Can You Have Reflexology Every Day?

Can you have Reflexology every day?

This is a frequently asked question by patients who visit massage centers. Well, the answer is no. You cannot have Reflexology every day. According to professionals, you can have a Reflexology session weekly once, or once a fortnight. Reflexology is limited by its personal nature as each person needs different amounts. I mean that the number of sessions and therapies differ from one person to another depending on his/her conditions. Now that we have answered the question ” Can you have reflexology every day?”, let us dive a bit deeper into the heart of the article.

What is Reflexology?

Reflexology is the process of exercising of pressure on the various points of hands, feet, and ears. Well, I have just told you about how often you can have Reflexology. But, do you guys have an idea of what Reflexology is? Let me just elaborate on this topic. Reflexology is an ancient Acupressure Technique formulated by the Chinese to heal diseases and injuries. This technique works when you apply the correct and accurate amount of pressure on some delicate points which are directly linked to some of the body’s major organs. This pressure relieves the body from all the stress and various diseases, pains, and aches from the different body parts. To be frank, Reflexology works only when the pressure points are regularly worked upon and stimulated regularly. Moreover, a beneficial factor of Reflexology is that it has got no side effects. 

What is the History of Reflexology?

Let’s get to know a little more about Reflexology by diving deeper into its history. Reflexology is an age-old technique and a bit difficult to track. However, the first pictographic representation was first recorded on an Egyptian tomb in the early 2330BC. Later, in Europe,  a form of Reflexology, called Zone Therapy, was developed and became quite famous all across the European nation. Traces of this technique being practiced were also found in several countries like India, China, and Native America. Later, Dr. Fitzgerald’s studies helped in the development of the Reflexology technique in the United States, and he was then named the “Father of Modern Reflexology.” 

Reflexology is one of the most favored types of complementary therapy used all around the world. With the help of Reflexology, any disease can be cured, controlled, or at least reduced. There are many health benefits to this technique, but like every other technique, Reflexology also has its limitations. 

Here are a few health benefits of the Reflexology technique:

1. By stimulating the pressure points, Reflexology helps in improving blood circulation. 
2. It helps in relieving stress, depression, and other mental disorders. 
3. It helps in digestion and maintains a balanced appetite by removing the waste from the body.
4. Reflexology works well on the sense organs. It helps in improving eyesight by massaging the pressure points. It also helps in improving skin tone. 
5. Reduces hair fall and also decreases menstrual-related disorders/ problems in women. 
6. Reflexology helps in fighting against serious addictions like drugs and tobacco by stimulating the pressure points. 
7. Reflexology is also useful to fight against diseases like Diabetes, Asthma, Thyroid problems, etc. 
8. Overall, Reflexology helps in improving the immune system of the entire body. 

Even after having so many health benefits, you need to keep in mind that this techniques has a few limitations before actually trying to answer the questions “Can you have Reflexology every day in real life?”. Here are a few

limitations of this Reflexology technique:

1. If the pressure applied is more than normal or not at the correct position, then it may create more pain and instead of providing relief, it may give rise to another new problem. 
2. Incorrect pressure applied at an area may even give rise to a fracture in that particular area. 
3. Reflexology is not an easy task. You will require a Reflexology expert to massage your body and pressure points. If any normal person tries Reflexology, then it just gives more pain and doesn’t heal any disease. 
4. Reflexology can just reduce the problem, or simply cure it for a short period. You need to use your conventional medications to completely cure your disease.  
5. If the patient is in the critical stage of any disease, Reflexology cannot help him, and he has to rely on the conventional medication method only. 

What is the process of reflexology, and how does it work?

If you keep asking yourself “Can you have reflexology every day?”, you must realize that Reflexology works on the basic principle that our feet have certain areas and points of pressure that are directly connected to some major parts of our body. By applying pressure on such points, you can channelize your internal energy by removing any blockages. These pressure points are known as “reflex areas.” A reflexologist can help in removing any internal disease or blockage by applying the correct amount of pressure or massaging the reflex area accurately. Here are some of the reflex areas with their corresponding organ: 

• Let’s start from the tips of the toes, which reflect the head of the body. 
• The heart and the chest are worked up when pressure is applied around the ball of the foot. 
• Pressure on the Arch of the foot helps in healing the liver, pancreas, and kidneys. 
• The lower back and the intestine are worked upon by applying pressure towards the heel. 

