Foot Reflexology
Foot Reflexology is an old, safe, and wonderful healing method that can easily be performed. This article contains general guidelines and information on specific types of reflexologies. If you find the information overwhelming – JUST RUB YOUR FEET! Follow your instincts and you will experience great results without worrying about the details.
Here are a few safety precautions regarding Foot Reflexology:
Ten to fifteen minutes is enough per session, and it is best not to exceed 30 minutes per session.
It is good to rub areas that are tender or painful, but do not spend more than one or two minutes rubbing any “one” area of the foot or hand. It may take weeks or even years for the area to become less sensitive. Be patient.
Foot reflexology can be done once a day, or twice a day when you have time. Do not exceed four reflexology sessions in a day.
Reflexology tools should always be blunt. Do not use sharp objects on the hands or feet.
Foot reflexology is a very effective and safe method of healing. It is easy to do and requires no formal training. There are also professionals who offer this service in most cities. You can also use a reflexology machine which can be purchased from Amazon. They vary in price, and it may be wise to invest in a better model if you choose to use this method. You can also roll a tennis ball under the feet while sitting which is an easy and inexpensive way to implement foot reflexology into your program.
BENEFITS OF FOOT REFLEXOLOGY
Emergencies. Zone therapy can be used for emergencies. You can read about this in detail on Dr. Lawrence Wilson’s website. It may even save a life if used during a heart attack, a stroke, shock, or a hemorrhage.
Chronic Health Issues: Foot reflexology is excellent for chronic health conditions including constipation, pain, and subluxation of joints, to serious conditions.
Acute Health Condition: Foot reflexology can help with infections, accidents and injuries, toothaches, and much more.
Toxin Removal: It can assist in removing toxins and infections from the body. It may help open channels of energy that can permanently improve one’s health and promote mental and spiritual development.
Connect with your children: This is a very loving and caring way to connect with your children while helping them with issues such as stomach aches, headaches, insomnia, sore throats, colds, infections, asthma attacks, bruises, and other various aches and pains. Foot reflexology can also assist in a child’s mental development. It is great for teens as it is a great stress-reliever.
Great for seniors: The same benefits apply. Simply use less pressure and practice shorter sessions for those 65 and older.
HOW TO GET STARTED
It is helpful to have a map of the feet and the hands. Two decent maps of the feet can be found in PDF format by clicking on these Foot Charts. Foot Chart 1 and Foot Chart 2 in a different format. Others are available via the internet or in some health food stores.
GENERAL PROCEDURAL SUGGESTIONS FOR ALL FOOT REFLEXOLOGY
Be sure you are comfortable. Preferably lie down or sit comfortably in a chair.
Relax the entire body. Take several deep breaths and release all tension and stress.
Drink some water if you are thirsty and eat if you are hungry. Drinking a small glass of water before each session even will often help the session to be more successful.
If someone else is giving you a session, let them know if they are rubbing too hard, or not hard enough. Be sure to tell the person who is treating you if you believe an area needs more attention. Let them know exactly where to rub and how to rub the area. This is very important in some cases.
Learn about some odd places to rub such as the sides and tops of the toes. The crevices between the toes and other unusual spots will often be very sensitive.
Sessions should usually be no longer than 10 to 20 minutes per foot or hand. At times, a longer session is helpful, while at times, a shorter session is adequate. Practice will help you determine this.
You may soak the feet in warm water before starting a session. This is relaxing but it is not necessary.
You may use a little almond oil or other oil when doing a reflexology session. It can make your hand slide along the foot or hand a little easier, but this is also optional.
Reflexology tools. These are usually rubber or wooden rollers, balls that one rolls under the feet, or others. These can be very helpful if used correctly.
TYPES OF REFLEXOLOGY TREATMENTS
Here are three different ways to do reflexology on yourself or on another person:
A general or relaxation session. This is used to help relax and tone the body. It can also be used if one is in pain or has other symptoms and you do not know the cause. It is also excellent for a generalized infection such as a cold or flu, and for many other acute or chronic symptoms. In a general reflexology session, do not focus on any specific area of the foot or hand. Simply rub both feet or both hands firmly, moving along the entire hand or foot. If a spot appears tense, or is tender and painful, spend a little more time working on that area. Often the tension or pain will diminish after a minute or two. However, you should continue to complete the entire treatment of both feet and/or both hands. A general session usually lasts between 10 and 20 minutes per foot or hand.
