CLINICAL TRIALS

Here is what these medical centers say reflexology can do for you. St. Rita’s Medical Center http://www.ehealthconnection.com/regions/st_ritas/content/1678.asp “Reflexology is acknowledged as a safe non-invasive, health practice without contraindications.” “Reflexology is used to support the body in its own healing process, to strengthen the body so it is able to draw upon its own resources to repair and heal itself. Through stimulation of all the reflex areas of the body, the reflexologist is able to reduce stress and tension to create space in the recipient's body for healing to take place. Reflexology treats the entire person, not just symptoms of a disease so most patients do find reflexology to be beneficial. This form of therapy brings relief to a wide range of acute and chronic conditions for people of all ages. This gentle therapy encourages the body to heal itself at its own pace. While relaxing the patient, it will also stimulate the body's own automatic healing mechanisms.” Elbert Memorial Hospital http://www.emhcare.com/getpage.php?name=reflexology "When the reflexes are activated by special pressure and release techniques, new vitality systems, such as nervous, muscular, skeletal, circulatory, lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, endocrine and reproductive, as well as subtle energy systems such as those described by traditional Chinese medicine. As the body's systems are enhanced and the organs and glands begin to receive greater nourishment, the overall homeostasis or functioning of the body naturally comes into alignment. Stress can be relieved, and the body begins to heal itself in many ways." St. Elizabeth Medical Center http://www.stelizabeth.com/services/our_services/holistic_health/reflex/index.asp "Reflexology involves the ancient healing techniques of applying pressure to the feet, hands and/or ears in order to alleviate pain on other areas of the body. It can help patients with a chronic health ailment as well as those searching for a form of deep relaxation other than traditional massage. The number of treatments varies from person to person depending on the complexity of conditions. Reflexology at St. Elizabeth Holistic Health Center is performed by professionals certified in reflexology. Common uses for reflexology include: Anxiety Hormonal Imbalance Detoxification Immune System Strengthening Wound Healing Headaches Depression Allergies Arthritis Sinus Problems " Hadassah Medical Center states: http://www.hadassah.org.il/English/Eng_SubNavBar/Departments/Medical+departments/Complementary+Medicine/Reflexology.htm "Reflexology aims to improve and strengthen the weak areas of the body that are causing the condition or symptoms. This is achieved by targeting the problem areas through the reflex points found on or around the feet or hands. Medical doctors agree that over three-quarters of our health problems can be linked to nervous and physical tension. By reducing stress and tension, reflexology improves blood and lymph circulation, strengthens the functioning of the immune system, improves assimilation of nutrition and elimination of toxins, and calms the nervous system. In these ways, reflexology facilitates the body's natural healing processes and thereby enhances the body's health and vitality. Reflexology is essentially harmless, oriented to revitalizing the whole body and hence supporting the body in it's own healing process. The purpose of treatment is to normalize the body's functioning, to help break down tension, and to improve nerve functioning and blood supply throughout the whole body. The 1996 China Reflexology Symposium Report found foot reflexology to be 93.63 percent effective in treating 63 disorders. After an analysis of 8,096 clinical cases, Dr. Wang Liang reported that reflexology was significantly effective in 48.68 percent of all the cases, with an effective/improved treatment in 44.95 percent of the cases." Arnot Ogden Medical Center http://www.aomc.org/index.asp?pageId=95 "No one knows exactly how reflexology works beyond the physical act of stimulating nerve ending on the feet; however, many people claim that they have had amazing results by getting reflexology. Many people have turned to reflexology when other methods of pain control have not worked." Windber Medical Center http://www.windbercare.com/inthealth_reflexology.asp "What conditions can benefit from Reflexology? It (reflexology) can all be applied to all conditions both simple and acute as well as the more chronic. It is safe and often dramatic in its effect. A time does come when disease is so deeply seated that the sufferer is beyond human help. But in prior stages reflexology can serve to be successful. The treatment of the early stages can as we said be dramatic sometimes, but if these early stages have been untreated or possibly mistreated they will in the course of time, cause organic change, and the simple illness becomes chronic. In this case, long and patient work will be required. Reflex work is not recommended in those cases of emergency resulting from accident or advanced disease where immediate surgical or medical treatment is needed to save the persons life. There is also the terminal cases previously mentioned where the person is beyond human help. Nevertheless, in such cases do not overlook the use of reflexology to relieve pain and suffering such as in terminal cancer cases. Reflexology can be used to: Reduce stress Induce deep relaxation Improve circulation Cleanse the body of toxins (lymphatic stimulation) Revitalize energy, physical and mental Balance the body's systems Activate the body’s natural healing process Because it is non-invasive and indirect, it can be used as an aid to most conditions and as a complement to most other treatment modalities." Englewood Hospital and Medical Center http://www.englewoodhospital.com/medservices.cfm?pageid=560 "Reflexology is especially good for women experiencing infertility. Specific areas of the feet and hands that correspond to the body’s organs and tissues are manipulated stimulating deep relaxation and improved circulation." Longmont United Hospital http://www.luhcares.org/Services/HealthCenter.aspx#reflex "Reflexology supports the body's ability to self-heal. Modern reflexology is both an art and a science - joining the ancient approach with today’s concept of energy zones that run throughout the entire body. As each zone in the hands or feet is worked, all the organs, glands, and tissue in that zone are brought into a more balanced state of health. Benefits include stress reduction, improved circulation, deep relaxation and increased body awareness." St. John Hospital and Medical Center http://www.stjohn.org/ValadeHealingArts/ “Because it (reflexology) promotes overall health, reflexology is used as complementary care for people with a variety of conditions. For example, reflexology can help alleviate headaches, reduce arthritic and back pain, decrease the symptoms of addiction withdrawal, ease the swings of premenstrual syndrome, and reduce the symptoms of diabetes. When considering reflexology as complementary care, it is important to understand that reflexology approaches the body as a whole with interrelated systems. For example, applying pressure to the sinus points by themselves will not necessarily relieve a headache. Your reflexologist stimulates all your reflex points, enabling your body to mobilize healing energies wherever in the body they are needed." "The more often you receive reflexology, the more benefits you are likely to notice.” Maryland Center for Integrative Medicine http://www.mcim.org/mod/pages/display/9/index.php?menu=Services “Reflexology’s goal is to trigger the mechanisms in the body to restore and maintain its natural state of equilibrium and health. The benefits include reduction in tension and stress, increased vascular, neural and lymphatic circulation, and the releasing of toxins. Research has shown that blood pressure can actually decrease during a session. Clients use reflexology to alleviate or manage asthma, sinus problems, digestive disorders, inflammations, menstrual irregularities, pain, fatigue, inflammatory skin conditions and other imbalances. It is especially beneficial for circulatory problems. Anyone can benefit from reflexology, including children, the elderly and the sick. Reflexology is safe and drug-free, so any person can begin reflexology sessions as soon as they wish. Reflexology can benefit those looking for holistic approaches that contribute to health and wellness.” Memorial Sloan-Kettering's Cancer Center http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/shared/graphics/Integrative/Summer09.pdf “Reflexology is an ancient practice of applying pressure to specific parts of the feet and hands. A reflexology treatment is deeply relaxing and helps to reduce stress, relieve pain, increase circulation, and enhance well-being. Perfect for the busy person on the go.” Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, CT http://www.stfranciscare.org/Body.aspx?id=14176 "The hands and feet are regarded as mirrors of the body. By applying a controlled amount of pressure to specific points on the feet or hands (reflex areas), the therapist can identify and treat problems in all parts of the body." International Medical Center http://www.imc.med.sa/EN/reflexology.html Reflexology is one of the most popular forms of complementary medicine; it is a safe, natural good way of relaxing the body. It’s treatment involves touching areas on the hands and feet whereby corresponding areas of the body get stimulated. These areas convey messages to the rest of the body, which helps balancing the mind and body, and corrects those parts that are malfunctioning. Shore Memorial Cancer Center http://www.shorememorial.org/event/606 “Foot reflexology sessions are available for cancer patients and people with chronic conditions.” “… gentle pressure on the feet can help reduce stress and promote healing.” St. Rita’s Medical Center http://www.ehealthconnection.com/regions/st_ritas/content/healthinfo_altmed.asp?src=amm0040&typeid= "Reflexologists have successfully treated many health problems, such as headaches, menstrual and digestive problems, and asthma. Reflexology may also help skin problems, high blood pressure, insomnia, and chronic pain. It is not a stand-alone treatment and should be used with other therapies for serious health problems." The Heart Center at St. Rita's http://www.ehealthconnection.com/regions/st_ritas/content/2106.asp “The Heart Center at St. Rita's offers open-heart patients reflexology as a complimentary therapy to help speed recovery and reduce discomfort.” “It (reflexology) can be used to restore and maintain the body's natural equilibrium and encourage healing.” “St. Rita's conducted a three-month pilot study on open-heart patients who received reflexology, and the study confirmed a patient's level of pain and anxiety decreased significantly. It also helped patients increase the distance they were able to walk, decreased the number of days they were hospitalized and the amount of medication administered during their recovery process.” Did you note all the conditions that benefit from reflexology? One of the unique benefits of reflexology is that all the above conditions are improved during the same session AND for the same cost making reflexology one of the safest, most cost efficient healing modalities available. asasas Health benefits which may occur as a result of Symbiotic Systems Advanced Therapeutic Reflexology and Drug Free Therapies As you know, I can be quite wordy. This is the short version based on my personal experience. If you suffer from sciatic or low back pain, don't even think about it, come in right away. Note the conditions I'm listing here, these are nasty painful conditions people suffer for months and even years with and I feel these are the conditions I help best. In addition to sciatica and any back pain, migraine or other headaches, carpal tunnel, plantar fasciitis or other foot pain, PMS issues, knee pain, neck pain, constipation. All of these conditions are high confidence conditions I know I can help and if our healthcare system was based on "Best Practices" reflexology would be the first healing modality offered for these conditions. But it's not and we (I ask your help by contacting your representatives) need to change that. If you suffer from any of the conditions listed above, don't think about it, just come on in. That was the short version. I have a lot of work to do below yet, but it once was all current. As you read the information presented below, note the wide diversity of conditions the major medical centers say reflexology is helpful for. So many conditions effected by the same session AND for the same cost. The Chinese study below notes 63 conditions with a 93.63 percent effective rate. Anyway you look at it, that's effective health care reform. A reflexologist is not a doctor and as a result is not qualified to say reflexology helps this or that. For example, if a client comes in with a sore shoulder, it doesn’t matter to a reflexologist what muscles or bones are involved, the diagnosis or even why this problem is happening. We are not trained to that level and that is not our job. A reflexologist doesn’t diagnose so works to improve the condition (in this example sore shoulder) no matter what caused the problem. Results speak for themselves or not. However, medical doctors are trained to that level and giving a name to conditions is their job so it’s helpful to review what major medical centers in the US and around the world say reflexology is helpful for. One condition I find reflexology is very helpful for is headaches of all kinds. Clicking here will take you directly to a page with summaries of eleven clinical trials regarding reflexology and headaches/migraines. Reflexology works according to these trials and my personal experience. This information is current as of July 4th, 2009. I'm really behind :) Webmaster help would be appreciated. Links have been provided so you may easily visit and see their latest information (BUT IM NOT SURE IF THEY ARE CURRENT. SORRY!) Also, this is a tiny sampling of examples to make the point that major medical centers consider reflexology beneficial, not for just one or two conditions, but for a huge number of conditions. One treatment, many benefits. If we also included what hospitals say reflexology can do, you would be reading the same thing for hours only with different hospital names because we (therapeutically trained reflexologists) all get similar results, not only here in the USA, but around the world. Gently, without contradictions, complementing all other healing modalities. But again, not all reflexologists are equal. It's important you find one who you get results from and who you feel comfortable with. Please see what major medical centers cited below say their results show reflexology is helpful for and ask yourself, “how many conditions do I have that can benefit at the same time and for the same price“? If the medical centers in-house programs can get these results, so can other well trained reflexologists (See our links page). However, that said, reflexology in an integrative setting with medical doctors is the cats meow of health care. The best of both worlds talking with each other to help you. If your hospital or medical center is forward thinking enough to include reflexology in their integrative healing program and you don’t currently have a reflexologist, you can be assured that the reflexologist employed by the hospital/medical center will be qualified to help you which will take the guess work out of finding a good reflexologist in your area. HomeAbout Mark CookServicesContact UsEnergy Healing ModalitiesLearn ReflexologyVibroAcoustic TherapyReflexologyTouch for HealthHealing TouchKorean Hand TherapyHealth BenefitsDangers of Medications CLINICAL TRIALS Did you note the study highlighted by the Hadassah Medical Center? “The 1996 China Reflexology Symposium Report found foot reflexology to be 93.63 percent effective in treating 63 disorders. After an analysis of 8,096 clinical cases, Dr. Wang Liang reported that reflexology was significantly effective in 48.68 percent of all the cases, with an effective/improved treatment in 44.95 percent of the cases.” Let me give you an idea how big this trial is. The largest head and neck cancer clinical trial in history is currently enrolling patients seeking to enroll 880 patients. The largest trial in history. Less than 1000 people to approve this drug or not and the trial noted above was non-toxic and conducted on 8000 people and is not even recognized in America. 63 disorders. What other modality is effective on 63 disorders during the same treatment? None that I know of. To be frank, in my thinking, reflexology should be the foundation for improving health and wellness around the world for the simple reason that if reflexology doesn’t work (improve) on the primary reason for coming in to see the reflexologist, the time or treatment is not wasted as the conditions listed above are all addressed at the same time as reflexology provides a tune up for the entire system according to the medical centers above and decades of experience. Today, because insurance doesn’t cover a modality the Chinese with the largest population in the world consider 93.63 percent effective in treating 63 disorders, reflexology is often the last thing desperate people try. We need to turn this around utilizing reflexology as a first line of defense against those 63 disorders stopping them before they start. In my work, I see miracles everyday. There is not much in the way of clinical trials to support the effectiveness of reflexology and yet reflexology continues to be one of the fastest growing healing modalities today. There is a reason. Miracles. In my practice when I see people with no hope get up and walk without pain, the clinical study has been conducted in my office, this moment, with this person confirming what the medical centers above say in regards to the effectiveness of reflexology for pain of many kinds. This is the same result experienced by trained therapeutic reflexologists around the world inside and outside of medical centers. Basically, the proof is in the puddin’. Since reflexology has no contradictions, concern over doing harm is unwarranted so reflexology should be tried for all conditions to see if reflexology will help. If helpful, added to the growing list of conditions helped. If the scope of reflexology was only utilized for the conditions listed by the major medical centers above and nothing more, millions upon millions of dollars could be saved from the health care budget by utilizing reflexology as a first line of prevention and wellness defense across the land. Conditions unaffected by reflexology could escalate up to other healing modalities that may be more effective for that specific condition. There are actual clinical studies however, I’ll cite a few and then provide you with some links to other sites who have taken the time to compile this information. PLEASE NOTE I"M UPDATING MY WEBSITE AND I DON"T KNOW IF ALL LINKS ARE CURRENT. SORRY Complementary Medicine Clinic, Department of Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel. Reflexology treatment relieves symptoms of multiple sclerosis: a randomized controlled study. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12926840 OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of reflexology on symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial. CONCLUSIONS: Specific reflexology treatment was of benefit in alleviating motor; sensory and urinary symptoms in MS patients. Trial conducted by: Division of Behavioral Medicine, California Graduate Institute, Los Angeles. Randomized controlled study of premenstrual symptoms treated with ear, hand, and foot reflexology. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8233263?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=3&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed OBJECTIVE: To determine whether reflexology therapy--the application of manual pressure to reflex points on the ears, hands, and feet that somatotopically correspond to specific areas of the body--can significantly reduce premenstrual symptoms compared to placebo treatment. CONCLUSION: These clinical findings support the use of ear, hand, and foot reflexology for the treatment of PMS. A Breast cancer trial with reflexology is starting. Follow the link below to learn more. http://www.stjohn.org/Trials/TrialDetails.aspx?TrialID=240 Reflexology isn’t well known, but as you can see from the wide range of conditions major medical centers say can be treated, reflexology should be part of any health care reform focusing on wellness. Your help contacting your representatives with the form letters provided will go along way to helping reflexology be recognized for the excellent healing modality it is.