Q. 01−Isn’t Reflexology the same as a foot massage?
No, Reflexology is not the same as a foot massage, although massaging the feet can be incorporated as part of the treatment. Simply put, Reflexology can be seen as being similar to having an acupuncture treatment for the body that’s mainly performed on the feet (and hands), using the thumbs and fingers instead of needles.


Q. 02−Is Reflexology a cure for various diseases and ailments?
Reflexology does not claim to cure anything, instead, it ‘treats’ the various organs and systems of the body, serving as a preventative holistic health routine that allows the client to be an active participant in achieving optimum health.


Q. 03−What does that mean?
Well, since Reflexology is a holistic therapy — meaning that it sees the person as a whole being, looking at the root causes (through health, diet, lifestyle, environment, etc.,) and not just the symptoms of an ailment — treatments can be tailored to suit a client as an individual, getting them to look at and make any necessary changes in their lives. This is a much more effective and empowering method of treatment. One which helps to bring about true balance (homeostasis), as opposed to one which relies on a ‘one size fits all’ system of medicine.


Q. 04−Can a Reflexologist diagnose different ailments?
Reflexologists do not claim to ‘diagnose’ different ailments as diagnosing is for qualified medical and healthcare professionals (unless of course, the Reflexologist in question has the level of training or depth of knowledge to diagnose). However, during or after treatments or consultations, Reflexologists will advise if necessary, but generally will refer them to the appropriate medical or healthcare professional.


Q. 05−Are there any side-effects to having Reflexology?
Generally, no. Unlike many conventional medicines, Reflexology has no adverse side-effects, though some clients may experience what is referred to as a ‘healing response’ after having a Reflexology treatment. As the body starts correcting and rebalancing itself, reactions such as having a feeling of dry mouth or thirst, all over perspiration, symptoms of having a cold, body aches, improved sleep, vivid dreams, emotional outbursts, or releases, can occur. Clients have been also known to see lights or colours (especially if their eyes are closed during the treatment). However, these effects often subside within a day or two before a feeling of better health is restored.


Q. 06−If I am receiving conventional medical treatment, can I still have Reflexology?
Yes you can. Although Reflexology may be used to compliment a variety of conventional medical therapies, it is not a substitute for medical treatment. Therefore, feel free to inform your GP of your Reflexology treatments, and vice versa, especially if having medical treatment which could cause you to become contraindicated (see question 7).

In an ideal world, if a patient were to be on a course of medication that had been administered by a GP, both the GP and the Reflexologist (with the patient’s/client’s consent, of course) would be in communication, so as to monitor the effects of both medicine and Reflexology. Plus, in some cases, and depending on the medical treatment in question, by communicating their progress with each other, they could better ascertain what was working, from what was not. A similar situation would also apply if a client were seeing two therapists of different disciplines (i.e., a Reflexologist and an Aromatherapist).


Q. 07−Are there any conditions that could prevent me from having a treatment?
Yes there are. In Reflexology, there are what are referred to as ‘contraindications’ (contras). This is when conditions in the client are present which prevent her/him from being treated, due to the possibility of a treatment making the condition worse. The main types of contraindications are ‘local’ (these do not require the permission of a doctor, but they do require the judgement and common sense of the Reflexologist and possibly avoidance of the reflex or area in question, as with veruccae), ‘relative’ (seek a doctor’s permission and proceed with caution) and ‘absolute’ (do not treat). This mainly applies if the (potential) client is having medical treatment or is on prescribed medication for such conditions as cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, high blood pressure and hyperthyroidism. There are also what are referred to as ‘local’ contraindications.

It must be said at this point that between different therapists there is some debate as to what constitutes a relative and an absolute (or total) contraindication. This is partly because many of them serve as more of a guideline than a hard and fast rule, as well as the fact that different ‘schools’ are going to have different opinions.
Some common contraindications are;

Acute Undiagnosed Pain — Having an AUP (Acute Undiagnosed Pain) could be an indication of any number of conditions. Therefore, it is best to have it seen to by a trained medical professional before proceeding with any Reflexology treatment in order to ascertain its true nature. In other words, the reason for the presence of any medical problems should be known before treatment.

