What are Reflexology and Acupressure?

Reflexology is a healing art and a form of complementary medicine that uses a special form of pressure on the feet, hands, or ears. There are areas on the feet, hands, or ears that correspond with all parts of the body including the organs, glands, muscles, and skeletal system. The left foot or hand corresponds with the left side of the body, and the right foot or hand corresponds with the right side of the body. The whole body, therefore, is represented on the feet, the hands, or ears. Reflexology treats the body as a whole and this allows for the symptoms and the causes of those symptoms to be treated.

Reflexology has been used for thousands of years and there is evidence that it was practiced by the Chinese and the Egyptians. Doctor William Fitzgerald, an American, is credited with developing a similar form of therapy called Zone Therapy which was later modified by another American, Eunice Ingham, who called this form of therapy Reflexology.

Reflexology does not claim to cure all disease, but many people have found that Reflexology has helped them immensely. The British Reflexology Association, for instance, has shown that people with symptoms of stress, insomnia, and irritable bowel syndrome have been benefited. Reflexology does not cause harm, and therefore, can only be beneficial.

Reflexology is often described as applying controlled and specific pressure to the feet, hands, or ears by using thumb and finger techniques.

The practitioner will initially examine the feet or hands prior to starting the treatment. Different practitioners use different methods, but generally, a treatment comprises controlled use of the thumbs and fingers. In general, all areas of both feet or hands will be massaged.

During the process, some areas will be more sensitive than others and the degree of sensitivity often indicates the degree of imbalance. The tenderness will vary from person to person, and the practitioner will know what pressure to apply. Reflexologists do not diagnose and will treat the person as a whole while assisting the body in reestablishing balance.

The Reflexology Association of America defines Reflexology as “an integrative health practice, maps a reflection of the body predominately on the feet, hands and outer ears. It uses unique manual techniques to deliver pressure to neural pathways assisting the body to function optimally. (2019)”

Acupressure is a therapeutic technique based on the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) that uses finger pressure to mobilize chi — or life force energy — at specific spots on the body called acupressure points. These acupressure points are physical locations where chi can be accessed to release blocked or congested energy centers in the body, promoting unobstructed chi flow allowing the body to heal.

Acupressure therapy stimulates and activates the body’s own healing energies to prevent and promote healing and prevent illness. Practitioners will press on specific points to promote energy flow to a part or parts of the body that are experiencing disease or discomfort, enabling them to heal more quickly.

Put simply there are two types of points used by practitioners.

• Local Points are Acupressure points that target the area of the body where the patient is experiencing pain or tension. The therapist will stimulate these to relieve the discomfort.
• Trigger Points are Acupressure points that the practitioner stimulates to relieve pain, tension, or other problems in another part of the body. These are sometimes far from the area the practitioner is touching.

Acupressure is often used as a complementary treatment along with other health care modalities and it can also be an effective adjunct to modalities such as chiropractics.  Acupressure massage therapy benefits a wide range of health conditions, including pain, headaches, sciatica, ferticility, insomnia, poor circulation, sinus problems, arthritis, shoulder and neck tension. It is also effective in preventative health care maintenance.