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| Reflexology Reflexology, also called zone therapy. Reflexology is the physical act of applying pressure to the feet and hand with specific thumb, finger and hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion. it is based on a system of zones and reflex areas that reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands with a premise that such work effects a physical change to the body. Reflexology is growing increasingly popular as both as a complement to other treatments and as preventive measure across Europe and Asia. Reflexology seems to be a variation of acupressure, with its notion that there are correspondences between special pressure points. In reflexology, points and areas on the feet, hands, and ears correspond to specific organs, bones and body systems. Practitioners access these points on the feet and hands (bottom, sides, and top) and the ear (both inside as far as the finger can reach and outside) to affect organs and systems throughout the entire body. Reflexology and acupressure are both reflex therapies in that they work with points on one part of the body to affect other parts of the body. While reflexology uses reflexes that are in an orderly arrangement resembling a shape of the human body on the feet, hands, and outer ears. Acupressure uses over 800 reflex points that are found along long thin energy lines called meridians that run the length of the entire body. Reflexology is also used for post-operative or palliative care. In general terms the benefits of reflexology have to do with the reduction of stress. Because the feet and hands help set the tension level for the rest of the body they are an easy way to interrupt the stress signal and reset homeostasis, the body's equilibrium. Reflexology is a complement to standard medical care. Reflexology sessions in general last from 30 minutes to an hour. It is a clothed session with only the removal of shoes and socks as a requirement. It should not be construed as medical advice. It should not be a replacement to medical help. Please use it wisely. We care about your safety. There are many variations of reflexology and many names for these variations, including Zone Therapy, Vacuflex, and Vita Flex. Common criticisms of reflexology are the lack of central regulation, accreditation and licensing, the lack of medical training provided to reflexologists, and the short duration of training programmes. Read more: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Reflexology/297981#ixzz0eteI0WbI Under Creative Commons License: Attribution No DerivativesArticle Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com About the Author:
Juliet Cohen writes articles for Health Problems. She also writes articles for Stye and Sunburn Treatment. Careers in ReflexologyBy: Steven Parbach | Posted: May 20, 2008 Among the many healing arts occupations today, careers in reflexology are a unique aspect to the growing massage therapy industry. As one of the oldest forms of natural healing, reflexology is both an energy work and massage therapy. Blockages are removed by applying finger and thumb pressure to various "reflex zones" (on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, or on the ears). These zones are believed to correspond to different organs and organ systems in the body.
Fascinating careers in reflexology may sometimes be overlooked by enthusiastic massage therapist candidates, so it's important to review all occupational possibilities before enrolling in any one particular educational program. In many cases, students can participate in massage courses that include reflexology as part of the overall curricula. However, there are a variety of reflexology schools and reflexology courses that are dedicated "solely" to the healing art.
To achieve careers in reflexology, you should evaluate your training options carefully and determine which path of education will give you the best possible outcome. While you can earn a certificate or diploma in reflexology through a number of alternative healing schools, you may opt to pursue massage therapy certification with supplemental training in reflexology. Enhancing potential client/patient services with natural healing treatments like reflexology is a beneficial credential that some clients may find appealing when making their selection in choosing an experienced therapist.
Though no two training programs are alike, to achieve careers in reflexology you will need to acquire instruction in this natural health treatment. Basic studies often include anatomy, physiology, pathology, reflex mapping, reflex zone charting and practical application, among other related coursework.
If you (or someone you know) are interested in learning more about these or other alternative medicine occupations, let professional training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, naturopathy, acupuncture, Chinese medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore careers in reflexology near you.
Careers in Reflexology
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| Achieve Proper Balance And Overall Good Health With ReflexologyBy: James Beller Reflexology is an interesting practice which focuses on massaging and stretching the feet in order to improve the body's overall health. Reflexology began when Dr. William H. Fitzgerald introduced the concept of "zone therapy" in 1915. The American physiotherapist Eunice Ingram improved upon this theory in the 1930's into what is now known as reflexology.
