Is therapeutic reflexology a replacement for medical care? The answer is easy; no, it is not. In today’s post, we’ll consider this question.
When speaking to certain people involved in the Complementary and Alternative Medical (CAM) world, it often seems like CAM is seen as a replacement for medical care. Therapeutic reflexology is a healthcare modality within the world of CAM and therefore the question is very relevant when asking if therapeutic reflexology can be seen as a replacement for medical care.
Therapeutic reflexology is a healthcare modality formally regulated by the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHCPSA) and as such, operates within professional scope of practice. Therapeutic reflexology should be seen as a supportive healthcare modality or in other words, a complementary healthcare modality and not as an alternative healthcare approach. Therapeutic reflexology is not a replacement for medical care and will never attempt to replace medical care.
Firstly, therapeutic reflexology is not a diagnostic profession and therefore therapeutic reflexologists cannot make a diagnosis. Therapeutic Reflexology is a therapeutic modality and within scope of practice can treat already diagnosed conditions, but cannot diagnose any conditions. That in itself should give a clear indication that therapeutic reflexology can never replace medical care because medical doctors are diagnostic practitioners trained to be able to diagnose medical conditions.
Secondly, therapeutic reflexology does not treat specific healthcare conditions but instead assist the body to relax and to heal itself from the inside out, or at least attempt to balance itself from the inside out.
Therapeutic reflexology should never be seen as a replacement for medical care.
Just because therapeutic reflexology is not a replacement for medical care, does not take away from the fact that it is an excellent healthcare modality to assist as part of a multi-disciplinary healthcare team by providing very effective reflexology treatment. It is an effective modality to help people to reduce stress levels while assisting the body to function optimally and even during medical care, therapeutic reflexology has the opportunity to help the body to use the prescribed medication better and to help with obtaining faster results.
Therapeutic Reflexology assists in improving circulation in the body and if a diagnostic practitioner prescribed certain medication, it may be better and faster absorbed in the body by adding therapeutic reflexology to the treatment regime.
Therapeutic reflexology is a unique healthcare modality in its own right that does not strive to replace medical care, but instead, it is a therapeutic modality offered as a complementary treatment that highly benefits the body and often helps in the improvement of the quality of life.
Therapeutic reflexology is a highly regulated healthcare modality in South Africa and therefore such therapists always function professionally within a scope of practice established by the AHPCSA. When visiting a therapeutic reflexologist, you may rest assured that you are consulting with a healthcare professional that functions within very clear boundaries that do not attempt to overstep the boundaries of medical care.
Therapeutic Reflexology is a modality that offers great benefits within its unique scope of practice and therefore it is not a modality that will ever attempt to replace medical care.
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Christo A. Scheepers: Therapeutic Reflexologist
Dip.T.R.(Cum Laude) [IARAMT]
AHPCSA: A11945
Pr. No.: 1080000737453
Tel. 072-800 7243