WHAT IS HAND AND FOOT REFLEXOLOGY? - ECONOMÍA - 2025

The reflexology foot (feet) and hands is a Japanese in which the therapist applies massage with her fingers at certain points of the feet, hands, ears and nose in order to alleviate the symptoms of certain diseases technique.

It is based on the theory that the points that are stimulated are reflex areas of other parts of the body. Properly massaging these points, the circulation of energy is promoted, toxins are released and as a consequence also improves the functioning of the organs corresponding to these reflex areas.

It can be treated for sciatica, headaches, neck pain, ovarian pain, muscle spasms, constipation, hemorrhoids, migraine, thyroid, abdominal pain, insomnia…

Some schools of reflexology have described very detailed "maps" of these reflex zones, indicating which regions of the foot or hand correspond to the organs of the respiratory, digestive, etc. systems.

In this way, by stimulating a certain point on the foot properly, you can improve a person's respiratory function, or alleviate their headaches.

Saving the differences, it could be said that reflexology is like acupuncture, but instead of needles, the therapist simply applies pressure and massages with his fingers at the points that correspond according to the patient's condition.

History of reflexology

Reflexology seems to find its origins in ancient China, also in Egypt, and in certain tribes in the United States.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Dr. William Fitzgerald, an American physician, observed that applying pressure to certain points on his patients' feet made them feel much more relaxed and even relieved their pain, and he became interested in these topics.

Then, together with another doctor named Shelby Riley, he suggested dividing the human body into ten longitudinal regions, which the masseuse Eunice Ingham later associated with certain reflex areas in the feet and hands.

Since then, various "maps" of the foot with its reflex zones have been developed, and different schools of reflexology have emerged.

Denmark

Did you know that reflexology is the most popular alternative therapy in Denmark? In 1987, 9% of the Danish population had resorted to this therapy at some point, but in 2003, this percentage increased to a staggering 22.7%.

The Reflexologists Association of that country is carrying out various studies on the effects of this therapy, with very positive preliminary results. It has been seen that in workplaces where reflexology is offered to civil servants, sick leave is lower.

Surprising, isn't it?

In what cases can reflexology be effective?

Although still considered by many to be a pseudo-science, there are many scientific studies that have suggested or demonstrated the positive effects of reflexotherapy in many conditions.

Please take a look at the following list:

Relieve premenstrual discomfort

A study carried out in 1993 showed that reflexology can be very helpful in relieving premenstrual discomfort, especially pain.

In this investigation, eighty-three women with PMS were divided into two groups. The first received a 30-minute session of true reflexology, once a week for 8 weeks, while the second group received massages in areas far removed from those advised by reflexology.

The participating women did not know if they were receiving the true or the false therapy. After 8 weeks of treatment, they were given a questionnaire about their premenstrual complaints.

The results showed that the group of women who received true reflexology therapy showed a significant reduction in symptoms, compared to the placebo group.

Reflexology for headache

In 1990 a study was conducted to find out how effective reflexology is in relieving headaches.

32 people participated in it and divided into two groups. One of the groups received a placebo pill daily and in addition, reflexology sessions twice a week, for a period of two to three months.

The second group received a daily dose of a drug called flunarizine (commonly used to prevent migraine headaches), and a non-specific area massage twice a week for the same period as the first group.

When evaluating the results, both groups of patients showed improvement in their headaches, so the researchers concluded that reflexology could be as effective as flunarizine in preventing migraines.

Although the number of people studied is quite small, these findings can be very important.

Imagine that instead of having to take a medication, now you may be able to opt for a much more natural method, practically without contraindications to avoid headaches, such as reflexology.

Relief of muscle aches and pains

This research was also carried out in 1993. 91 people with various nonspecific pain of low intensity participated in it.

One subgroup received neuro-reflexology sessions at the appropriate points, while a second subgroup received the same treatment but in inappropriate or nonspecific areas.

Both groups continued taking their usual medication and continued their physical therapy sessions as well.

After 30 days, the patients who received the appropriate neuro-reflexology treatment showed significant improvement in their pain, muscle contractures and mobility and were able to stop the medication, relieving their symptoms completely during the study period.

In conclusion, if you have muscle aches or contractures, reflexology is a very good option for you.

Helps control diabetes

Reflexology could also be useful to control type 2 diabetes. As part of a scientific investigation, a group of patients with diabetes underwent reflexology treatment in addition to their usual oral medication.

