REFLEXOLOGY is a form of ancient Chinese medicine involving treatment by massage of reflex areas in the feet. Every part of the feet corresponds to a part of the body with the left foot representing the left side of the body and the right foot, the right side. An imaginary line halfway down the foot corresponds to the waistline, with organs in the upper part of the body having their reflex areas in the upper part of the foot and the organs in the lower part of the body, in the lower part. Thus, the reflexes of the feet are arranged to form a map of the body. In addition to reflexes on the soles of the feet, there are also reflexes on top of the foot and a short distance up the back of the leg. Although Reflexology is an ancient therapy, it was not until the beginning of the century that it became known to the western world.
An American, Dr. William Fitzgerald became interested in the possibility of treating organs through pressure points distant from the actual organs and described how the body could be divided into ten vertical zones- hence the name ‘Zone Therapy’ which reflexology is sometimes termed.
There are five zones on either side of the medial line in the body with each one corresponding to the fingers and toes. Zone 1 extends from the thumb up to the head and then down to the big toe and zone 5 from the little finger up to the head and down to the little toe. Within the zones there is a flow of energy linking various body organs to a reflex area in the foot and in general, whichever zones an organ is found in the body, the reflex area will be found in the same zones in the feet, e.g. the right kidney is found in zones 2 and 3 on the right side of the body and the reflex area is found in zones 2 and 3 in the right foot. The hands are used to give this particular type of massage with the side and end of the thumb being pressed quite deeply into the reflex area. If the area being worked on is out of balance, a sharpness or tenderness will be felt in the foot as pressure is applied and the degree of tenderness will determine how out of balance the particular area is. The treatment should not, however, be agonizing since if the feet are extremely sensitive, a lighter pressure should be applied.
When receiving Reflexology treatment all the areas of the feet will be massaged regardless of the condition, so that the ‘Whole body’ is treated. Areas which appear tender, indicating an imbalance, will receive extra massage and a treatment session will last approximately three quarters of an hour. The treatment can be helpful to a wide range of complaints including migraine, back pain, sinus trouble, heart and circulatory conditions, kidney disorders and menstrual problems. There are certain conditions when treatment should not be given or where extra care is needed and for this reason a trained practitioner should give treatment. It is possible to ‘overwork’ the reflexes.
Following treatment, some reactions may occur as the body strives to remove toxins from the system and the elimination systems may become more active resulting in a form of ‘healing crisis’ such as a cold, passing of more urine or appearance of a skin rash. A feeling of tiredness may be experienced though the reverse can also occur with a feeling of increased vitality. In nearly all cases, the person will feel more relaxed, which is of great benefit in helping the body become more balanced. Reflex areas are also found in the hands and though not q2uite as responsive ad the feet, the hands can be most useful for self-treatment, being more readily accessible.
Reflexology may appear to be a very simple treatment but the results obtained can be amazing. The Bayly School of Reflexology, the first Reflexology training school to be established in the UK, was founded in 1978 by the late Doreen Bayly. It is the official Teaching Body of the British Reflexology Association.
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