find these reflex points in our ears. The reflexology map contains entire details of such points. So, by using a combination of hand, foot and ear reflexology, we can achieve some really good results.
It was the year 1913, when reflexology was brought into the US for the first time. And, the person behind was William H. Fitzgerald. He was an ENT (ear, nose, and throat) specialist. Accompanied by Dr. Edwin Bowers, Fitzgerald made a claim that if we apply pressure on the reflexology points then it triggers an anesthetic effect on different areas of our body.
How Reflexology Works
With the passage of time, the concept behind reflexology has been modified a lot, and as per the reflexology chart, there are now 10 energy lines or energy zones in our body, and all of them follow a line, right from each finger and each toe to the top of our head.
As a matter of fact, human body is electrical in nature, and some kind of energy flows through it. Sometimes, the flow of energy is disrupted due to health issues or diseases, but it can be removed with the help of reflexology pressure techniques. Experts in reflexology try to release these energy blockages in a complete holistic manner, without overlooking the emotional, spiritual, physical as well as intellectual aspect of the patient’s life.
It is important to keep in mind that reflexology is a perfect health strategy which can help us stay away from diseases; however, one should not view it as a last resort. Results have shown that when orthodox medicines fail to achieve the desired outcome in dealing with certain diseases, reflexology has yielded better outcomes.
If someone is deeply affected by any disease or health problem, reflexology can be used along with other medical treatment procedures. Of course, it is also important to perform the techniques with the co-operation or advice of a consultant or doctor. Experts in reflexology are trained to perform massage and pressure techniques designed to melt away these energy obstructions that frequently manifest themselves in the hands and feet in the form of crystalline deposits. With this massage, circulation of blood as well as lymphatic systems is aroused so that accumulated toxins may be removed and issues of stress, fatigue and tension relieved.
The Effects Of Reflexology On The Body
So, a lot has been said about the usage of reflexology on our body. But, in what ways does it affects our body? Well, be it hand or foot reflexology, both of them offers plenty of benefits. Some of the benefits of reflexology are mentioned below:
- Reduces tension and stress by soothing our entire body
- Helps maintain overall health
- Do away with energy blockages
- Helps maintain balance in our body
- Helps enhance our mental alertness
- Helps improve energy levels
- Stimulates productivity and creativity
- Instills a feeling of self development and well-being
- Helps regulate different bodily functions like respiratory, endocrine, excretory, and digestive systems.
So, those are some of the health as well as emotional benefits we can achieve through Reflexology.
Apart from them, there are few reactions a patient may observe when going through the therapy, such as – nausea, a sense of relaxation, feeling sleepy, a tingling sensation throughout the body, change in body temperature (either cold or hot), and urge to laugh or cry.
Reflexology And You
Without any doubt, there are several beneficial aspects of performing foot and hand reflexology, and everybody can benefit from it. Reflexology works wonderfully in infants by rendering a soothing effect to their body and also by controlling colic. It has often been seen that children love any type of touch and react very quickly, in a positive way.
People suffering from asthma, ear infections, throat infections, and digestive problems can try reflexology to do away with the problems. In addition, reflexology is also a perfect therapy for pregnant women, as it reduces the labor pain during the birth process. Interestingly, reflexology is effective even when it comes to deal with grave diseases like cancer. This is the reason why numerous cancer support centers have incorporated reflexology therapy in their treatment process.
