How does Reflexology work?

Reflexology is a holistic treatment where pressure is applied to the feet using the hands.  It was rediscovered in the 1920’s by an American doctor who utilised it for its pain relieving properties to perform minor operations without anaesthesia.

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      

As a human being, you are a complex, delicately balanced machine that is synergistic … everything working together for the benefit of the whole person.  When each part of you, mind, body and soul works in harmony, you feel at your peak.  At a biological level, this harmony is achieved by a myriad of glands, organs, nerves, chemicals etc. and if one of these gets out of balance then the effects are felt throughout the whole body. Reflexology restores your inner harmony and instils a sense of well being.  It treats the whole person and can be used to tackle a wide range of conditions such as pre-menstrual tension, headaches, migraines, sinus problems, anxiety, tension, insomnia, digestive disorders, backache, stiffness and tension.