Therapeutic Reflexology may assist with analgesia (pain relief); read more in today’s post.
Anaesthesiology is a medical specialty dealing with the anaesthesia and perioperative care of surgical patients, intensive care patients, and emergency patients with the purpose of effectively managing pain. Those of you who have ever gone in for a surgical procedure would know the Anaesthesiologist as the person making you fall asleep in the operating room in order for you not to experience the trauma and pain of a surgical procedure. If you ever had surgery before, you would understand the value of having an Anaesthesiologist around.
It is interesting to note that reflexology grew in the Western World due to numerous people, one of them being Dr. William H. Fitzgerald, a medical specialist, in the early 1900s who observed the analgesic effect of reflexology on his patients when stimulating certain points on the patients’ feet and hands. Today, it is known that Therapeutic Reflexology may offer pain relief and many patients making use of regular Therapeutic Reflexology treatments are experiencing pain relief.
To understand the analgesic effect of Therapeutic Reflexology, let’s have a look at exactly what Therapeutic Reflexology is and what it is not. It is not a magic cure and it is not a solution to all your problems and therefore it should never replace medical care because Therapeutic Reflexology is a therapy and not a diagnostic profession. Therapeutic Reflexology is a registered and formally regulated healthcare profession that is formally regulated by a statutory council, the Allied Health Professions Council of South Africa (AHPCSA), just like your medical doctor is regulated by a statutory council, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA).
Therapeutic Reflexology is a non-invasive therapy whereby nerve endings (reflexes) are stimulated on the feet, and sometimes other body parts like the hands, face, and ears, to help the body relax and to stimulate the body’s own innate healing ability. It is a very relaxing therapy attempting to restore balance in the body. During a Therapeutic Reflexology session, circulation is improved while relaxation is encouraged, usually leading to the secretion of chemicals like endorphins which may have a pain-relieving effect.
Each person reacts differently to Therapeutic Reflexology treatment so just like in any other healthcare profession, there are no guarantees of results, but the potential is there for people to experience pain relief. Looking back on the many patients I have worked with since 2003; many patients state that they have experienced pain relief after including Therapeutic Reflexology in their treatment regime.
Therapeutic Reflexology does not replace medical treatment or other healthcare treatment but is a complementary therapy that can be effectively used in conjunction with any other treatment.
If you are dealing with pain in your body, maybe you should consider a couple of Therapeutic Reflexology treatment sessions to see if you may experience pain relief and consequently an improved quality of life.
Make your appointment today!
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Christo A. Scheepers: Therapeutic Reflexologist
Dip.T.R.(Cum Laude) [IARAMT]
AHPCSA: A11945
Pr. No.: 1080000737453
Tel. 072-800 7243