The underlying idea is that there are "reflex" areas on the feet that correspond to specific organs, glands, and other parts of the body. The theory states that the toes correspond to the head, the balls of the feet are connected to the heart, while the arch of the foot indicates the health of the liver and kidneys.
Reflexology practitioners contend that by applying pressure to these reflex areas, they can improve the health in the corresponding organs. The reason this works appears to be that the pressure sends signals which help balance the nervous system as well as releases various chemicals (e.g., endorphins) to reduce the stress and concomitant pain.
If you decide to go to a reflexology therapist, you will likely find the experience enjoyable and relaxing. After a consultation, the reflexologist will stimulate various points of your feet to assess where you are experiencing tension or pain. After that, he or she will apply pressure to your feet to the level of your comfort.
Reflexology is experiencing a resurgence of popularity these days. Most obviously it improves your ability to relax, promotes circulation and alleviates foot pain. But that is only the beginning. Reflexology practitioners have been able to alleviate numerous ailments for their patients such as stress and stress-related conditions, headaches, digestive disorders, arthritis, insomnia, sports injuries, back pain and others.
Reflexology has even been used as a post-operative and rehabilitative treatment. The American Cancer Society indicates that up to one-third of cancer patients use reflexology as a complementary therapy.
Reflexology has also been demonstrated to improve sense of balance in the elderly. All brain systems decay with age, such as eyesight and hearing. If you look at an elderly person, you will often notice his or her poor posture and a hesitating gait. It does not have to be this way. Reflexology and similar foot treatment practices have demonstrably improved balance.
Remember those signals that the feet send to the rest of the body? Well the foot's touch receptors send signals up to your brain every time you stand and put pressure on the ground. Unfortunately, the signals are not sent with regularity as the receptors lose their potency with age.
Studies have indicated that elderly people who often walk on cobblestones have much better balance than those who do not. People in the East have known about this for a long time. If you walk into any park or nature retreat in China you will notice that every walkway has an adjacent one made entirely of cobblestones. Many Chinese will tell you that walking on such cobblestones invigorates them and leads to overall better health.
If you experience any of the ailments discussed above or just want to achieve a higher level of health, and you do not want to resort to invasive treatments, you may want to learn more about reflexology. Some resources are available on the internet which can teach you more about this subject and suggest simple steps you can take right away to obtain the benefits of reflexology. The three sources I found most helpful are: http://rawfoodists.blogspot.com/, http://www.kaboodle.com/rawfood, and http://rawfoodme.wordpress.com/
Read more: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Achieve-Proper-Balance-And-Overall-Good-Health-With-Reflexology/613630#ixzz0etf7XKX6
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James Beller is a blogger, online publisher and natural and raw food enthusiast. He writes articles for various websites and blogs which promote the raw diet and natural health such as http://www.beautifulonraw.com. | | The Amazing Results of Reflexology Reflexology massage involves the stimulation of the feet, hands and ears. This occurs when the licensed massage therapist puts pressure onto certain areas of your feet, hands and ears. The reason for reflexology massage being specifically carried out in these parts of the body is that those parts of the body have key openings into internal and external portions of the body. These areas can greatly effect and help your body refresh itself. Reflexology can be a slightly painful process, but it is also a helpful one if carried out by licensed massage therapists.
Reflexology targets points in your feet, hands and ears that control other parts of your body.
You may feel the effects of this particular therapeutic massage not only outwardly, but inwardly as well. One way to think of the pathways of reflexology, which you will be taught about in massage school, is by zones. Each part of your feet and hands has regions that affect your body. Putting pressure on these certain points will affect your shock system and make you feel like a new person. A good massage therapist school will teach you all this and more.
Another interesting aspect of reflexology massage, is that this form of therapeutic massage can help reconnect your body with your mind. It may sound outlandish, but many times your mind is not in sync with the rest of your body. Licensed massage therapists will be able to correct this problem for you and make you feel a whole lot better.
Reconnecting your mind and body through reflexology can truly help you feel better and more put together. It is commonly known that if your body is healthy and feels better, your daily performance will be better as well.