HOW TO PERFORM A GENERAL REFLEXOLOGY SESSION
The order of treatment is not critical, but you may want to begin with the left foot or the left hand first. After finishing the left foot or hand, move to the right one.
Start at the top of each foot or back of the hand, rubbing from the ankle or wrist toward the toes or fingers. Next rub the bottom of the foot or palm of the hand moving from the tips of the toes or fingers toward the heel of the foot or wrist.
Although it is not critical to the process, it helps to always move in a straight line.
Rub firmly, enough to cause minor discomfort. If the treatment becomes too tense or painful, back off until you or the person you are treating relaxes and is comfortable continuing. It may take a few sessions to get used to reflexology.
Spot therapy. This approach focuses on a particular organ, gland, or area of the body that needs attention. For example, relieving a headache by rubbing the reflex areas on the foot related to the head and neck. You will need the reflexology maps previously referred to in this article to do spot therapy.
Rub the areas that you feel need attention. This method usually works quickly on many acute symptoms, but chronic conditions will usually require multiple sessions and the addition of general sessions for the best results.
Spot therapy is excellent as a remedy for headaches, back aches, poisonings of some kinds, infections, and other symptoms such as an upset stomach, or even an emotional issue.
HOW TO PERFORM A SPOT THERAPY SESSION
In most cases, rub the reflex area you are interested in on both feet, even if the chart shows the problem area to be related to just one hand or one foot. This may enhance your results.
If possible, always follow your spot treatment with a quick general foot or hand rub. This will help balance the entire body, relieving symptoms and toning the body.
Do not overdo a spot treatment. Ten to twenty minutes is sufficient.
Be careful not to rub too hard. It should be slightly uncomfortable, but not unbearable. Rubbing too hard can tear blood vessels, especially in older people and babies. Short movements are sometimes better than longer and deeper strokes. Rubbing too hard may cause pain, and even black and blue marks. If this happens, allow the area to heal for a few days, and then use less pressure on this area in future session.
COMMON ERRORS WHEN DOING REFLEXOLOGY
Healing reactions. This may occur when a treatment brings up an old symptom or condition that needs to be healed, or as the treatment quickly removes a symptom. With chronic conditions flare-ups or healing reactions are not common.
Overdoing a treatment. Reflexology is very powerful. Do not treat yourself or another person for more than 20 to 30 minutes. Only trained people may be able to do longer treatments.
Reflexology can remove some toxic substances from the body very quickly. If these are not released fast enough, or if you do a session for too long, you can experience some mild toxic effects that usually disappear quickly. These typically include some nausea, light-headedness, and dizziness. These are not usually worrisome, but they can be uncomfortable and can be avoided by performing reflexology for shorter periods.
Always have just one person rub your hands or feet at a time. More than one person working on the same foot or hand is too much. It may be okay to have one person work on one foot while another works on the other. However, even in this scenario, be careful, as too much treatment is not helpful and can cause inflammation.
Rubbing too hard. Too much pressure may cause issues as previously stated.
Rubbing the top of a foot or hand too hard. The blood vessels in this area are far more delicate and therefore gentle and less pressure should be applied when working on the tops of the feet or hands. If needed, use some oil to make rubbing smoother and comfortable.
Rubbing too lightly. You should find some painful and tender areas. You may be rubbing too gently if you feel none of these sensations and more pressure may be needed.
If you do not have enough strength in your fingers to adequately perform reflexology, use a foot roller, hand roller, or perhaps sit on a recliner and place your feet on the edge of the footrest to be able to apply enough force or pressure on the foot. A tennis ball under the foot works well too. You can control the pressure on the foot and roll the ball around, spending a little more time on areas that are tender.
SOLID ORGANS, HOLLOW ORGANS, AND REFLEXOLOGY
The solid organs of the body include the liver, kidneys, brain, spleen, pancreas, and all glands such as the thyroid, adrenals, ovaries, testis, pituitary, and pineal glands. These organs can handle a little more pressure.
The hollow organs are the lungs, stomach, large and small intestines, heart, urinary bladder, and gall bladder. Less pressure is needed for hollow organs so proceed with gentle pressure.
Resources for this article are provided by Dr. Lawrence Wilson