An Introduction To Reflexology

Introduction

With so many options for stress-reduction circulating in the world of alternative and complementary therapy (CAM, for short), you might forget one of the easiest ways to slow down is simply to get off your feet.

Reflexology offers just that, plus a foot massage of sorts, though the benefits are far greater and deeply healing than a conventional massage.

Through the application of subtle pressure to certain areas of the foot, which then connect to specific organs and areas of the body, the treatment offers a wide range of potential benefits.

Despite only feeling physical sensation in your feet, reflexology actually affects your entire body.

Not only will healing come about in a physical sense, seen in a release of tension through muscles and connective tissues, but you might find immense healing through the energetic layers of your being, too.

History Of Reflexology

What we call reflexology today comes from an ancient form of therapy from China, dating as far back as 2300 B.C.

The method, as depicted through imagery and engravings on tombs, relied upon foot and hand therapy to induce healing and detoxification.

Zone theory, which is a common synonym for reflexology, seems to date back as far as 1500 A.D.

While not being quite as ancient, it is still far older than any modern practices.

There is a reason reflexology remains popular today, despite the massive leap in time – the benefits remain and the earlier scholars and explorers of Eastern medicine were incredibly clever and wise in how they choose to heal their bodies, minds, and spirits.

The roots of modern reflexology, the one related to meridian lines and often compared to acupuncture, are grounded in similar concepts, including the more recent concept of Zone Theory, but the practice really evolved in the 20th century.

It took a few centuries for reflexology to really “find its footing”, if you can pardon a pun.

In the early 20th-century, Dr. William Fitzgerald supposedly said, “To stop that toothache, squeeze your toe”.

Dr. Fitzgerald was an ear, nose, and throat doctor, so reflexology actually began in the medical world but shifted off to complementary medicine over time.

Two possible reasons include that less time was required with conventional, allopathic medicine, and it brought in more money.

Following up on Dr. Fitzgerald’s work, Eunice Ingham gave reflexology its name.

Ingham was a physiotherapist working with Dr. Joe Shelby Riley, and his wife. Dr. Riley eventually became interested in Zone Theory and shared it with Ingham who would meld it in with her bodywork practices.

She deserves the credit for creating the foot and hand mapping images that are widely used today.

Thanks to Eunice Ingham, reflexology was brought back to life and maintained by her students and clients, and she paved the way for the United States to cultivate a growing and thriving reflexology field.

Across the pond, in England, Doreen Bailey brought Ingham’s reflexology to her world.

It took time, but eventually, it became popular and seen as a reliable method of healing.

What Is Reflexology?

Reflexology is essentially a foot massage with Eastern medicine in mind.

Through the application of slight pressure to specific points, linked to the meridian lines of the body, specific outcomes can be achieved.

It’s a holistic therapy method that can stand as an alternative treatment to conventional medicine or offer complementary benefits on top of conventional medical care.

For the most part, reflexology is used as a complement to other treatments and not as a total replacement.

Although there is a common perception that reflexology treats the feet, it actually can be used to treat the hands and ears too, although these methods are a bit less popular than the feet.

These other two methods can be especially beneficial if, for whatever reason, you cannot receive treatment on your feet.

A reflexologist typically offers physical treatment beyond a simple kneading of the skin and muscles.

For example, they might pull on the toes, trace the heel, and push purposefully into the arch of the foot.

However, there are many other movements involved in the treatment, all of which depend on the client’s needs.

Taking a holistic approach means that all areas of being are considered – mind, body, breath, and spirit.

A reflexologist considers all factors and facets of your health, not only the surface-level symptoms they can clearly see.

The method does not merely work to release tension through the skin, muscles, and tissues – reflexology aims to work on the reflexes themselves.

Through careful observation and the application of pressure, a reflexologist can determine the root and the deepest source of stress, illness, or symptoms.

Once they determine this, they can create a game plan that will work to offer reliable treatment using reflexology’s methods.

Reflexology relies upon the ancient Chinese medicine theory that qi (pronounced “chee”), or vital energy, flows through the body and can be manipulated into balance through movement and certain other methods.

When imbalanced or stagnant, qi can lead to illnesses and common ailments.

The entire realm of Chinese medicine considers numerous practices as a valid means of shifting and unblocking qi, and reflexology is one of many options that remains fairly popular.

For a while, reflexology was largely ignored.

Only in recent years has it become a major contender in the world of alternative and complementary medicine, and even the world of Western science and medicine is paying attention to this popularity as well as the general benefits of reflexology.

