Charmaine Power doesn’t take as many drugs since she started going for regular reflexology treatments. The La Plata, Md., resident has had restless leg syndrome and kidney, colon and thyroid trouble.
After doing reflexology, her doctors have taken her off three prescription medications, she says. She still takes thyroid medication.
“The doctors are absolutely utterly amazed,” Ms. Power says. “In some people certain things work, so don’t knock it until you try it.”
Reflexology is an ancient pressure-point technique used to help the body heal itself. The treatment is practiced by many alternative medicine doctors.
“Overall, I feel much better after a visit,” Ms. Power says. “It’s great you can do something like that and not have to take a drug for it.”
Right now, the Chicago-based American Medical Association does not have policy specific to reflexology, says Dr. Ronald M. Davis, AMA president-elect.
The AMA supports evidence-based, scientifically proven medicine, and well-designed, stringently controlled research should be done to evaluate alternative therapies, Dr. Davis says. Given the growing public interest in alternative therapies, accurate, balanced education and communication about alternative therapies are vital for both patients and physicians, he says.
Patients should talk to their doctor about the potential harm that might result from choosing alternative therapies, Dr. Davis says.
The first documented case of reflexology was in Egypt in 2330 B.C., says Catherine Vestraci, a reflexologist at Southern Maryland Alternative Healing in Lusby, Md. She is a nationally certified reflexologist through the American Reflexology Certification Board in Gulfport, Fla. Ms. Power has been Ms. Vestraci’s client for five years.
“Nothing lasts through all the cultures of the world for that long unless it works,” Ms. Vestraci says.
Usually the feet, and sometimes the hands and ears, are worked during a reflexology session, she says. She works acupressure points with thumb-walking and finger-walking techniques.
“It’s not like a foot rub, which would be a massage,” Ms. Vestraci says. “The strokes that I use are deep and focused and specific.”
There are more than 7,200 nerve endings on each foot, she says, making each foot a microcosm of that side of the body. Applying acupressure breaks up congestion, increases circulation and helps to facilitate the body’s ability to heal itself, she says.
Congestion is the term used by reflexologists to describe when a noted abnormality occurs in the body. It can be determined by feeling crystal-like pebbles on the bottom of the foot, skin changes in the foot and structural abnormalities or tenderness in the foot.
“It is amazingly relaxing and de-stressing,” Ms. Vestraci says about reflexology. “People find that they are recharged with energy.”
Reflexology is famous for being colon cleansing, she says. It also especially helps women in the last trimester of their pregnancies who are having problems with sleeplessness and constipation.
Bree Whitlock, 26, of Mechanicsville, Md., used reflexology while she was pregnant. After starting her second trimester, she became convinced of the benefits it provided.
During her last trimester, she went for one session a week. Because Mrs. Whitlock had gained 30 pounds over the course of her pregnancy, people thought she would be miserable. Even though she has delivered the baby, she is planning to continue the treatments for relaxation.
“Reflexology gave me more energy,” Mrs. Whitlock says. “I just felt good in the last trimester.”
One session usually lasts between 45 minutes and one hour, says Mayuri Sobti, a reflexologist and naturopathic doctor at Tulsi Holistic Living in Northwest. She is a nationally certified reflexologist through the American Reflexology Certification Board. She charges $80 for a one-hour visit.
Reflexology works on the underlying causes of health imbalances, rather than symptoms, she says. It is based on the theory of energy zones in the body. The feet are divided into four lateral zones and five vertical zones. The toes relate to the head, the ball of the foot corresponds with the chest, and the arch of the foot to the abdomen. The heel relates to the pelvic and hip area.
If a zone in the foot is stimulated, it should have positive health effects on the organs, glands, circulatory system and nervous system that lie within that zone, she says.
The primary benefit of reflexology is that it promotes circulation to every cell in the body. Another benefit is relieving stress, she says.
“When you improve circulation, you bring in more oxygen and nutrients and you remove waste from that part of the body,” Ms. Sobti says. “When we improve circulation, you allow the organ to heal itself.”
Whatever a person’s condition, reflexology is a safe, noninvasive treatment, says Chari Moye, founder and director of the Baltimore School of Reflexology. She is a nationally certified reflexologist through the American Reflexology Certification Board.
Everybody has some health problems, she says. No matter what the issue, reflexology can bring some relief. Of all her clients, Mrs. Moye is most pleased at the positive results with her son, who is now 23. When he was 14, he had a macular hole in his retina. Within four to six months of receiving reflexology treatments, his sight improved from 20/200 to 20/40. She also used reflexology to help her husband recover from shock after a car accident.
“A lot of times, people fall asleep by the second foot,” Mrs. Moye says. “I think that’s a good thing. I feel so lucky to do this. You get to make people feel good.”
After undergoing a few sessions, people can try to work on their own feet at home, she says.
“You can always press harder than someone else,” Mrs. Moye says. “From a teaching perspective, if you did it professionally or not, it would be a good thing to know to help your family and friends. It’s a fabulous tool to have.”
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