Reflexology

Several body systems, including the circulatory system, lymphatic system and kidneys, help
maintain the appropriate balance of fluids in the body. A problem with any of these systems can
contribute to the retention of fluid. Leg and foot edema, caused by the accumulation of fluids
in tissue, is known as peripheral edema. Many women have been suffering from leg and foot
edema reportedly. In the present review, we describe several methods of treating leg and foot
edema in women, such as leg elevation, water immersion, bandage, stocking, foot massage,
intermittent pneumatic compression, taking rutoside, reflexology and monitoring the interstitial
fluid movement.

Background: Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to a set of somatic and psychological symptoms that occur cyclically in the luteal phase of a menstrual cycle. There is no report of final result of reflexology on PMS. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effect of reflexology on PMS through a systematic review and meta-analysis study.

Our purpose was to pilot test whether reflexology may reduce anxiety in patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery in Iceland. Nurses need to study the effects of complementary therapies in general and particularly those that may be beneficial to decrease patients' anxiety. It has been assumed that reflexology lessens anxiety, but research is needed to substantiate such expectations. A pilot study using randomized design with experimental and control groups. Nine patients were recruited and randomly assigned into groups with five patients assigned into an experimental group receiving reflexology for 30 minutes and four patients into control group which rested for 30 minutes. Anxiety and physiological variables were measured pre- and post-reflexology sessions once a day over five days. The anxiety scores were lower for patients in the control group on all measures. Systolic blood pressure lowered significantly more in the control group than in the treatment group. No significant changes were observed for other variables. Patients' comments and responses overwhelmingly suggested increased well-being due to both experimental and control intervention. This study showed little evidence to support reflexology as a mean of reducing anxiety in CABG patients. Several methodological problems were identified that need to be considered further. It is suggested that reflexology should be tailored to individual needs and research methods used that allow for capturing its holistic nature. Further scholarly work is warranted to explore several methodological issues in studying complementary therapies in a highly complex treatment situation.

Background: Sleep disorder is one of most prevalent complaints in elderly people. Tension
reduction can be effective in improving sleep quality. In this regard, reflexology can be effective
in reducing anxiety and tension. This study aimed to determine reflexology effects on sleep
disorders of elderly women undergoing abdominal surgery.
Methods: This study was a non-randomized clinical trial (quasi-experimental). A total of 80
elderly women undergoing abdominal surgery were selected by continuous sampling method
and simple random selection of two hospitals (Hazrat-e-Rasool [PBUH] and Firouzgar). Then,
they were assigned in experimental and control groups. The study instrument was sleep quality
questionnaire (PSQI). Descriptive statistics included calculating mean and standard deviation
and inferential statistics were performed through the independent t-test and paired t-test.
Results: There was no significant difference in terms of quality of sleep (P=0.504) between
control and experimental groups, before the intervention. Also, There was no significant difference
between means of quality of sleep scores (P=0.606) before and after the intervention in the control
group. However, there was a significant difference between the means of quality of sleep scores
(P=0.048) before and after the intervention in the experimental group. Finally, the means of
quality of sleep scores of two groups after the intervention was significantly different (P<0.001).
Conclusion: Considering the significant effect of reflexology on improving the quality of sleep
in elderly women undergoing surgery, it is recommended that this simple technique (which is
available and low-cost as an alternative medicine) be used in reducing the postoperative pain and
improving the quality of sleep of patients.

Reproduz as aulas dadas na disciplina de "História e Sistemas Psicológicos: Behaviorismo" no 2o semestre de 2015 e no 2o semestre de 2016 (concluído em 2017) no Curso de Psicologia da UFSCar. Inicia-se por uma história interna dos conceitos fundamentais da reflexologia entre os séculos XVIII e XIX, acompanhando a formação do behaviorismo por Watson no século XX. Também são exploradas diversas vertentes, como as de Thorndike, Hull, Tolman e finalmente o behaviorismo radical de Skinner. Apresentamos o conceito de "condicionamento operante" como uma ruptura epistemológica com relação ao behaviorismo metodológico de Watson. Por fim, são abordadas consequências ético-políticas do behaviorismo e sua dimensão social.

Background: Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is a common disorder in the elderly, especially older women, which causes sleep disorders and endangers the elderly with increase in the risk of falling, memory disturbances, and eventually, poor quality of life. Today, non-pharmacological approaches, including reflexology massage, are considered along with pharmaceutical methods for improving sleep quality. This study aims to examine the effect of foot reflexology massage on the sleep quality of the elderly women with RLS.

Energy Healing techniques are considered as one of the age-old practices dating its origin back to the ancient scriptures, to be precise much earlier than those. Scientific technology has been incorporated on a small scale into these in recent decades, beginning in the twentieth century. Even in the twenty-first century, little progress has been made in this area. This literature review is an eye-opener for the world to get familiarized with various energy healing techniques and their basic functionality. The various technical devices used for the detection and treatment of the biofield are depicted in brief in this review. The modalities in which Artificial Intelligence is used in various energy healing techniques are introduced here. The review culminates with a note on the future scope of the Energy Healing techniques on a wider horizon incorporating Artificial Intelligence wherever necessary.

