Reflexology is a technique that applies gentle pressure to your feet or hands. It aims to bring about a state of relaxation and help the body's own healing process.

Cancer care reflexology

A study has found that reflexology helped ease some side effects from chemotherapy and hormonal therapy treatments in women being treated for metastatic breast cancer.

These studies showed reduction of pain, nausea, diarrhea or constipation, and improved quality of life with reflexology.

In a controlled study with 87 patients, Hodgson (2000) found 100% improvement in the reflexology group in quality-of-life categories of appearance, appetite, breathing, communication (with doctors, family, nurses), concentration, constipation/diarrhea, fear of future, isolation, mobility, mood, nausea, pain, sleep/tiredness.

Spinal Reflexology

This powerful form of reflexology is based on stimulating the spinal reflexes on the feet. The performance of spinal reflexology is to stimulate each individual vertebra and identify the nerve roots that are out of balance.

We all have 31 pairs of spinal nerves that emerge from our spine and travel to every part of our bodies, they all carry motor, sensory, and autonomic signals between the spinal cord and the body

This specialised and powerful form of Spinal reflexology can be effective in reducing the severity of chronic back pain, it is able to reduce pain from moderate to mild. This technique should only be performed by practitioners qualified in spinal reflexology.

Rheumatoid arthritis reflexology

A wide range of studies concludes that hand and foot reflexology applied to rheumatoid arthritis patients is effective in reducing their pain, improving their QOL and their total health status, and these positive impacts are not affected by patient's age and duration of illness.

Reflexology can be an effective option for sufferers of the condition, but it is even better in combination with other treatments such as aromatherapy.

Using aromatherapy combined with reflexology gives the best overall results. The essential oils used in aromatherapy have an anti-inflammatory affect which would be beneficial to a sufferer of the condition. Use of essential oils during a treatment would also help create a relaxing environment that would put the patient in a calm state of mind and reduce blood pressure and their heart rate.

Fertility and pregnancy reflexology

Used in conjunction with nutrition and lifestyle changes, reflexology can be very effective in clearing toxins from the body, balancing hormones and reducing stress in preparation for conception.

One in six couples will experience fertility issues. further one in six will experience secondary infertility, where they have had at least one baby already but can’t get pregnant again.

The cause of infertility can be polycystic ovaries, endometriosis, underactive thyroid, failure to ovulate or often just unexplained she says.

Science supports the efficacy of reflexology for fertility - it has been investigated in an approved medical trial in the UK. The two-year clinical trial resulted in 13 women falling pregnant after having reflexology in a trial group of 26 (all with a range of fertility problems). That was 50% of the group and some got pregnant very quickly and felt it was because they felt more positive, and that the reflexology treatment helped their body prepare for conception. One example had been trying for four years and was pregnant within four months. The other bonus is that, unlike drugs, it does not increase multiple pregnancies.

Fertility reflexology is a very relaxing natural treatment which uses the non-invasive techniques of reflexology to help balance and prepare your body holistically for pregnancy.  When the body is balanced, the natural flow for fertility processes may begin.  On a physical level reflexology can help many medical conditions which can affect fertility, including PMS, PCOS, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, low sperm count etc.  It can also be excellent at reducing levels of stress and anxiety. Psychologically, reflexology can also help address the complex mental and emotional factors which may be affecting your fertility. 

Mental health and reflexology

A number of studies revealed that foot reflexology could reduce pain and psychological distress like depression and anxiety. Reflexology relieves symptoms of depression as it stimulates particular pressure points. Working certain pressure points   puts your autonomic nervous system into “rest” mode, reducing some of the symptoms of anxiety, such as a quickened heart rate or breathing. This can provide an overall sense of calm. It is especially beneficial when used alongside other natural remedies such as eating a healthier diet, cutting back on alcohol and caffeine consumption and getting better sleep.