Why is it important? Reflexology is important, for instance, because your feet control much of your body. For instance, your body's temperature is controlled by your feet. Reflexology carried out by someone who has studied hard at a good massage therapy school targets the pressure points that keep your body functioning properly.
What reflexology massage areas are found in your feet and hands? In your toes alone there are nerves that control your brain, voice and neck. The middle of your foot is connected to your heart and lungs; toward the bottom of your foot, pressure points affect your liver and kidneys.
Your hand controls you small intestine, bladder, spleen, and the sides of your head among other areas.
How was it discovered? Reflexology found its early development in the work of William H. Fitzgerald, M. D. around the 1900s. He decided to try these tactics on his patients. Further discovery was found by Eunice D. Ingham.
Some doctors today will suggest reflexology massage and may refer you to a licensed massage therapist, while others still prefer the traditional methods. There is no harm in reflexology; it is simply a matter of opinion. Some doctors are more open to homeopathic methods than others.
Licensed massage therapists who have studied at massage therapy colleges or massage therapy schools are the ones to perform this method.
Even though it may not be the main focus in a basic massage session, there is some kind of reflexology involved in most therapeutic massage sessions. In massage schools, massage therapists spend a number of hours studying reflexology. Some licensed massage therapists will even take additional courses to improve their knowledge and expertise in reflexology.
There are also official diplomas and massage therapy degrees that can be earned by a licensed massage therapist in just the study of Reflexology alone. Massage therapy jobs can likewise be obtained in just reflexology alone or in various aspects of therapeutic massage such as sports massage, acupressure and hand massage alongside reflexology massage.
Everyone would like to feel better. Massage therapists help make that happen and reflexology is another way to enhance your body's mental and physical wellbeing. (ArticlesBase SC #521178) | | Reflexology Reduces Physical, Emotional and Psychological Stress and Tension Reflexology reduces physical, emotional and psychological stress and tension. This reduction of stress and tension results in a greater degree of relaxation in the body and a consequent revitalization and rejuvenation of the functioning of the body.
Reflexology also increases the body's awareness of itself. The combination of therapeutic relaxation and increased awareness facilitate movement toward optimal healthy functioning. In this sense reflexology is healing.
ART means that the application of reflexology is most beneficial when the practitioner is bringing their intuitive senses into play with their practice of reflexology. Everyone who uses the techniques of reflexology will find that the results are beneficial. However, the practitioner that develops awareness of their intuitive senses and applies reflexology in accordance with their intuitive senses will have more effective results.
The basic techniques used in the practice of reflexology are very simple and easy to learn. As in many other activities it takes some practice of the techniques to become familiar with them. In this process of practising the techniques it is inevitable that some of the benefits of reflexology will be discovered. The most common benefit to be discovered is how profoundly relaxing reflexology is for most (not all) people that it is applied to. Even for relatively healthy people in our hectic western society, the feeling of profound relaxation is a blissfully pleasant experience that is deeply appreciated.
Beyond these pleasurable feelings of relaxation, recipients of reflexology often report a wide range of other benefits, such as: feeling more centred, feeling more solidly connected to the ground and paradoxically feeling like walking on air, experiencing deeper sleep, relief from a wide variety of aches and pains, relief from headaches, clearing of sinus congestion, etc..
The range of potential benefits available from reflexology is very wide. It is believed that reflexology moves the body from functioning in the sympathetic nervous system modality (fight or flight) to the parasympathetic system modality (rest and repair), that reflexology improves the assimilation of nutrients to enhance the provision of nourishment for healthy functioning; that reflexology improves the circulation of the blood and lymph with consequent improved nourishment and cleansing of the cells and elimination of accumulated toxins; similarly, that reflexology strengthens the functioning of the immune system. In short, by revitalizing and rejuvenating the intricate functioning of the physical body reflexology assists the body in it's inherent process of healing itself.
As a consequence, reflexology powerfully complements all other healing modalities. In particular it enhances the effectiveness of nutritional therapies including herbology, and, manipulative therapies such as physiotherapy and chiropractic.