After a certain time of treatment, the results showed that the patients who received reflexology had lower fasting blood glucose levels, compared to the control group, who only received oral medication.

Reflexology can reduce anxiety

A few years ago a study was conducted in a small group of patients in a psychiatric hospital. The first subgroup of patients received a one-hour reflexology session daily.

The second subgroup spent this hour chatting with hospital officials. And a third subgroup did not perform any specific activity.

The patients in the first and second subgroups showed a significant reduction in their anxiety levels after the activity performed. The improvement was more marked in the patients who received reflexology than in the group that only chatted with the staff.

But this is not the only study on the effectiveness of reflexology in reducing anxiety.

Research conducted in 2000 showed that this therapy was effective in reducing anxiety in patients with breast and lung cancer. It also showed that in many of these patients, reflexology was also able to reduce their pain.

To sleep better

Reflexology is also proven to help you sleep better.

Scientists reviewed the results of several studies conducted on this topic and concluded that reflexology is able to relieve fatigue, decrease pain, and improve sleep quality.

Recent research on the effectiveness of reflexology

This discipline is becoming increasingly interesting for researchers, who are dedicating themselves to studying more deeply the effects of complementary therapies, due to their undeniable benefits.

In recent years, work in this regard has continued. These are the results of the most recent studies on the effectiveness of reflexology in various conditions.

A large research review conducted in 2008 indicated that reflexology is capable of:

Have a major impact on the functioning of specific organs. Magnetic resonance imaging studies showed increased blood flow to the kidney and intestines after reflexology treatment.

Improve symptoms of various conditions, including kidney failure. Positive changes in kidney function were observed in patients with insufficiency who had undergone reflexotherapy sessions.

Have a relaxing effect. An electroencephalogram showed changes in the waves, a reduction in anxiety, stress and blood pressure was also noted in patients who received this treatment.

Reduce pain. 27 scientific investigations showed positive effects of reflexology in reducing pain in patients with different conditions, including AIDS, chest pain, peripheral neuropathy, kidney stones, osteoarthritis, etc.

More on reflexology and anxiety management

A group of researchers from the University of Surrey, in Great Britain, showed that reflexology was effective in reducing anxiety in a group of patients who had to undergo a simple varicose vein operation.

The patients who received a reflexology treatment on their hands, in addition to having less anxiety during and after the operation, also had less pain.

This study was carried out very recently and its results were published in the International Journal of Nursing Studies in 2015, being one of the most recent studies in this area.

Quality of life in cancer patients

Recently, the positive effects of reflexology on the quality of life of cancer patients who are undergoing chemotherapy treatments have also been proven.

A study carried out in 2000 showed that this alternative therapy improved the appetite, communication, appearance and respiratory and digestive function of this type of patients by 100%, against 67.6% of the placebo group.

Other research carried out in 2002 showed that reflexology was able to alleviate physical and emotional symptoms in cancer patients, improving mood and quality of sleep, among others.

New discoveries in patients with diabetes

Due to the exciting benefits of reflexology, scientists continued to study its effects on patients with type 2 diabetes.

In 2014, an investigation was carried out that showed reflexology as a technique capable of improving blood sugar levels, nerve conductivity and sensitivity to various stimuli in this type of patient, among several other positive effects.

Reflexology in children

A study carried out by researchers Koc and Gozen in the same year observed a significant difference between the control group and the group that received reflexology, both composed of children with acute pain.

In addition, those who received this therapy also had a lower heart rate, greater oxygenation of the blood and fewer crying spells. In 2010 the effect of reflexology in children with chronic idiopathic constipation was also investigated. The treatment lasted 12 weeks.

After this period, the children had a higher number of bowel movements and a significant reduction in symptoms of constipation, compared to the control group.

Reflexology to combat postoperative pain

In 2006, an experiment was carried out in India, in which reflexology was applied to patients who had undergone surgery.

A group of these patients received 15 to 20 minutes of reflexology immediately after the completion of the operation, at the time of going to the recovery room.

A second group received regular pain medication (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids). The results showed that the patients who received reflexology used lower doses of medication and felt less pain, compared to the control group.

On the other hand, there is also research showing that reflexology is capable of reducing nausea and vomiting in postoperative patients. Those who received this treatment in combination with the usual medications performed better than those who received medication alone.

While scientists generally believe that more research should be done to demonstrate these effects, many studies have already shown the positive effects of reflexology in a wide variety of situations.