Are their any side effects of Reflexology treatments?

The aim of Reflexology is to restore harmony within the client and instil a sense of well being.   During a Reflexology treatment, some clients experience fleeting sensations in their body.   As part of restoring the body to balance some clients may notice subtle changes in their appetite, changes to their sleeping pattern, dream more often, go to the loo more often or feel tired.   All of these reactions are short lived and the vast majority of my reflexology clients simply report that they felt tired after the treatment and then slept better.

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  • I am pregnant, is Reflexology safe for me?

    Obviously when you are pregnant you want to make sure everything you do is safe for both you and your baby.  Reflexology is generally considered safe if you are pregnant providing all is well with the pregnancy and you tell the Reflexologist you are pregnant. Reflexology should be avoided by women with a risk of pre-eclampsia or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and they should seek medical advice before having Reflexology.  It is not suitable if:

    • you have a history of miscarriages
    • you have been diagnosed with Placenta Previa
    • you have been diagnosed with Hydroamnios
    The Association of Reflexologists says, "Nearly everyone can benefit from having Reflexology during pregnancy."  The benefits include helping you cope with the emotional changes during pregnancy plus the physical changes to your body including tiredness.  Reflexology also helps with the side effects of being pregnant e.g fluid retention, swelling, constipation, aches and pains including backache. Reflexology can also help new mothers cope with the demands of their new baby.

  • Can reflexology help you with period pain?

    It is claimed that up to 50% of women of reproductive age suffer from period pain.  For many years from my mid-teens until my late twenties I suffered from dysmenorrhea (period pain).  To avoid it interfering with my O Levels I went on the pill but discovered that didn't suit me.  In my mid-twenties I tried reflexology and I felt it helped but I never knew if it was just as a I got older my periods were less painful.  Recently I came across some research that supports my experience. A clinical trial in Iran compared the effectiveness of reflexology and ibuprofen in reducing period pain intensity and duration.  68 students with period pain were randomly divided into a reflexology group, receiving 10 reflexology sessions (40 minutes each) during two consecutive menses cycles or an ibuprofen group, receiving 400mg of ibuprofen every eight hours for three days during three consecutive menses cycles. The study results indicated that reflexology was superior to ibuprofen in reducing period pain and the effects off treatment continued even after discontinuing the intervention in the third mense cycle. Reference Valiani M, Babaei E, Heshmat R and Zare Z,  Comparing the effects of reflexology methods and ibuprofen administration on dysmenorrhea in female students of Isfahan University Medical Sciences.  Iran Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research.  December 2010; 15 (S1): 371 - 378      

  • Reflexology: Scientific Evidence of it’s effects physiological anxiety signs

    Recently a scientific study (see details below) was published which evaluated the physiological anxiety signs and sedation needs of patients in intensive care units in a Turkish hospital.

    Title: Reflexology: It’s effects on Physiological Anxiety Signs and Sedation Needs
    Journal: Holistic Nursing Practioner
    Authors: E. Korhan, L. Khorshid, M Uyar
    Reference: 2014; 28 (1);6-23
    Study Type: Randomised Controlled Trial - with control group receiving no treatment
    Background It is an accepted medical fact that when it is necessary to mechanically ventilate patients in intensive care units of hospitals, the patients experience stress and anxiety.  It is standard medical practice to relieve anxiety, pain, agitation with sedatives to ensure patient comfort. Sedatives however also have side effects causing high blood pressure, slow heart beat, coma, respiratory depression, muscle weakness and atrophy, increased risk of pneumonia, kidney problems and immunosuppression. It may also prolong the need for ventilation which in turn increases the risk of complications. Method 60 patients were split into two groups one of which was the control group.  Sedation (Propofol) was reduced 30 min before treatment (or no treatment) which resulted in patients with mixed consciousness to which the outcome measure was administered. This was the American Association of critical care nurses sedation assessment scale (AACNSAS) and the vital signs recorded. Reflexology applied to ears, hands and feet bilaterally was given twice a day for a total of 30 minutes per day, over 5 days. The reflexology focussed on the brain, cortex, hypothalamus, hypophysis and subcortex; areas though to influence anxiety, agitation and stress response. No reflexology was given to the control group but the sedation was reduced and all the same measurements were taken. Results The physiological signs of anxiety and stress i.e. blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate were are reduced in the group that received reflexology on each of the 5 days.  In addition there was a reduction in the requirement for sedatives in the group that received reflexology. Conclusions These findings ‘show that reflexology is an effective treatment in reducing the physiological signs of anxiety and stress in patients receiving mechanically ventilated support.’ This study provides scientific evidence to underpin the idea that reflexology has a beneficial effect on anxiety and stress.