REFLEXOLOGY AS A PAINKILLER

As a lecturer and a pioneer in bringing reflexology into hospitals I am surprised its taken so long to recognise how effective a therapy it is. The article below mine here is from the Daily Mail, which states "Reflexology may be as effective as painkillers for conditions as backache and arthritis".

Reflexology dates back to ancient civilisations such as Egypt, India and China, but this therapy was only introduced to the West in the early 20th Century. The oldest documentation of Reflexology comes from a pictograph in the dates back to ancient civilisations such as Egypt, India and China, but  this therapy was only introduced to the West in the early 20th Century.

The oldest documentation of Reflexology comes from a pictograph in the tomb of an Egyptian Physician Ankhmahor (2500-2330 B.C.) at Saqquara near Cairo.

It shows two men working on the feet and hands of two other men. The hieroglyphics above the scene read‘ Do not let it be painful’ says one of the patients.‘ I do as you please’ the practitioner says

In China there is evidence of some form of foot and hand therapy being practiced as long ago as 4,000 B.C., and the North American Indians have practised a form of foot therapy for hundreds of years. It was not until Dr William Fitzgerald USA 1872-1942 who was an Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon. He practiced in the USA, briefly in London and Vienna for 2 years. He was the founder of “Zone Therapy”, an early form of reflexology. But it was medical journalist Dr. Edwin Bowers who suggested his method be known as 'Zone Therapy'. Through research Dr. Fitzgerald discovered that if he exerted pressure on the tips of the toes or fingers, a corresponding part of the body would be anaesthetised. From this theory he divided the body into 10 equal zones running from the top of the head to the tips of the toes. He found that by applying pressure using tight bands of elastic on the middle section of each finger, or by using small clamps that were placed on the tips, he could carry out minor surgery using this technique only. These were very controversial ideas at the time.

However it was Eunice Ingham (1889 -1974) USA “The Mother of Modern Reflexology” who finally developed it to the form we now know and recognise. She was a Physiotherapist who worked in a Doctors practice and she used Dr Fitzgerald’s Zone Therapy method. However, she felt that the therapy could be more effective on the feet than the hands. After extensive research she evolved a map of the entire body on the feet. Hence the saying ‘The feet are a mirror of the body’. Eunice Ingham travelled around America for 30 years teaching Reflexology first to Doctors and Nurses and then to non-medical practitioners. It was in 1966 Doreen Bailey who was a former student of Eunice Ingham, returned to England and became the pioneer of reflexology as we know today in the UK

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ARTICLE BELOW FROM THE DAILY MAIL

Reflexology may be as effective as painkillers for conditions such as back ache and arthritis

• People felt 40% less pain and were able to stand pain for about 45% longer when they had the treatment
• Researchers say is the first time reflexology has been scientifically tested as a treatment for acute pain

Reflexology may be as effective as painkillers for common conditions such as osteoarthritis, new research suggests. 
Those who had the treatment felt about 40 per cent less pain, and were able to stand pain for about 45 per cent longer when they used the complementary therapy as a method of pain relief.
The researchers, from the University of Portsmouth, said it was the first time this therapy had been scientifically tested as a treatment for acute pain.

Reflexology reduced pain by 40 per cent and people who had the therapy were able to stand pain for 45 per cent longer, researchers found 

Dr Carol Samuel, a trained reflexologist who carried out the experimental procedures as part of her PhD studies,  said the results suggested reflexology could be used to in conjunction with drugs to treat conditions such as osteoarthritis and back pain. 
Participants attended two sessions, in which they were asked to submerge their hand in ice water.
In one of the sessions they were given reflexology before they submerged their hand, and in the other session they believed they were receiving pain relief from a Tens machine, which was not actually switched on.
The researchers found that when the participants received reflexology prior to the session, they were able to keep their hand in the ice water for longer before they felt pain, and that they could also tolerate the pain for a longer period of time.
Dr Samuel said: 'As we predicted, reflexology decreased pain sensations.
'It is likely that reflexology works in a similar manner to acupuncture by causing the brain to release chemicals that lessen pain signals.'
Dr Ivor Ebenezer, co-author of the study, said: 'We are pleased with these results. Although this is a small study, we hope it will be the basis for future research into the use of reflexology.'

The findings suggest reflexology could help with conditions such as back ache and osteoarthritis

Reflexology involves applying pressure to any body area but is commonly used on either the feet, as it was in this study.
The researchers used a small study of 15 people to determine whether reflexology would be more effective than no pain relief at all.
Dr Ebenezer said: 'Complementary and alternative therapies come in for a lot of criticism, and many have never been properly tested scientifically.
'One of the common criticisms by the scientific community is that these therapies are often not tested under properly controlled conditions.
'When a new drug is tested, its effects are compared with a sugar pill.
'If the drug produces a similar response to the sugar pill, then it is likely that the drug's effect on the medical condition is due to a placebo effect.
'In order to avoid such criticism in this study, we compared the effects of reflexology to a sham Tens control that the participants believed produced pain relief.
'This is the equivalent of a sugar pill in drug trials.'
Dr Samuel added: 'This is an early study, and more work will need to be done to find out about the way reflexology works.
'However, it looks like it may be used to complement conventional drug therapy in the treatment of conditions that are associated with pain, such as osteoarthritis, backache and cancers.'
The study has been published in the Journal of Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.

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