Reflexology
Reflexology is a technique that applies gentle pressure to your feet, hands or ears. At A Strength In You, we perform a treatment on your feet, to bring about a state of relaxation and to help your body's own healing process.
What is Reflexology?
Reflexology works in a similar way to acupressure and acupuncture. There are certain points on the feet that correspond to the organs and glands in the body. By pressing, holding and massaging these points it can stimulate energy pathways within your body.
When energy pathways are blocked, reflexology aims to unblock them, allowing the energy to flow freely again, aiming to restore balance to the body. It can stimulate energy, blood, nutrition, or nerves, resulting in therapeutic effects, including relieving mental stress, detoxifying the body, promoting blood circulation, and improving internal health.
Where did the practice originate?
Reflexology is an ancient practice originating from China, Egypt and North American indigenous tribes, used for healing. It was made accessible to the Western world by Dr. William Fitzgerald and his pioneering work in the early 1900s. He introduced “zone therapy” which emphasized the connection between reflex areas on the hands and feet and various organs and areas of the body within the same zone.
Eunice Ingham played a pivotal role in refining and popularising reflexology during the 1930’s, by building on both the work and studies of Dr Fitzgerald. Ingham believed that congestion, or tension, in specific areas of the foot reflected similar conditions in corresponding parts of the body. Her work has significantly influenced the modern practice and understanding of reflexology as we know it today. During the 19th century the medical community and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) practitioners began to explore it scientifically.
Why should you choose Reflexology treatment?
On the physical, emotional, and spiritual levels, reflexology often improves an individuals physical health and well-being. Concisely, people choose reflexology because:
- It does not use any drugs or chemicals and is a helpful choice for many health problems.
- Research suggests it can reduce pain and stimulate the body to release endorphins.
- It can help maintain physical flexibility.
- It relaxes the limbs, especially the feet, and the rest of the body.
- It is documented to boost the immune system.
- It can promote recovery from physical injury, especially for the hands and feet.
- It triggers the release of mood boosting enzymes and hormones, which help improve mental energy and well-being.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated in 1990 that the “combination of traditional drug-free podiatric medicine can improve individuals’ understanding of their health”.
It is becoming more common to note that foot reflexology is gradually being used as a non-invasive complementary and alternative therapy to promote health restoration and the revitalization of various body parts at all ages, as it has been proposed to enhance blood flow, relax the body, and improve injury healing.
In addition, foot reflexology is also an effective treatment for strokes, insomnia, asthma, diabetes, premenstrual syndrome, dementia, cancers, multiple sclerosis, and idiopathic detrusor overactivity. It has also been studied for use in hospice units to alleviate discomfort and pain in patients at the end of life.
Reflexology
Book Your Appointment Now
Book a Reflexology appointment in Darlington, North Yorkshire, Teesside and County Durham