According to the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, reflexology can aid in the following conditions and symptoms:

• Asthma
• Back pain
• Cancer
• Chest pain
• Childbirth
• Constipation
• Headaches
• Heart disease
• Migraines
• Multiple sclerosis
• Nervous exhaustion
• PMS (aka PMT)

The Main Points

There is a science to all this, so let’s go over the varying sections of the foot so that you might come to understand the effects, sensations, and approaches available.

Most of the time the main points are shown in a rather overwhelming map – and unless you can read the map correctly, this method can be rather difficult to read.

So, the main areas of the foot are detailed in simple words below.

Sole Of Foot

• The middle of the sole of the foot, the narrowest area, connects to the waistline.
• The very inner area of the core of the foot connects to the small intestine.
• The outside edges of the sole of the foot connect to the large intestine.
• The area just beneath the ball of the foot connects to the large intestine.

Inside Of Foot

• Mainly the big toe side of the foot connects to the spine.
• This area is immensely important as the spine connects to an abundance of other bones, nerves, and muscles. It’s a massive communication centre between the entire body and the brain.

Outside Of Foot

• The outer edge of the pinky toe, slightly on to the foot pad, connects to the shoulder.
• Just below the outer edge of the pinky toe, towards the centre arch of the foot, stretching under the roll and slightly onto the top of the foot, connects to the elbow.
• The sole of the foot near the heel, connects to the knee.
• Above the sole of the foot near the heel, a rectangular shape stretches towards the ankle and connects to the sciatic nerve.

Ball Of Foot

• Generally, this connects to the chest area.
• The outer edge of the ball of the foot connects to the lungs.
• The central area of the ball of the foot connects to the heart.

Meridian Toe Points

• In general, the toes connect to the head, neck, and shoulders.
• The tips of the toes connect to the top of the head, teeth, and sinuses.
• The tops of the middle toes, second and third, connect to the eyes.
• The bottom of the toes, near the ball of the foot, connect to the ears.
• The middle of the big toes connects to the glands.
• The edge of the foot where the ball of foot connects to the toes connects to the shoulders.

Your feet are not the exact same as each other. They might appear to be, but such is not the case.

A good reflexologist will keep this in mind and might take a different approach for each foot.

For example, one foot might have more tension in the arch, while the other has barely any tension stored there.

So do not be surprised if your reflexologist gives your feet two very different treatments.

We are all off balance in many ways, and even our feet can be imbalanced. Thankfully, methods such as foot reflexology offer to bring us back into some semblance of balance.

In general, most reflexologists divide the body into ten vertical zones, with five zones existing on each side of the body, and energy flows through these zones to varying degrees.

You can determine which foot requires more attention based upon the side of the body where pain, discomfort, or general sensation can be felt.

For instance, if you feel stomach pain or you are looking to heal your gut, then your left foot would receive the most work due to the stomach being on the left side of the body.

Zone Theory

Within zone theory, an explanation for how reflexology works might exist. It is thought, as mentioned above, that the body contains ten vertical zones, and each zone relates to different body parts and links to specific fingers and toes.

According to zone theory, an invisible pathway runs through the body, and this pathway moves vertically, up and down the body.

There are a few specific lines drawn out on some reflexology maps that show how a point on the soles of the feet or the tips of the toes then link to another organ or a part of the upper body, head, and neck.

But rather than merely saying it is all connected, zone theory gets specific about what is connected to what, and how everything works together.

How Reflexology Differs From Other Forms Of Body Massage And Energy Healing

Reflexology is not the only massage method that runs deeper than physical relief – but it stands out from some of these methods, too.

• For starters, while the average massage session focuses on muscles and soft tissues of the body, reflexology relies upon the knowledge of the reflexes in the human body and how they work.
• In a typical foot massage, where the main focus is a merely physical release, the motions relate entirely to the physical human anatomy. The consideration of other layers of being, through the subtle and emotional bodies, is not included.
• General massage therapy might focus on a specific area for only a moment, especially in the case of a full body massage treatment. Reflexology, on the other hand, often relies upon repetition over a certain area, such as the arch of the foot, in order to deeply release any stagnant energy in that space.
• Acupuncture and acupressure are often mixed in with reflexology due to the energetic healing they offer while maintaining a physical connection between the healing tools and the body.

Acupuncture, acupressure, and reflexology all consider the reflex points of the body and their influence on other parts of the body, but the points are not the same.

Plus, acupuncture treats the entire body, whereas reflexology treats only the feet and occasionally the hands and ears.

The General Benefits Of Reflexology

Reflexology offers numerous possible benefits – some relate more to physical healing, while others offer more emotional and mental effects.