When a person is experiencing extremely acute pain, such as a severe whiplash, reflexology, unique in it's ability to relieve stress and tension through stimulation of the distant reflexes, can safely ease the pain until it is conducive to the direct stimulation of massage therapy or physiotherapy. In this way, reflexology is very beneficial for the person who is presently experiencing extreme pain and who is understandably not receptive to any direct stimulation of the injured area.
As reflexology gains wider acceptance as a therapy, it's effectiveness for specific conditions is being researched. Recently, the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, a prestigious medical research journal, published an evaluation of the effectiveness of reflexology for women suffering with pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS). This study, which evaluated 38 symptoms experienced by these women, reported that the symptoms were reduced by 46% during treatment, an improvement that was sustained at 41% for two months beyond the cessation of treatment. The journal concluded that reflexology should be considered an effective therapy for PMS.
Many other studies evaluating the effectiveness of reflexology for specific health conditions have been published in Denmark, England and China. In these countries, reflexology has been integrated into the national health care system - which has made it easier to get research studies conducted. The health conditions focussed on in these studies include: headaches, back pain, asthma and constipation - a wide variety of conditions for any one therapy to address. In general, the results of these studies report reflexology to be effective for 75% to 80% of recipients.(ArticlesBase SC #426390) | |
| Does Reflexology Work? By: Sharon Bell | Posted: Apr 09, 2008 Reflexology is a specialized form of massage which proponents claim can heal a variety of diseases. Basically, this therapy has two forms: foot reflexology (the more popular type), and hand reflexology. Both are known as zone therapy, a term coined by Dr. William Fitzgerald over 80 years ago.
The system was later popularized by Dr. Edwin F. Bowers and taken by a masseuse, Eunice Ingham. She developed the so-called "Ingham Reflex Method of Compres¬sion," according to Mark Bricklin in The Practical Encyclo¬pedia of Natural Healing.
How does reflexology work? Advocates claim it eliminates toxins or poisonous substances from the body that make people sick.
To do this, a reflexologist stimulates certain parts of the body (like the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet) that supposedly correspond to internal organs. Unlike the acupuncturist who uses needles, the reflexologist uses his or her own hands – he or she rubs, massages and applies deep pressure to specific points of the body to relieve certain symptoms.
The roster of diseases reflexology can supposedly cure is endless. It includes appendicitis, asthma, bronchitis, bladder problems, sinusitis, diabetes, deafness, epilepsy, goiter, heart disorders, infections, strokes, pneumonia and some say even cancer.
Unfortunately, experts say "scientific studies (of reflexology) have not shown any positive value beyond the power of suggestion."
Even Bricklin, executive editor of Prevention magazine that promotes natural healing, has his own doubts.
"I have heard one or two doctors say that they have been able to achieve some success using foot reflexology. but that is not much to go by. I personally don't know anyone who has been treated by a reflexologist, although in a news¬paper account, the writer did admit that one definite result of treatment was that his feet were very sore," he narrated.
The system, however, may work for people who need nothing more than a good massage. Good holistic methods, after all, are effective in treating maladies with no specific medical cure. These include anxiety, stress, hysterical paralysis and high blood pressure.
"Reflexology treatments can be very pleasant and relaxing, and there are no potentially contaminated needles to worry about. If pain and discomfort are relieved at a mode¬rate cost and without sidetracking a person from adequate medical care, a useful service is being performed," said Kurt Butler and Dr. Lynn Rayner of the University of Hawaii in The Best Medicine.
To this, Bricklin added, "In any case, with personal experimentation and the experiences of acquaintances. I cannot say that I have found any of the principles of foot reflexology to be helpful to any specific body part. On the other hand, I must admit that, personally, I find nothing so totally relaxing and invigorating as a brisk massage of the entire foot."
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About the AuthorSharon Bell is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premier online news magazine http://www.HealthLinesNews.com. Printed From http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/does-reflexology-works-382943.html | |
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