Does reflexology improve quality of life at end of life?

With a 50% chance of a cancer diagnosis and a 50% chance of surviving cancer, cancer will touch all our lives.

Cancer Research statistics

  • 1 in 2 people born after 1960 in the UK will be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime.
  • 50% survive cancer for 10 or more years.

While cancer survival rates are on the way up, unfortunately people still die of cancer.

I want to share the details of a small randomised control trial of reflexology for cancer patients during the end of life stage of cancer.  The study showed reflexology improved the quality of life for patients in 16 areas,  the greatest improvements were in:

  1. appetite
  2. breathing
  3. constipation & diarrhea
  4. fears of the future
  5. pain
  6. nausea
  7. sleep
  8. communication
  9. tiredness

Urination & mood improved equally in the patients in the group receive reflexology and the placebo group who received a foot massage.

This study shows reflexology can be helpful in improving quality of life for cancer patients during the difficult end of life stage.

Reference:

Hodgeson, N.  Nursing Standard – London, 14(31), pp. 33–38.

 

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