If you’re looking for an alternative to pain medication, reflexology may be an option. Find out if you could benefit from this form of massage.
Sometimes pain therapy can be downright relaxing. Although getting a massage may conjure up the image of a spa rather than a medical office, reflexology, which involves the placement of the practitioner’s hands on your feet, is an approach that may ease stress and bring you pain relief at the same time.
In a reflexology session, a practitioner will apply pressure using the fingers and thumbs. Some may use a specially designed tool to apply pressure. Reflexology is not limited to feet, although it is commonly thought of as a foot-oriented approach. Some people may get more benefit from reflexology as it is applied to ears or hands.
“The pressure applied during reflexology is meant to facilitate a physiological response in the body,” says licensed acupuncturist and reflexologist Drake Ewing, MS, LAc, adjunct faculty at Bastyr University in Seattle. “Reflexology is a type of health care that has been used for thousands of years.” Ewing says experts estimate that there are close to 7,000 nerve endings in the feet. The practice of reflexology may stimulate these nerves and the central nervous system, which in turn could interrupt or alter the way you feel pain.
Although reflexology can play a part in pain therapy, it may only be appropriate for certain types of pain. “I find reflexology to be the most beneficial for more internal conditions, like slow digestion, migraine headaches, and insomnia,” says Ewing, adding, “It has an amazing ability to induce a deep state of relaxation. I call it a stress buster — when the client begins to get into that deep state of relaxation, the body’s own healing abilities begin to take over.”
As a result, reflexology’s primary role in pain treatment may simply be to allow you to relax, breaking the cycle of pain and stress that feed into each other.
What to Expect From a Reflexology Session
When you visit a reflexology practitioner for a session, you will probably have a short conversation about the problems you want to address. The reflexologist may ask you to soak your feet in warm water. This is relaxing, cleansing, and allows the blood to flow more easily in your feet.
You will then lie down, clothed, but with bare feet. The practitioner may do a light massage of your feet to check tension and range of motion, and then will fully work on one foot at a time.
A session may take about an hour and cost about the same as a massage ($60 to $95). Ewing says you may need up to six sessions, depending on the issues you are working on.
The benefits of reflexology include:
- Stress relief that benefits overall health.
- It’s a good approach for people who don’t like to take off their clothes for a massage.
- People whose feet shouldn’t be massaged can get the same benefits from reflexology applied to hands or ears.
The drawbacks of reflexology include:
- Health insurance likely won’t pay for these treatments.
- It can be awkward for people who are nervous about the condition of their feet.
- Reflexology does not address the root cause of physical pain.
How to Find a Reflexology Practitioner
The best way to find a good practitioner is through recommendations from friends or relatives. Reflexology has yet to find a respected niche in the complementary and alternative medicine world, let alone as a complement to Western medicine. As a result, there are few standards for training and practice. To evaluate your options, be sure to ask practitioners about their training and experience.
“There is a huge difference between somebody who has watched a reflexology DVD and someone with formal training. Ask about background, experience, and credentials. Know who you’re working with,” advises Ewing, who has practiced reflexology for 10 years. You may find that practitioners who are licensed in other fields, such as acupuncture or massage, are also familiar with reflexology.
Even if reflexology sessions do not completely resolve your pain, they may be a helpful addition to your pain treatment plan.