FAQ’s
Q – Does Reflexology work?
A – Here are some of the statistics taken from
a recent pilot study in Northern Ireland 2008 the
results speak for themselves:-
- 81% of patients reported an improvement in their
physical health, with 79% reporting an improvement
in their mental health (source, patient survey)
- 81% of patients said that their general health
had improved, with a similarly high proportion of
patients (82%) reporting to be less worried about
their symptoms following treatment (source, MYMOP)
- 62% of patients were suffering less pain, with
60% having more control over pain (source, patient
survey)
There was a 14 percentage point reduction in the proportion
of patients using medication between the pre and post-treatment
stages (i.e. down from 75% to 61%) (source, project
monitoring data)
- 84% of patients directly linked the CAM treatments
to an improvement in their overall wellbeing (source,
patient survey)
Q – is reflexology ticklish?
A – No, the pressure used is firm but pleasant
& the movements are firm & decisive. Even
ticklish people have been surprised that it has not
tickled. However, if you really are worried about
this, we can focus the treatment on the hands which
is just as beneficial.
Q - Does reflexology hurt?
A-Not on the whole - there can be some discomfort
when reflex points are being massaged which relate
to areas of the body where there is an imbalance.
However, the discomfort should be minimal & temporary
& you should feedback to your therapist who will
adjust the pressure accordingly.
Q – I have athletes foot – can I
still come for reflexology?
A – no, as it's infectious, I won’t
be able to offer you a treatment until it has cleared
up. Tea tree oil has been shown to be very beneficial
as it has antiseptic qualities. But ultimately you
should see a chiropodist for advice on how to treat
your athletes foot & once it has cleared up, we
can start the reflexology.
Q – I have a verruca – can I still
come for reflexology?
A – yes, we can cover the verruca with a plaster
to avoid cross infection & I will work that reflex
point on the hand instead.
Q – how will I feel after reflexology?
A – everyone is unique and so everyone reacts
differently to treatments: some people feel tired,
others feel energised; a lot of people feel very thirsty
immediately after & we always recommend that you
drink a lot of water after a treatment. you may notice
that you need to evacuate your bowels or urinate more
frequently after a treatment; some people have claimed
to feel more in control and better able to cope. There
could be a temporary worsening of your presenting
condition, or other symptoms might appear. This is
known as a healing crisis reaction and is perfectly
natural: it is your body’s way of telling you
the self-healing process has begun. Any side-effects
should be short lived, but it is important that you
let me know about them at the next session as this
is all part of your healing process so that I can
further adapt the treatment plan if necessary.
Q – how many treatments will I need?
A – everyone is different and the number of
treatments depends on a whole host of factors: the
condition that you would like help with, your age
and general state of health. An initial course of
6 treatments should be enough for any condition. At
the end of each session, I will be reassessing your
individual needs and letting you know how it is progressing.
Q – Are there any circumstances in which
reflexology would not be advisable?
A - Reflexology is a very safe form of treatment but
it may not be suitable for some people suffering with
deep vein thrombosis, phlebitis or conditions associated
with excessive blood clotting.
The first three months of pregnancy is a time for
caution, particularly if the expectant mother has
a history of unstable pregnancies, since reflexology
promotes hormone function. Later in pregnancy reflexology
can be extremely beneficial. |
