How Does Reflexology Work

* A stretch reflex is a contraction of a muscle when an attached tendon is pulled. Stretch reflexes are important in maintaining proper posture. Stretch reflexes are used to determine which areas of the body the central nervous system are not responding to. For example, if you tap your knee to check for reflex and the leg doesn’t move, you then know that the peripheral nerves that lead to the knee are nonresponsive and/or the brain is not receiving a signal from that particular area.

This therapy is used to treat depression, relieve tension and improve circulation (Pitman & Mackenzie, 2002). It also helps to restore the natural functions in different organs. Healthy cells are rejuvenated in the body. Stressors can be eliminated and/or reduced which brings positive cognitive thoughts and emotions (Pitman & Mackenzie, 2002). Reflexology helps to restore neurotransmitter imbalances which may cause depression and other mental disorders (Pitman & Mackenzie, 2002). Once the hormones are release calmness and serenity returns giving the individual the ability to handle problems.

These complementary therapies would benefit the individual with the disorder they have. Although, these complementary therapies may not be able to cure the individuals cancer but it would be able to support the individual with the treatments they may have. The role of the complementary therapy reflexology would be to massage the individuals feet which would make them feel at ease and although they might be unaware of the different areas of their body being affected, through the reflexology they will be able to identify any areas that might have been affected due to the disorder. For example, if an individual describes that they might feel a sharp feeling this would suggest that the individual’s body might be out of balance.

There have been many studies conducted into what kind of effect reflexology can have on various conditions.

Massage is a very common form of therapy for all sorts of things, from stress to chronic pain. There have been numerous studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of massage in helping to manage patients’ pain while keeping them off medication. The benefit of this type of treatment is pain relief through manipulation of the body. The mechanism of action is, once again, unknown, but it is thought to be related to stimulation of muscles and the blood flow being increased. There are

There have been many studies by massage and how it affects the body and mind. It has been discovered that thoughts produce various chemical reactions in the body which further bring about weakness or pain. Just as how a depressed individual may feel tired and have frequent body aches. Massaging various areas of the body will release these troublesome chemicals and bring about relief and positivity.

I have discovered that touch therapies have great potential to result in significant cost savings to patients due to the fact that touch therapy is less expensive than pharmaceuticals and it is safe in comparison to prescription medicines in that contraindications such as drug dependency, allergic reaction, and long term side effects could be significantly diminished or totally eliminated. Therefore, this investigation has explored the use and benefits of various touch therapies throughout the human life span and has also examined research from wide-spread geographical regions which includes the development of touch modalities originating from several cultures. As a result, the healing modalities of healing touch, therapeutic touch, reiki, emotional freedom technique, acupressure, massage and others have been examined in detail. In addition succinct description of energetic anatomy of humans has been included, when appropriate, to bring clarity and deeper understanding as to how the touch therapies work. In order to fulfill the required University Outcomes, ethical considerations, social and global relevance, and Health and Wellness principles around the touch therapies have also been integrated into this

My body tends to get a lot of knots from stress, unbalanced postures, and sleep. My neck and shoulders would get very tense sometimes. So, every time that I get a massage from someone or me massaging myself, I can feel my muscles loosening up and not being so stiff anymore. I also experience the physical emotional experience of relaxation when I get a massage because of the power of touch from someone else. I think that the feeling of someone massaging me gives me less stress and it clears my mind off of things. It brings my mind and body together and makes me less worry and minimizes my stress. Overall, I think that all the benefits of massage therapy do apply to

The basic principle behind acupuncture is to stimulate specific points under the skin to adjust

the basis for the way that Reiki works, which is examined in the following sections.

was instrumental in writing the first book on Reflexology, and opened a teaching school dedicated to

It is a special form of energy manipulation said to date back to the 1800's. Practitioners claim that it was used by Christ himself, and this was how he could heal people with only the laying on of his hands. The original inventor of the art, Dr. Mikao Usui, traveled across the world to discover its ancient secrets, and then, he passed these on to a friend who carried on the tradition after him. It works through the manipulation of a person's "life force" through the chakras. Supposedly, if there are any holes or blockages in the shield of energy surrounding the body then sickness will develop. The body has a "line" of chakras down its center. One in the head, heart, reproductive system, and

Massage therapy can help with alleviating muscle tension, diminishing stress, and bringing to mind feelings of calmness, along with helping chronic fatigue syndrome, easing chronic constipation, and enhancing self image. It also manipulates the activity of the musculoskeletal, circulatory, lymphatic, and nervous systems in the body. Clinical studies have revealed that massage relieves chronic back pain more effectively than other treatments and most times it is more cost effective than other treatments ("University of Maryland Medical Center").

There are many theories as to the effectiveness of reflexology. According to their theory, toxins create congestion in the bloodstream. The congestion prohibits the cleansing of the blood and causes deposits of waste to form. These deposits build up and settle at the lowest point of blood flow, the feet. Over time, the waste products build and harden, taking away all energy from the liquid flow of the circulatory system. One other system in the body, the nervous system, gives energy. As the build-up increases in the feet, it puts pressure on the thousands of nerve endings that collect in the feet. This causes poorer communication throughout the body (http://lagunabeachca.com/reflexol.htm) Breaking up calcified deposits that have settled in the feet and hands, increases blood flow. Increased circulation allows the blood to

There are two groups of reflexes in the human body, with two ways to categorize each of them. Reflexes can either be inborn and connected through the nervous system, or they can be learned through practice. Another way to explain a reflexive category would be autonomic reflexes or somatic reflexes. Autonomic reflexes are those which are unaware to us and act on visceral organs of the body, whereas somatic reflexes involve skeletal muscle stimulation. Both types of reflexes are put into effect via the nervous system. (1)