09 September 2008

What Is Reflexology?

Reflexology is a treatment where the therapist works primarily on your feet. The theory behind reflexology is that there are "reflex points" in the feet, hands and ears that relate to specific organs and glands in the body. Practitioners believe that stimulating those reflex points promotes health in that organ via the body's energetic pathways.

When done by a skilled practitioner, reflexology is deeply relaxing treatment with benefits that can be felt throughout the body. (If they're less skilled, you'll just feel like you've had a very long foot massage.) Reflexology can be a good treatment choice for people who want to keep their clothes on during a massage. It is also a good choice if you are pressed for time and don't want to get oil on your body or in your hair.

Reflexology was first developed in the United States in the early 20th century, and was called "zonal therapy"in its earliest incarnations. It is based on the theory that the body is divided into ten zones running longitudinally from head to toe -- five on each side of the body. Practitioners believe that pressure on reflex points on the foot or hand will affect body organs in the same zone.

In recent years, reflexologists have begun to incorporate the acupressure techniques of Traditional Chinese Medicine (T.C.M.) into their work. Although reflexology is based on the theory of "zones" instead of T.C.M.'s theory of "meridians" or energy pathways, both treatments are based on the principle that working on specific points can bring about a therapeutic effect in other parts of the body.