Resumen En este trabajo, nuestro interés se centra en el análisis de las prácticas terapéuticas alternativas en contextos hospitalarios de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (Argentina). Sobre la base de materiales originales provenientes de entrevistas semi-dirigidas a reflexólogos y reikistas que se desempeñan como voluntarios en distintas instituciones, se analizan los modos en que los especialistas alternativos gestionan la dimensión de lo religioso/sagrado en sus saberes y prácticas, como parte de una estrategia general tendiente a resolver conflictos emergentes y/o potenciales con el campo de la medicina oficial. Nos interesa reflexionar acerca de los alcances y límites del tratamiento alternativo en el hospital, partiendo de dos categorías centrales al discurso alternativo, como son las de holismo y energía; los modos en que éstas son enfatizadas o invisibilizadas en las prácticas y discursos y el impacto que estas restricciones tienen en el proceso terapéutico y la definición del rol de los especialistas al interior del hospital.

Tuina 推拿, or Chinese massage therapy, is one of the four main branches of traditional Chinese medicine. Although very ancient, it is relatively new to majority. Tuina therapy dates back to around 3000 BC, making it the grandmother of all forms of massage and body work that exist today, from shiatsu, reflexology, chiropractics to osteopathy and beyond.

Reflexology is a non-invasive, complementary therapy that is
based on the theory that, by applying controlled pressure to
certain reflex zones in the palm and foot, channels along the nervous system are stimulated, thereby facilitating energy pathways
that may be blocked or congested.

Background Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) refers to a set of somatic and psychological symptoms that occur cyclically in the luteal phase of a menstrual cycle. There is no report of final result of reflexology on PMS. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effect of reflexology on PMS through a systematic review and meta-analysis study. Method The present study was a systematic review and meta-analysis that was conducted by searching in 8 electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ProQuest, Scopus, Google Scholar, and SID until December 28, 2018. In this regard, interventional studies, which examined the impact of reflexology on women with premenstrual syndrome, were included. These studies were published during 1993 to 2018. The Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess the quality of studies. Meta-analysis was performed by the help of CMA 2 software. Results Nine out of 407 studies finally remained after screening...

In questa analisi dell'arto inferiore, uno studio preciso ed esauriente del massaggio plantare e dell'agopuntura risulterebbe prolisso e fuori luogo, interessando solamente un aspetto di una parte dell'arto inferiore, tuttavia ne traccerò le linee fondamentali. Nota anche come "terapia zonale", la riflessologia è un metodo di cura che sfrutta i punti riflessi che si trovano sulle piante dei piedi (e sui palmi delle mani) per agire lungo i meridiani e giungere agli organi interessati. Spesso troviamo sotto questa voce anche altre terapie, quali l'agopuntura, la neuralterapia, l'auricoloterapia, lo shiatsu etc. La parola indica la ripetizione di un'azione curva, il rimandare indietro qualcosa (lat. re-flecto). In biologia, il riflesso è inteso come la risposta involontaria ad uno stimolo, che può essere profondo, superficiale o viscerale. Esistono anche tecniche inconsapevoli di stimolazione riflessologica. Un esempio è la madre che dà dei colpetti sulla schiena del lattante perché egli digerisca: se effettuata correttamente, cioè sulla terza/quarta vertebra dorsale, essa agisce sull'ultima parte dell'esofago e sulla valvola cardias. Il massaggio plantare nacque millenni fa. Abbiamo alcuni disegni murali in una tomba egizia del 2330 a.C., ed alcune testimonianze scritte ci trasmettono l'uso di questa pratica nell'estremo Oriente ed in Cina, anche se la pratica è nata nel bacino del Mediterraneo. Si tratta di un massaggio zonale delle piante dei piedi che ha la funzione di riequilibrare da un punto di vista energetico il nostro organismo, prevenendo o curando molti stati patologici. E' una terapia olistica, ed in quanto tale, considera l'individuo nel suo insieme corpo-mente-spirito. Attraverso questo massaggio sciogliamo e rimuoviamo blocchi energetici, detti altrimenti "punti doloranti" o "punti sabbiosi", che ostacolano il libero fluire dell'energia nel nostro corpo. Massaggiando il piede secondo il sistema riflessologico, stimoliamo le terminazioni nervose collegate ai vari organi, e quindi massaggiamo l'organo o quel punto del corpo in via riflessa. Si ristabilisce inoltre quella fluidità circolatoria ed energetica alterata, migliorando il ritorno venoso. Possiamo quindi, non solamente ristabilire armonia e funzionalità ai nostri organi, ma anche prevenire lo sviluppo di problemi venosi. Non esistono controindicazioni nell'applicazione della riflessologia, ed anzi essa rappresenta un

