Health

Clinical Reflexology is one of the complementary and integrative treatments of more wide diffusion, even if it is practised in several different ways all around the world.    Ancient Aegyptian, Chinese and Indian paintings and documents talk about it, but it is only in the past Century that is has become a more "scientific" and recognised procedure thanks to some clinical studies and the availability of comparative data.     Today it is practised in several Countries and receives a growing interest for its potential action, also considering the very little negative risks or effects on the human body.
The World Health Organization has pointed out the importance to give the right presence to the integrative and complementary medicine and therapies to support the lack of more expensive technological therapies in the world, and to re-discover the links among the different body systems, and among these systems and the environment, often undervalued by the highly technological modern medicine.                   The holistic medicine approach, the acupuncture, the Ayurvedic medicine, the colour therapies, etc. are all examples of new ways to treat some psychological and body problems with success, avoiding the many negative effects of drugs.
   The Therapeutic Reflexologist relies on the use of very specific finger, thumb and hand pressure techniques which can have therapeutic effects in other parts of the body. Appropriate health care advice is offered regarding conscious lifestyle choices to facilitate the activation the body’s healing potential. A Therapeutic Reflexologist identifies imbalances in the health of the patient by observing and feeling a number of things. These are understood as signs of emotional as well as physical wellness (or lack thereof). They include colours on the feet and nails, texture, tone, moisture, shape of the feet, and markings. With the use of specific pressure techniques therapists are able to pick up congestion and imbalances through, for example, tightness, sensitivity, granular areas. The feet and/or hands tell a story about the total wellness of the patient and the therapist’s observation is always done so in the entire context of the person’s emotional and physical health.

   Often a Reflexologist owns also other qualifications and has a rather deep knowledge of Holistic Medicine so he/she may give a more complete support to persons’ health problems and may, eventually, better coordinate his/her work with the specialists of other medical branches.      Even if, still today, several medicine doctors express doubts about the real effects of holistic medicine techniques, as a matter of facts a growing number of specialists and researchers are considering and studying these techniques and the WHO accepts to include them among therapies and medicines to develop.   In the United Kingdom, Denmark, South Africa, United States of America, China, India and further Countries these therapies are offered in public hospitals, infant and maternity centres, so as in places of wellness and health care.

   Acupressure is a bit different from reflexology, it is mainly derived from acupuncture so it does not use mainly feet and hands, as reflexology does, but also further points of the body. Even if it remains the controversial about the localization of points, it has been tested for integrating different therapies, so as reflexology.

   This kind of therapies and applications have, anyway, the main end to improve the balance of body systems, obtaining the wider and deeper well-being conditions.    The holistic medicine approach helps in preventing illness and in giving the right time and attention to individual specificities and needs.

Warning !

Holistic medicine, so as complementary and integrative medicines have not to be a backward attitude, but they are a propositive new approach to health problems, according to the systemic analysis. So, they are not a substitute of the "official" medicine, they work to improve health, wellness and also to improve some of the usual medical approaches toward persons and health problems (see: Ford D., Lerner R., Developmental System Theory, Sage, 1992).
There is not a separation among sciences, anthropology, biology, medicine, psychology, so as ayurveda, reflexology, chromothepary or yoga, to quote some of them, are not one opposite to the other. They have to work all togheter to increase knowledge, human mankind and health.