Top 7 Reflexology Benefits
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1. Relieves Anxiety
Anxiety and stress go hand-in-hand, and reflexology can help. In 2002, a trial was conducted where 67 menopausal (ages 45 to 60) women were randomly given 9 sessions of either reflexology or nonspecific foot massage (the control group).
Evaluating its effectiveness in treating anxiety based on the Women’s Health Questionnaire (WHQ), researchers discovered that while reflexology was not shown to be more effective than non-specific foot massage in the treatment of psychological symptoms occurring during the menopause, it nonetheless led to a 50% decrease in anxiety, which surpassed the control group two-fold. (4)
2. Helps Headache Pain
Already effective at alleviating stress and anxiety, researchers in Denmark in the 1990s took a look into how reflexology could help headache and migraine patients.
One of the landmark studies, published in a 1999 edition of Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, took 220 patients and had 78 reflexologists treat them for six months.
After just three months, 81% of the patients claimed that their treatments either considerably helped or completely healed their headache problems, and 19% who previously took drugs to manage their condition were able to stop their medication altogether. (5)
3. Helps Fight Type 2 Diabetes
Not proven to affect blood glucose levels just yet, there are several ongoing clinical trials testing whether or not reflexology helps with nerve and pain-related conditions that type 2 diabetics commonly battle.
Just this past year, the journal Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine showed that reflexology not only helped to reduce pain, improve nerve conductivity, and correct thermal and vibration sensitivity concerns, it improved glycemic control — this suggests that someday, perhaps soon, we may learn that this ancient healing art can help prevent or treat type 2 diabetes. (6)
4. Reduces PMS Symptoms
Premenstrual syndrome takes many forms and literally affects each women differently, though 50% of women experience dysmenorrhea (menstrual pain).
Comparing how ibuprofen versus reflexology could potentially help women suffering from this all-too-often debilitating condition, 68 students with primary dysmenorrhea from the Iranian Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were treated with either a 400 mg of ibuprofen once every eight hours for three days during three consecutive monthly cycles or 10 reflexology sessions at 40 minutes for two consecutive monthly cycles. (7)
It is important to note that the reflexology group only received two months of treatment, whereas the ibuprofen group had two months. In addition to being “associated with more reduction of intensity and duration of menstrual pain in comparison with ibuprofen therapy,” it appeared that reflexology actually promotes healing and not just pain management.
It was discovered that, during the third month when only ibuprofen was given (and no reflexology), the long-term healing effects of reflexology continued on and still surpassed the pain management quality of ibuprofen even though zero treatments were performed!
5. Helps Heal Sinusitis
Taking 150 adults with chronic sinus infection symptoms, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine researchers tested how they fared with nasal irrigation compared to reflexology for two weeks.
According to the study, “There was a significant and equivalent improvement in Rhinosinusitis Outcomes Measure 31 score after 2 weeks of intervention in each treatment group.” All in all, 70% of the volunteers benefited from the treatment, and 35% reported to decreasing their sinus medication because of the treatments. (8)
6. Fights Cancer
Although not proven to affect cancer cells directly, the British journal Nursing Standard published a controlled study where 100% of patients claimed that they enjoyed significant improvement in their quality of life after just three treatments.
Some of the categories that they said were enhanced included: appearance, appetite, breathing, communication, constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, fear of future, isolation, mobility, mood, nausea, pain, sleep and urination. (9)
7. Promotes Heart Health
Ever since a 1997 article published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine, it has been well-established that reflexology can significantly reduce baroreceptor reflex sensitivity (a risk measure for heart disease). (10)
Fascinatingly, the results uncovered that there are certain pressure points on the feet that correspond to the same part of the brain as the baroreceptor reflex. (11) We’re still uncertain how reflexology can help with heart health, but coupled with the benefits for relieving stress, anxiety and pain relieving qualities, it seems more than likely.