Reflexology is an alternative treatment for a wide variety of conditions, as mentioned above, and has been in use for thousands of years. The ancient Chinese and Egyptians have documented practices similar to reflexology as a treatment for certain afflictions. It involves the reflexologist applying pressure to specific areas in the hands, feet, and ears that affect certain reflex areas of the body. Imagine that there is a connection between zones of your feet and hands that represent certain areas of your body that can be adjusted or managed through these zones.

 

Nerve Function: As our bodies age, our nerve endings become less sensitive in parts of our body, particularly in our extremities. That being said, reflexology has been connected with stimulating more than 7,000 different nervous endings in a single session, thereby increasing their function and reactivity. Opening and cleaning out neural pathways can help improve functionality and flexibility of many areas around the body. 

 

Relaxation: As mentioned above, reflexology has been known to open neural pathways, and this sort of free-flowing neural activity results in a more relaxed state in the body, one of reduced stress. For this reason, reflexology can flood your system with relaxation, inducing a state of calm throughout your body and mind. In this same vein, reflexology is commonly used to cure sleep disorders. Insomnia can be a very troubling condition to suffer through, but reflexology helps your body relax and get back to its normal, healthy Circadian rhythms.

 

Toxin Removal: Reflexology has been shown to improve bladder function and to reduce urinary tract issues. What this means in terms of toxicity is a more efficient system of eliminating toxins and other foreign substances, thereby protecting your body from the various diseases and health conditions that can often arise from a compromised urinary system.

 

Nervous System Stimulation: The open neural pathways can benefit our central nervous system in a variety of ways. not only will our brain be able to handle the inputs more effectively, thereby speeding up our cognitive powers, but our physical reactions will be faster, our memory will be boosted, and generally, our entire brain will simply work better and faster.

 

Migraines and Headaches: Reflexology is primarily used by many people as a method of eliminating pain. As an analgesic treatment, reflexology can reduce the severity of migraines and headaches, simply by relieving tension in the muscles that can often result in these conditions. Any headaches induced by stress can also be eliminated, since stress and psychological factors often manifest in the physical symptoms of a migraine. This is actually one of the most popular applications of reflexology.

 

Pregnancy and Menstruation: Studies have shown that reflexology can be very beneficial for pregnant women, particularly in terms of labor lengths and their need for analgesics during labor and post-partum recovery time. Beyond that, due to many of the health benefits already outlined above, it can reduce the chances of post-partum depression and can also help a woman’s body heal itself faster and get back to its normal metabolic activity quickly.

 

That being said, reflexology should be considered as a supplemental treatment to formal medical advice and treatment for the more serious conditions that have been touched on in this article.  

 

Kick Your Feet Up and Get Healthy!

 

Mawuena Workartey/ Ghanahospitals.org