Reflexology has been in use for hundreds of years. Reflexology is also known as zone treatment. It is an elective medical treatment in which the pressure is applied to specific reflex points present on the hands and feet. Reflexology treatment is carried out with the help of finger, thumb, and hand massage techniques.
One of the significant advantages of Reflexology is its capacity to cause profound relaxation. It is similar to the condition when somebody meditates. Studies have shown that Reflexology helps in maintaining the pulse rate, lowering the blood pressure, and helps the brain waves get into a more relaxed state, causing an increase in the blood flow towards organs.
A reflexologist uses his fingers and thumbs for applying pressure to the different reflex points on the feet and hands. Thus, enabling the body to heal itself from different kinds of health problems. When our body is more relaxed and in stress-Free State, our bodies work, function, and heal themselves in a much better and effective way.
1. Reflexology for back pain:
Many people do not understand the significance of the spine in the health of their whole body only until something starts hurting. However, back torment is something much more than just a physical issue. It is likewise a condition of pressure, stress, and anxiety. Sometimes our emotional distress surfaces in our body in the form of severe back pain.
Fortunately, Reflexology can give help from intense and unending back torment. Utilizing Reflexology to reduce your spinal pain will help significantly in improving blood flow and circulation towards the sensitive back nerves. While going through the reflexology session, pay special attention to your lower back. That is the area where most of the people hold most of their tension.
Where to press?
The reflex zone to the spine is present in both feet, along the whole inside edge, from the base of the toenails to the bottom of the heel. This reflex zone corresponds directly to the spine’s vertebrae.
1. Using the Foot Reflex Points:
- Treat the correct zone:
You can treat your lower back torment by applying pressure to the reflex points present on the base of your feet. The reflex points for your back are present within the edges of your feet. Along the whole bottom of your feet, around your ankle and your heel, as well as the inner corner of booth feet. You can treat your upper back torment by applying pressure to the reflex points for your upper back and shoulders, which are present on the top and sole of your feet just underneath the base of your toes.
- Lower legs massage:
A simple ankle rotation and massage can help set up your legs for reflexology treatment. Massage your ankles, toes, calves, and soles of your feet using firm and gentle pressure. Flex your foot forward and in reverse, and afterward turn your foot to relax up your lower leg.
Massage your feet lower curve edge for at least 5 to 10 minutes. This area corresponds directly to your lumbar zone and will help in providing relief from general back torment.
- Draw more attention to your cervical spine:
The reflex points of the spine follow the line present within the edge of your foot. These reflex points are not on the underside of your foot. Use your left hand to support your right foot. You can use your right thumb for working on your spine reflexes that present along the inside edge of your foot, from your bog toe tip right to your ankle.
Starting with your toe, firmly press your thumb into the skin, and gradually move along your toe’s length. Make sure to press all of the reflex spots.
- Work on your sciatic nerve:
The reflexes for the sciatic nerve are present behind the ankle bone and proceed up in a straight line for around 4 to 10 centimeters. Sciatica causes extreme pain down the leg because of compressed nerves. Several factors can trigger this compression of nerves. Stimulation of sciatic nerve reflex points will improve the supply of blood to this specific area. You can prevent many painful causes of sciatica by working on these sciatica nerve reflex points for some time every day.
Gently put pressure on this area using your thumb and index finger. Move your thumb and finger in a back and forth movements like sliding them apart and then bringing them back together.
- Reflex points that correspond:
You can deal with your upper back pain by applying Reflexology directly to the pressure points that correspond to your shoulders and upper back. These reflex points are present on the base of your toes at the bottom and top of both feet.
Apply pressure using your thumb to the zone just underneath the base of your toes. Do this first on your foot sole and then on the top of your foot. When you are working on your foot sole, you can also press your knuckles profoundly into these reflex points. Apply pressure on the top of your feet gently as this is the bony and the most sensitive part.
Using the hand reflex points:
2. Hand reflexology for convenience:
- Hand reflexology for convenience:
Not every time you are in a situation of taking off your shoes and doing a whole foot reflexology treatment. In this situation, you can use your hands for reflexology treatment. You can also consider hand reflexology if you have a foot injury or suffering from some infection.
- Spine reflex points:
Use your thumbs for applying pressure on the reflex points for your spine. Do it with your palms outside edge. Start by doing it on your right hand and afterward move forward to your left hand.
- Reflex points that correspond with your shoulders and upper back:
Work on the reflex points that directly correspond with your upper back and shoulders. Do this by directly applying pressure below your ring and little finger on the top of your hand.
