Chill4health Reflexology therapy in Newry.

Reflexology (zone therapy) is an alternative medicine method involving the practice of massaging, squeezing, or pushing on parts of the feet, or sometimes the hands and ears, with the goal of encouraging a beneficial effect on other parts of the body, or to improve general health.

There is no consensus among reflexologists on how reflexology is supposed to work; a unifying theme is the idea that areas on the foot correspond to areas of the body, and that by manipulating these one can improve health through one's qi.

Concerns have been raised by medical professionals that treating potentially serious illnesses with reflexology, which has no proven efficacy, could delay the seeking appropriate medical treatment. There is no clinical or scientific evidence that reflexology has any beneficial effect.

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How does Reflexology work?

Treatment lasts about 45 to 60 minutes. You'll be asked questions about past and present health and lifestyle before you take off all footwear and make yourself comfortable on a reclining chair or a treatment couch with your feet raised.

Practitioners begin by examining the general appearance of your feet, noting their shape and condition. A dusting of talcum powder helps them use their thumbs and knuckles on the reflex points in a combination of massage, pressure and pinching, noting areas of pain or tenderness that call for extra attention.

A number of weekly treatments may be required. Most people find it relaxing, but occasionally symptoms may worsen before improving, which is said to be a sign that the body's natural healing processes are removing 'toxins'.

Reflexology Evidence?

Very few large-scale controlled clinical trials have been carried out on reflexology. A 1993 American trial of 35 women found reflexology reduced PMS by 41%, and a Danish trial of 220 patients with migraine or tension headache, published in 1999, reported that reflexology relieved or cured symptoms in 81% of cases. But sceptics question the idea that specific areas on the foot are related to other parts of the body. In a small trial published in 2000, researchers at the University of Exeter found that reflexologists were unable to diagnose six common medical conditions when prevented from talking to patients.

Reflexology Precautions

Go to the safety first section of 'before you start' for some general precautions to take into account when considering a complementary therapy.

• Reflexologists are not medically qualitifed to diagnose health problems. Always check any symptoms with your doctor.
• Avoid reflexology in the first three months of pregnancy.
• Consult your doctor before having reflexology if you have a thyroid disorder, diabetes or any long-term health problem.
• Inform the practitioner if you are taking medication, as some believe that reflexology increases body excretions that could interfere with drug action.

More about Reflexology

Reflexologists posit that the blockage of an energy field, invisible life force, or Qi, can prevent healing. Another tenet of reflexology is the belief that practitioners can relieve stress and pain in other parts of the body through the manipulation of the feet. These hypotheses are rejected by the general medical community, who cite a lack of scientific evidence and the well-tested germ theory of disease.

The origin of reflexology is not known, but the earliest attestation to a similar health technique can be found in an illustration on the walls of the physician’s tomb at Saqqara in Egypt. The hieroglyphics in the tomb can be translated to; "Don’t hurt me." The practitioner’s reply is:"I shall act so you praise me."

Many civilizations have practiced reflexology. Evidence of this has been documented on four continents: Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America. The most common theory is that the earliest form of reflexology originated in China, as much as 5000 years ago. The early Taoists are credited with originating many Chinese health practises. The Cherokee tribes of North America to this day practise a form of reflexology that they continue to pass from generation to generation. Reflexology travelled across India, Japan, Asia, and China. Traditional East Asian foot reflexology is called Zoku Shin Do. This is the foot portion of the Japanese massage technique. The roots of Zoku Shin Do go back to ancient China and are over 5000 years old. Many changes took place in zone therapy, or reflexology, as new knowledge was added. In China, reflexology reached a new level. The practice of acupressure using the fingers turned into the practice of acupuncture using needles. The study of the reflex points still existed, but the knowledge was linked or added to and taken in a new direction—the direction of meridians. The Chinese concept of meridian therapy is an important part of the foundation of reflexology.

The precise relationship between the ancient art practiced by the early Egyptians and reflexology as we know it today is unclear because different practices involving the manipulation of the feet to effect health have been used throughout the world.

The precursor of modern reflexology was introduced to the United States in 1913 by William H. Fitzgerald, M.D. (1872–1942), an ear, nose, and throat specialist, and Dr. Edwin Bowers. Fitzgerald claimed that applying pressure had an anaesthetic effect on other areas of the body.

Reflexology was further developed in the 1930s and 1940s by Eunice D. Ingham (1889–1974), a nurse and physiotherapist.[8][9] Ingham claimed that the feet and hands were especially sensitive, and mapped the entire body into "reflexes" on the feet. It was at this time that "zone therapy" was renamed reflexology.

Modern reflexologists in the United States and the United Kingdom often learn Ingham's method first, although there are more recent methods.