TN License#124

What is Reflexology?

Reflexology has gone by many definitions over the years but the one that best summariizes what Reflexology is:
      Reflexology is the study, art, and science of applying touch techniques to the Feet, Hands, and outer Ears where theory suggests there is a pressure map resembling a shape of the Human Body. By applying nurturing touch in specific ways, a wide range of health benefits have been reported.  - Bill Flocco

I have only heard of people working on your feet – what makes the hands, ears, and feet so different?

While Reflexology is generally associated with the feet, there are maps of the body on the hands and ears as well.  It has been seen that each of the hands, feet, and ears have more success on certain areas of the body.  As an example the neck and shoulder reflex as well as the lower back reflex seem to be most effective when done on the ears.  However when you do all three, the hands, feet and ears the benefit seems to greatest.  In our sessions, unless specifically requested, the Reflexologist will work on the hands feet, and the ears.


Since Reflexology helps reduce stress - what is involved with stress reduction?

Stress and its effects on the human body is also undergoing research.  But one way that stress effects the body is by cutting off the blood supply to your cells.  In the human body there are capillaries (small blood vessels) that are no more than three cells away from any other cell.  In other words, a cell would only have to get nutrients and get rid of waste through the lymph for the distance of three cells until it reaches a capillary.  Once in the capillary it moves through the circulation system to either bring nutrition or get rid of waste.  These capillaries are very small – about the size of a human hair or smaller.  When your body becomes stressed, it tenses up the muscles and essentially cuts off the blood flow to the capillaries.  Once the blood flow is cut off, nutrients and waste cannot get to the cells.  Over time it can result in death of the cell.  Reflexology by relaxing the body allows these capillaries to again get blood flow.  When this happens there may be a build up of waste that has been waiting to get out of the area around the cell.  These toxins are released back into the blood stream and into the body to be eliminated.  Sometimes this can result in achyness, nausea, increased bodily excretions.  Due to this fact it is not recommended that clients have more than two hours of reflexology per week.  The other thing that helps prevent any of these situations is to make sure that you stay hydrated both before and after the session as the water helps flush out and dilute the toxins

There are many alternative health options - what makes reflexology different?

While there are many alternative heath options available - Reflexology is a non-invasive modality that requires only the removal of ones shoes and socks as well as any jewlery on the ears.  Reflexology is centered around relaxation.  Other alternative health options over various relaxation or targeted sessions.  We believe that the best treatment of in all situations is a combination of traditional medicine supplimented with alternative health options. 

What are some of the results that have been seen?

As a Reflexologist, we have worked on people from all ages and with a multitude of different ailments.  While everyone's results are different, we have worked on people with Cancer, Fibromyalgia, digestive tract diseases, coronary desease, back pain, neck pain, general stress, and many others.  Alternative health options like reflexology give people another option to better their overall health and maintain quality of life.