What is Reflexology?
Reflexology is a wonderfully relaxing treatment that helps your body to heal itself. It's based on the premise that all the systems of the body can be treated via the feet. It helps you to maintain good health and strengthens your immune system so you're less reliant on conventional medicine. A typical treatment will take 45 minutes and I will work my thumbs over the whole foot in a particular sequence in order to stimulate each area and identify any problems. You will be lying or sitting in a relaxed position and just need to remove socks and shoes. Everyone is unique so the responses can vary. Some people will fall asleep and some people like to chat with me and know what's going on with their health. Both are fine: it's your time so it's really important you use the session to meet your needs. A few people report being able to feel a warm or tingling experience in the corresponding area of their body and the majority will feel relaxed and rejuvenated.
Reflexology works best on a regular basis so that we get to know each other well. There will always be suggestions and recommendations following each session to improve overall health.
Reflexology can be performed on the hands if you don't like having your feet touched but a firm pressure is used so it certainly wont feel like your feet are being tickled. If you like the sound of it but aren't sure it's for you, please get in touch so we can discuss your particular requirements.
A Very Brief History of Reflexology
There is evidence that treating the feet to help the whole body goes back thousands of years in ancient civilisations around the world. However the practice that we know today is based on the ‘foot chart’ created by Eunice Ingham (1889-1974.) Her book, ‘Stories the Feet can Tell’ published in 1938 mapped out the reflexes on the feet and popularised Reflexology as a new therapy.
Doreen Bayley brought reflexology to Britain in 1966. She had previously studied with Ingham and set up the first training school in the UK. Reflexology is now practised in many countries throughout the world and is one of the most popular complementary therapies. In 2018, the Federation of Holistic therapists ranked it the most popular treatment among its members.
How does it work?
There are lots of theories behind why reflexology can help people but the most compelling is nerve impulse theory.
Nerve impulse theory is all about the effect that reflexology has on the nervous system. The reflex points in the feet send messages to the brain to release endorphins (chemicals that manage pain, reduce stress and enhance mood.) Reflexologists are able to work on all the systems in your body via the corresponding points in your feet. They can find tender or ‘crunchy’ spots on the feet and apply pressure techniques to stimulate healing.
This may leave you feeling sceptical but recently there have been a number of exciting studies using Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scanning to see what happens in the brain during a reflexology treatment and the studies found that brain blood flow matched the reflexology points in the foot. The studies prove that Eunice Ingham’s foot map was right all along!
People get different reactions to the treatment depending on their health needs but at the very least it should bring about a deep sense of relaxation and improved wellbeing.
The main thing to understand is that reflexology is a complementary therapy so it is designed to work alongside conventional medicine and is not an alternative to seeing your GP when you’re unwell.