The reflex points for your upper back and shoulders are just below your middle finger pointer on the palm of your hand. There is additionally another reflex point for your upper back. It is present on the outside of your hand underneath your base thumb.
2. Reflexology for sciatica:
Sciatica can be an excruciating and a crippling condition. However, fortunately, there can be an appropriate method to conquer it. The sciatic nerve is known to be the longest nerve in our body. It runs from the lower back through the hip and along with our leg to our heel. The compression of these nerves causes severe pain. It can happen because of a slipped or herniated disc that rubs against the nerve. Yet, most of the time, it is due to a tight piriformis muscle present in our hip area.
It can feel like a leg cramp or can be agonizing, starting from the back of the leg. The agony can come on out of nowhere or steadily deteriorate. The majority of people do not even realize that they have sciatica.
What causes a problem in the sciatic nerve?
There are two primary reasons why your sciatic nerve begins to give you issues. First is the misalignment or herniation of the vertebrae in the lumbar spine. Second is the most common cause. In this condition, the muscles that encompass the sciatic nerve are not in an appropriate balance with the perfect measure of tension.
Some health field specialists state that sciatica is the reason for excessive muscle tension. However, in some cases, there can be the opposite of this. Misalignment of muscles and bones can also occur because of a lack of muscle tension for compensating with the muscles that are not working appropriately. Everything returns to finding a sound balance of legitimate muscle tension.
There is a band of sciatic nerves that runs straight across the center of the feet. It additionally happens to be the place where the sciatic nerves associate and get data from about 75,000 free nerve endings present in our feet.
To bring sciatica in balance, working on the full heel surface and the encompassing zones are extremely important. However, it can be hard for some people to work on the reflex points for the lower body and sciatic nerve, all by themselves. So, it is better to consult a specialist who will use his gently massaging technique with an appropriate amount of pressure.
Ankles are the other key zones to work for getting relief for the pain. Whenever a problem occurs with the sciatic nerve, the ankles lose their mobility and tend to develop an excess amount of fluid. Rotate your ankle in both directions gently. It will help in getting rid of excessive fluid built-up and provide relief from the pain.
The most significant benefit of the Reflexology is that it can treat the sciatic torment successfully and can redress the pressure or aggravation on the sciatic nerve.
- Reflexology Point for the Sciatic Nerve:
There is a line present inside the lower leg and one present on the outside of the leg. Within the leg, the line starts from the back of the ankle and follows underneath the big bone within your calf, also known as tibia bone, until below the knee. While on the outside of the leg, the line begins from underneath the knee and follows the smaller leg bone present on the outside of the calf (fibula bone) till the back of your ankle.
For massaging these lines, you have to stand with one of your feet on a stool or chair as if you are taking a step. After that, reach down on either side of your calf with the help of your hands. On the inside of your leg, place the index finger knuckle behind your ankle and follow up your leg, following under the shin bone crest until you reach your knee.
On the outside of your leg, place your forefinger knuckle of the other hand beneath the knee and feel for the underside of your fibula bone crest. Follow down your leg, following the bone, until you come to the rear of the lower leg. Always go down on the outside and up on the inside. Massage both of your legs using this technique for at least 15 to 20 times a day. Make sure to stroke every part in the proper direction.
- Reflexology Point for the Inner Hip:
There are two hip points present in the human body to massage. The first one is for the internal hip, and the second one is for the external hip.
The inward hip reflexology point is in curve tube macaroni shape between the penne and elbow style. To find this point, take your thumb and feel for the slight space behind and under your ankle bone. For massaging this point, apply a small amount of moisturizer or massaging oil. It will assist in reducing the friction because when we rub this area, we will not prefer irritating the skin on the edge of our foot. This part is significantly sensitive and fragile than the bottom of our foot.
Move your thumb back and forth for massaging this point. Do it for 3 to 4 times a day for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Since nerves are going through this zone, if you accidentally press a nerve, you might feel an awkward sensation while massaging this point. In this case, massage with less pressure and not more than 15 seconds.
- Reflexology Point for the Outer Hip:
The reflexology point for the external hip is quite the same as the internal hip. It’s just that you will find it below and behind the outer ankle bone. You can use your forefinger to see the indentation and massage this point back and forth 3 to 4 times a day at least for 15 to 30 seconds. As the skin here is sensitive as well, use a small amount of lotion or massaging oil for reducing the friction while massaging this area.