In the realm of emotional healing, you might benefit from a reflexology treatment if you experience symptoms related to anxiety, brain fog, depression, insomnia (or some other sleep disturbance), overactive stress reactions, or lingering feelings of confinement or constraint.

A reflexologist can offer you release from many of these experiences while further guiding you towards a balanced space for all-around healing:

• Allowance for proper stress management
• Balanced sleep patterns
• Deepened state of relaxation
• Enhanced cognitive functioning
• Improved physical health and well-being
• Release of tension, physically and energetically
• Relief from general aches
• Relief from lingering or chronic pain

What physical benefits are available? Reflexology might offer the following physical shifts:

• Cleansed urinary tract conditions
• Complementary benefits to some cancer treatments
• Elimination of toxins
• Improved blood circulation
• Increased energy
• Migraine prevention
• Pain relief
• Quicker recovery from injury or surgery
• Reduced depression
• Stimulation of the central nervous system

Conditions Helped By Reflexology

While reflexology does not cure disease, millions of people worldwide use it for various conditions and as a complementary treatment for various diseases, including:

• Anxiety
• Arthritic pain
• Asthma
• Back problems
• Bacterial infections
• Common cold
• Depression
• Digestive troubles
• Fatigue
• Headaches
• Heart disease and related issues
• Hormonal imbalances
• Infertility
• Low energy
• Low metabolism
• Migraines
• PMS / PMT
• Poor blood circulation
• Relaxation
• Sinus congestion
• Sleep disturbances
• Stress relief
• Supports patients going through cancer treatment
• Weak immune system

About Reflexologists

Through their mindful touch, reflexologists move qi around in your body as is deemed necessary and beneficial.

They can send energy flowing towards their client’s designated energy blockages and areas of the body in need of healing.

While reflexologists press and touch the feet, hands, or ears, they are working with the subtle body more so than the physical body.

Some individuals believe that the touch of a reflexologist might calm the central nervous system, which then induces relaxation and benefits similar to any other form of massage.

In some schools of thought, people think the two are not mutually exclusive – rather, they exist independently.

So, one reflexologist might believe the benefits are due to the stimulation of the nervous system, while another might believe the benefits are due to the general relaxation brought on by the practice.

When a patient relaxes, mood improves, and perception shifts so that pain is less noticeable in some ways.

Of course, it would make sense that the two might work together since reflexology itself is built on the idea that everything connects.

Booking An Appointment

Are you preparing to book a reflexology treatment?

If so, here are a few things to take into consideration as you work towards finding the proper reflexologist and booking your session.

Firstly, your reflexologist should be clearly trained and have a firm understanding of the meridian lines.

You might ask around in your local community and see if anybody has any recommendations for you.

Nowadays, many spas offer reflexology, so you might begin your search there.

Typically, a reflexology treatment costs around the same as a general massage. Prices range from $40 – $100 for an hour, or $30 – $50 for a thirty-minute session.

And in case you were worried, you typically remain fully clothed with only your feet bare during the session.

Also, you can receive the treatment seated or while lying down. If you prefer to sit or lie, communicate your preference with your reflexologist.

Questions To Ask A Reflexologist

Here are a few key questions you might ask your reflexologist prior to receiving treatment from them:

• Where did you receive your training?
• For how many years did you train?
• For how many years have you practised?
• Do you treat individuals with (your specific symptom(s), condition, etc.?
• And any other questions you deem necessary related to insurance, payment, monetary transactions, etc.

Before Treatment

Before the treatment begins, your reflexologist will likely ask you questions.

If something related to your present state of being or wellness does not come up in this conversation, feel free to bring it up anyhow – there is no point paying for somebody to try to help you if you do not give them all of the relevant information.

The chances are that if you deem a detail to be important, then your reflexologist will agree.

For instance, if your reflexologist only asks about emotional sensations and does not touch much on physical ailments, but you have been experiencing some minor sleep disturbances, make sure to mention this detail, because this could change their entire approach or allow them to include something in the treatment that they otherwise would have ignored.

Before the massage, eat lightly, and following the massage, wait at least an hour or two until consuming food.

This way your body can properly detox and realign without asking your digestion to kick into gear.

To further aid in detoxification, drink plenty of water following your treatment.

If you are pregnant, choose to receive a prenatal massage rather than reflexology.

Check with a doctor prior to receiving reflexology, especially if you have foot problems relating to an injury, blood vessels, clotting, or varicose veins.

A Focus On The Nervous System

How exactly does reflexology interact with the nervous system?

Let’s take a closer look.

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