Alcohol/Recreational Drug Influence — This especially applies if any have been taken at least 12 hours prior to treatment. With Reflexology improving circulation, anything within the bloodstream will move through the body at a higher rate. This will have a direct effect on any drugs/alcohol that are consumed, as they will get into the blood stream a lot faster. Meaning, you are more likely to get drunk twice as fast and the after effects, such as a hangover, could potentially be twice as bad. Also, the person in such a state is likely to have senses that are dulled or distorted, making it unsafe. They could have unpredictable behaviour or become incoherent, or they could even become a danger to themselves and the therapist.

Aneurysm — For the simple risk involved in making the heart work at a more forced rate, thus putting pressure on its ability to function.

Circulatory Disorder — This can include Hypertension, Hypotension, and an Unstable Heart Condition. Treatments are avoided for similar reasons to the above, regarding having an aneurysm.

Fever — As Reflexology helps in improving circulation, one thing that treating a client would do with such a condition is cause the infection to spread, and this is the last thing that we would want.

Imminent Medical Tests — Medical tests are usually done to ascertain the causes of a serious problem that a client may have. Not knowing what the root causes are can put the client at risk, so until the test results are known, Reflexology is avoided, just as it would with any treatment.

Menstruation (first few days) — This applies mainly to women who usually have a heavy period, as after a Reflexology session, menstrual bleeding may be increased.

Phlebitis/Thrombosis/Varicose Veins — Having either of these or an embolism (which is an obstruction of the pulmonary artery or a branch of it by a free-floating blood clot or embolus) is potentially life-threatening. Since, as previously stated, Reflexology improves circulation, being treated whilst having the afore-mentioned could potentially cause the clot to become dislodged and travel through the circulatory system, where it may end up blocking smaller vessels in the brain, lungs or heart.

Pregnancy — Being treated during the first ‘trimester’ (3 months) is generally not recommended, unless the therapist has undergone special training for this. A trained Reflexologist would probably shorten as well as alter the Reflexology session by treating the uterine and ovarian reflex points more gently, or by avoiding them altogether. This is because it has been stated that stimulation of these reflex points may cause contractions.


Q. 08−Don’t Reflexologists have healing powers?
Generally, Reflexologists do not claim to have healing powers. Nor is a Reflexologist like a Force-wielder with a mild foot fetish.


Q. 09−How long are the treatments?
The initial Reflexology session can be up to an hour and a half (90 minutes) long. This is because the extra time is needed to discuss your medical history, general well-being and lifestyle, plus any current conditions that you may have. Follow-up treatments will last for a minimum of 45 minutes to an hour.


Q. 10−How many treatments should one have?
That depends on the reason for the visit. Some people like to have Reflexology as a relaxing fortnightly treatment, whereas for others, they want help with specific conditions. For instance, someone seeking relief from Gout a Reflexologist could start with a course of 8−10 treatments on a weekly basis, reviewing the effectiveness of the treatments at around week 7 or 8. If the client is responding well, a Reflexologist could consider making the visits fortnightly after the 10th treatment, but if not, then he/she would refer them to another CAMs therapist. This is simply because sometimes, different people have varying responses to different therapies, so a Reflexologist would (hopefully) not continue to take someone’s money if he/she did not think that the treatment was helping them.


Q. 11−You mentioned earlier that Reflexology is also performed on the hands. Can you expand on this?
Yes, although most people associate, as well as practice, Reflexology with the feet, some prefer to treat the hands. Some practitioners will work the left foot simultaneously with the left hand, just as you have others that will work on both feet. A major reason for performing Reflexology on the hand is when there are contraindications present on the feet (e.g., Athlete’s foot, bruising, cuts and grazes on the feet, foot surgery and veruccae).

In Korean Hand Therapy (KHT), the emphasis is placed on the hands. KHT is based on the 12 Major Meridians of the human body which have been reduced into a micro system of small and very specific points that are superimposed onto the anterior (front/palm) and posterior (back) aspects of both hands.


Q. 12−What is the Short-term, Medium and Long-Term Potential of having Reflexology?
In the short-term, Reflexology can serve as a one-off relaxing treatment to relieve stress and boost energy levels, in the mid-term, Reflexology can help manage and bring balance to various acute conditions, and in the long-term, it can help bring relief to chronic conditions, in support of other therapies and forms of medical care and/or treatment.