Reflexologists use specific foot charts indicating all the major pressure points present on our feet while applying pressure corresponding to the various organs. In fact, sometimes this method of physical therapy can be combined with some hands-on therapy which may be offered by the normal chiropractors or few physiotherapists as well. 

How does a normal reflexology session look like?

Firstly, the reflexologist will just ask you about your daily health and lifestyle while checking out your health history form for any previous injuries or diseases. Then he may ask you to lie down on a comfortable reclining chair or a massage table barefoot. The reflexologist then starts examining your feet, by applying pressure on certain areas, stimulating it for identifying some tension or tenderness all along the feet. The “Can you have reflexology every day?” question is moot here as the reflexologist will give you a professionally ordained set of rules for you to follow.

Slowly, this will lead to vigorous hand movements and massage, which will help in warming up the hands and the feet. Then, the pressure by the thumb or fingers is put into the reflex areas to remove or decrease the amount of disease present in that particular area of the body. Additional items such as lotions, or oil may also be used by the reflexologist to properly massage your feet and help in relieving any stress or tension from the body.

Another important beneficial factor of Reflexology is that it induces a good amount of sleep after any session. Well, you are advised to drink loads of water within the 24hrs after your Reflexology session. This helps in the detoxification of the body and helps in maintaining good health. A typical Reflexology session takes up to 30-60 minutes, depending on the type of the disease and the pain reflected in the body. 

How does a reflexology session feel?

Most people find these Reflexology sessions quite stress-free and relaxing. Well, that’s the main purpose of Reflexology. It should help you relax and de-stress your mind and body from all the hectic strain and various types of diseases that tend to linger inside the body. Make sure that your Reflexology session isn’t hurtful. If any part of the body is hurting, make sure to inform the Reflexologist about it. Reflexology doesn’t induce pain, it helps relieving the pain from the body. 

A few areas of your feet may be slightly tender or sore. A reflexologist tends to work more on such areas by placing more pressure than required to remove the soreness from that particular part of the feet. The reflexologist applies firm pressure on the feet, and you do not have to worry even if you are ticklish. 

Side Effects of Reflexology

Can you have reflexology every day? The answer to that questions becomes clear when you take a look at the title of this section. Reflexology is considered a fairly good practice without any side effects reported to date. It is just meant for you to feel stress-free and light-headed after a good session. However, sometimes the feet of a few people may still be quite tender even after completing the reflexology session a long time ago. This may be simply because their feet are quite gentle and are not used to taking this large amount of pressure at the same time. But, this is just a teeny tiny problem that affects one in a million people. So, overall, we can easily say that Reflexology has got no side effects at all. 

Who should avoid reflexology?

People suffering from cancer need to keep in mind that they musk only visit take part in a session with a professional who has previous experience. This is because certain points need to be avoided and shouldn’t be pressurized in a cancer patient. Hence, such patients should avoid a reflexology session or go visit an experienced practitioner.

People suffering from diabetes should also consult their doctor before seeing a reflexologist. 

You cannot have reflexology if you have foot ulcers, foot fractures, gout in the feet, or inflammation and fungal infections in the feet, which is a common problem among athletes. 

Safety and Professional Charges

It is very important to check the history of your reflexologist first. You need to see if he is verified and perfectly trained for giving a reflexology session. You need to go to a reflexologist who has a certificate from the American Reflexology Certification Board and has completed at least 200 hours of education at a reputed institution. 

Most of the cancer hospitals in the US are giving reflexology sessions for free. Or some hospitals may just charge a minimal fee for consulting and giving a 60-minute therapy. However, if you visit a private reflexologist, you are bound to pay around $25-$65 for a 60-minute Reflexology therapy session. So, what do you think? Can you have reflexology every day?

Conclusion

Well, Reflexology may not be a scientifically proven technique, and the question of “Can you have reflexology every day?” is a simple but defined no may help you understand the limits of this method. Although on the other hand it helps relieve stress and tension from the body for quite a long time. It may not cure your disease completely, but it does help in reducing or relieving it for quite some time. Any normal person can’t practice reflexology on a patient. It might cause any adverse effect. For proper reflexology sessions, you need to consult a professional who can relieve you of all the stress and tension of your body. Check on with your health consultant also, if that reflexologist is just perfect for you. 

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQS):