How Reflexology May Help Your Patients

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 Reflexology is:

A lesser-known Complementary & Alternative Medicine (CAM) modality. More than 60 top medical schools in the US including Yale, Duke, Emory, Johns Hopkins, Harvard are teaching about CAM modalities  https://www.imconsortium.org/members/members.cfm

• "A non-invasive protocol of manual techniques…applied to specific reflex areas predominantly on the feet and hands. These techniques stimulate the complex neural path-ways linking body systems, supporting the body’s efforts to function optimally...."http://reflexology-usa.org/information/raas-definition-of-reflexology/
  
• Based on the zone therapy work of William Fitzgerald, MD  http://www.reflexology-usa.net/history.htm
  
• Not meant as an alternative to standard medical care, but as a complement to it.
  
• An effective way to reduce stress, which according to JAMA is now being cited as the reason for up to 80% of doctor visits.  Reduced stress may decrease pain and improve patient outcomes from  medical treatmentshttp://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/1392494
  
• Not massage http://academyofancientreflexology.com/reflexology-not-massage/  ...although reflexology recipients do receive all the benefits of nurturing touch that studies evidence   http: oawhealth.com/ 2014/03/18/health-benefits-of-human- touch/  (I have no affiliation with this site; the site simply has a useful aggregate of studies cited)
  
• Utilized in some cancer centers such as Dana Farber  http://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2016/07/how-can-reflexology-help-cancer-patients/      and Memorial Sloan Kettering https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/diagnosis-treatment/symptom-management/integrative-medicine/therapies/individual-therapies

 42% Reduction of Pain Study with 317 participants at the VA at Fort Bragg. Peer-reviewed. https://www.jsomonline.org/Citations/20184103Kern.php?msclkid=20bad64baadc11ec81a999b10bef630f

Reduction of Pain by 40%, Dr. Carol Samuel 
http://uopnews.port.ac.uk/2013/04/09/reflexology-reduces-feelings-of-pain/

Need for pain medication reduced by 40%  https://health.usnews.com/health-care/for-better/articles/2018-11-29/how-aromatherapy-and-reflexology-are-changing-approaches-to-pain-management

Reduction of infant pain and distress  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26220257

Reduction of Post-Operative Pain in Patients Undergoing Surgical Procedures  https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acm.2017.0167

Ear points found to be one of best ways to reduce pain in Emergency Department settings.  While conclusions were drawn from a study using acupuncture needles, many reflexologists trained in using touch alone on ear points have found them useful in reducing (and sometimes alleviating) pain. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29067138 

Increased circulation to organs, Marc Piquemal, MD
​http://reflexology-usa.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Piquemal_Article.pdf  
(link to the study at this location is currently unavailable)

Reduction of Blood Pressure, Jesus Manzanares, MD
http://reflexology-usa.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/Manzanares_Research_Hypertension-nobio.pdf  (Link to the study at this location is currently unavailable)

Short video of Dr. Manzanares explaining his scientific reflexological methodology  https://vimeo.com/124738718

Improved QOL for Advanced Breast Cancer Patients, Gwen Wyatt, PhD, RN https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4419638/

Effective for Diabetic Neuropathy, an NIH study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24527055

Reduction of severity of infantile colic. 

Published June 2018 in the  Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/acm.2017.0315?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ACM+FP+June+21+2018&d=6%2F21%2F2018&mcid=29232823& 

Reduction of PMS symptoms, an article fromAmerican Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Dr. Terry Olson and William Flocco, NBCR http://americanacademyofreflexology.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Full-Study1.pdf

Reflexology found to improve sleep quality and reduce fatigue in hemodialysis patients   

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1744388116300494

More studies at  http://reflexology-usa.org/reflexology-research/ 

Dr. Mandour read in a medical journal about the 60% efficacy rate of reflexology for urology patients for whom "everything else had failed". He subsequently studied and became certified in Reflexology, and conducted his own study. Read the American Reflexology Certification Board interview with him here 

  Winter__2021.pdf (arcb.net)  

 A reflexology study: CADAVERS                   DON'T LIE  

From researchers Barbara Bowers and Rebecca Sundeen: "The intention of our research in the cadaver lab, is to confirm visual congestion shown on the feet with physical congestion in the body, and have a means of correlating them both. This research in the cadaver lab gives more evidence for further study into the correlation of congestion in the body, and reflexology as a physical visual disclosure of where in the body we hold congestion as well as using reflexology to support homeostasis."

https://branchreflexology.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/FINAL-CADAVER-LAB-PDF.pdf

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 Directories of Credentialed Reflexologists Nationwide    

A directory of National Board Certified Reflexologists is at the American Reflexology Certification Board (ARCB) website https://arcb.net/find-an-arcb-reflexologist/  . All Board-Certified Reflexologists have passed a practical exam and two written exams, and must fulfill annual CE requirements.   

 Another directory of reflexologists nationally   

 that can be searched by city, state, or name can be found online at http://reflexology-usa.org/professionals/ 

The Reflexology Association of America is a nonprofit organization that promotes the scientific and professional advancement of reflexology. The organization’s mission is to elevate and standardize the quality of reflexology services available to the public.
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Professional members of the Reflexology Association of America (RAA) have trained in a minimum of 300 hours of foot, hand and/or outer ear reflexology.