Reflexology uses pressure points on feet to correspond with other organs, provide health benefits

The human body's organs are not only under our skin and behind bones their counter-parts also take up residency on the bottoms of our feet, according to the theory behind reflexology, an ancient form of massage therapy.

Reflexology is an energy-based alternative therapy that involves applying pressure to certain trigger or pressure points mostly on the bottoms of feet, but also on the hands, ears or head. It is believed the pressure points correspond with different organs, and applying pressure to the points will improve health.

Reflexology can be used to help treat mental and physical ailments such as stress and anxiety, depression, headaches, constipation and back pain.

Though reflexologist therapists do not diagnose or cure any condition, the massage therapy relaxes and soothes people with ailments, said Monica McLain, massage therapist with Time Well Spent in Cape Girardeau.

Reflexology serves as an alternative therapy for people who have diseases such as lupus, fibromyalgia, cancer or autoimmune diseases where it is difficult to apply pressure to certain areas of the body without causing pain, according to Ashley White, a massage therapist with Belladona Salon and Spa in Cape Girardeau. When a therapist only touches a person's feet during a reflexology session, pain is not a problem. The therapy opens doors for those who cannot receive other treatments, she says, and it also is a preventive form of medicine.

"Several studies funded by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health indicate that reflexology may ... enhance relaxation and sleep," according to the Mayo Clinic's website. "Reflexologists claim that reflexology also can treat a wide variety of medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and cancer."

Reflexology clients receive the benefits of a full-body massage during a reflexology session through the bottoms of their feet, White says. She recommends reflexology therapy as a massage for beginners because it is less invasive, clients do not to have undress for the massage and they can either sit or lie down during the session.

White has been treating clients with reflexology for five years, and she is a firm believer in the practice. She has found confidence in its ability to release the body's tension and toxins though her experiences with clients who, within minutes of the session, say they feel a release in their muscles or their nerves tweaking. "It's almost like, I would say magic," she said.

Many people are open-minded to the alternative form of massage therapy, and White says this must be true for clients in order to effectively benefit from the treatment -- clients must be willing to receive the treatment, she says.

The universal therapy is available to men and women of all ages, with the exception of pregnant women, those who have issues with blood clots or who have osteoarthritis impacting the foot and ankle area, according to McLain.