How Reflexology May Help Your Patients -
An introduction to the Complementary Health Care modality of Reflexology
Reflexology is:
A lesser-known Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) modality. More than 60 top medical schools in the US including Yale, Duke, Emory, Johns Hopkins, Harvard are teaching about CAM modalities https://www.imconsortium.org/members/members.cfm
"A non-invasive protocol of manual techniques…applied to specific reflex areas predominantly on the feet and hands. These techniques stimulate the complex neural path-ways linking body systems, supporting the body’s efforts to function optimally...."http://reflexology-usa.org/information/raas-definition-of-reflexology/
Based on the zone therapy work of William Fitzgerald, MD http://www.reflexology-usa.net/history.htm
Not meant as an alternative to standard medical care, but as a complement to it.
An effective way to reduce stress, which according to JAMA is now being cited as the reason for up to 80% of doctor visits. Reduced stress may decrease pain and improve patient outcomes from medical treatmentshttp://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1392494
Not massage http://academyofancientreflexology.com/reflexology-not-massage/ ...although reflexology recipients do receive all the benefits of nurturing touch that studies evidence http: oawhealth.com/ 2014/03/18/health-benefits-of-human- touch/ (I have no affiliation with this site; the site simply has a useful aggregate of studies cited)
Utilized in some cancer centers such as Dana Farber http://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2016/07/how-can-reflexology-help-cancer-patients/ and Memorial Sloan Kettering https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/therapies/individual-therapies
NY & FL Urologist found reflexology so effective he now uses it
Dr. Mandour read in a medical journal about the 60% efficacy rate of reflexology for urology patients for whom "everything else had failed". He subsequently studied and became certified in Reflexology, and conducted his own study. Read the American Reflexology Certification Board interview with him here
A reflexology study:
CADAVERS DON'T LIE
From researchers Barbara Bowers and Rebecca Sundeen: "The intention of our research in the cadaver lab, is to confirm visual congestion shown on the feet with physical congestion in the body, and have a means of correlating them both. This research in the cadaver lab gives more evidence for further study into the correlation of congestion in the body, and reflexology as a physical visual disclosure of where in the body we hold congestion as well as using reflexology to support homeostasis."
https://branchreflexology.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FINAL-CADAVER-LAB-PDF.pdf