Rеflеxоlоgу is аn ancient and nаturаl hеаlіng рrосеѕѕ that dаtеѕ bасk аt least 5,000 уеаrѕ tо Egурtіаn and Orіеntаl cultures. Some call іt a kіn tо Aсuрunсturе bесаuѕе ѕресіfіс points аnd target аrеаѕ guіdе practitioners оf bоth tесhnіԛuеѕ. Hоwеvеr, Aсuрunсturе incorporates the uѕе оf fіnе needles аррlіеd tо thе еntіrе body, whеrеаѕ Rеflеxоlоgу does not uѕе needles аnd соnсеntrаtеѕ on the fееt. Rеflеxоlоgу can also bе реrfоrmеd on the hаndѕ and еаrѕ.

This study aimed to compare the effects of reflexology and aromatherapy massage on the severity of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in 105 female patients undergoing hemodialysis. A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted in a hemodialysis center with 48 beds in a high turnover hospital in an urban area of Iran. Intervention groups received reflexology (n = 35) and aromatherapy massage using lavender essential oil (n = 35) for 24 sessions, and the placebo group (n = 35) received simple foot massage. The restless legs syndrome rating scale was used to assess RLS severity in the groups before the intervention and after 4 and 8 weeks of the interventions. Results obtained by the mixed model analysis 3 * 3 (3 groups * 3 times) revealed the significant effect of time, group, and the time–group interrelationship (p = 0.001). Aromatherapy massage reduced the RLS severity, but reflexology did not appear to cause any significant reduction in it. Therefore, we suggest that arom...

This study was a double-blind randomized controlled trial conducted in 74 tobacco addicts, enrolled in four Smart Quit  clinics and allocated using the block-of-4 technique, from 1 June 2012 to 28 February 2013. The objectives, methods and benefits of the study were explained to both the experimental and the control groups. Trained therapists applied acupressure at the assigned foot reflexology zones twice a week for all participants. The results showed that smoking cessation rates  were 47.60 % in the experimental group and only 12.50 % in the control group (p&lt;0.05). The cessation was achieved after receiving 1 to 11 treatments - an average of 5 treatments.  Among them, 69.05 % in the experimental group versus 43.75 % in the control group reported changes in cigarette taste. At the  end of the study, the experimental group had a significantly lower carbon monoxide level in exhaled breath compared to that in the control group (p&lt;0.05). The smoking cessation was not found to be associated with the tastes and types of cigarettes as well as the duration, severity and causes of addiction. In the experimental group, the smoking cessation rates were found to be 42.86 % at 1 and 3 months and 38.10 % at 6 months after treatment initiation. In conclusion, foot reflexology is effective in treating smoking addiction, and on average the smoking cessation was achieved after receiving 5 treatments.

Background: Elevated patient anxiety during surgery is linked to a range of suboptimal treatment outcomes. Reflexology has been reported to be effective in reducing pre and post-operative anxiety and post-operative pain.

Objectives: To explore whether the addition of hand reflexology to treatment as usual during minimally invasive varicose vein surgery under local anaesthetic impacted upon patient reported anxiety and pain during surgery, and patient satisfaction with treatment.

Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Setting: Private outpatient clinic specialising in venous conditions.

Participants: 137 participants were assessed for eligibility. One hundred patients were recruited (mean age 47.8 years, 83% female). Participants received endovenous thermal ablation and/or phlebectomy for the treatment of varicose veins. Inclusion criteria included age (between 18 and 80) and receiving endovenous thermal ablation and/or phlebectomy for the treatment of varicose veins under local anaesthetic. Exclusion criteria included the presence of leg ulcers and receiving microsclerotherapy or foam sclerotherapy treatments, being unwilling to enter into the randomisation process and arriving late at the clinic.

Methods: Participants were randomly allocated to either treatment as usual (control group) or intra-operative hand reflexology during minimally invasive varicose vein surgery under local anaesthetic. Participants in the reflexology group received a session of intra-operative hand reflexology which began in the operating theatre, prior to analgesic injections and continued until surgery was complete. It was not possible to blind the participants, researchers or theatre staff to group allocation due to the modifications required to the operating theatre for participants in the reflexology group. The researcher could not be blinded due to the role they played in the trial organisation.

Results: Of the 137 participants screened for eligibility, 7 participants declined to participate and a further 30 did not meet the inclusion criteria, giving a recruitment rate of 93%. Fifty participants were randomised to the reflexology group and fifty participants were randomised to the control group. Intra-operative anxiety was significantly lower in the reflexology group (mean score of 3.24 on an 11-point rating scale) than the control group (mean score of 5.0, p<.001).

Conclusions: Intra-operative hand reflexology is a useful adjunct to local anaesthetic varicose vein surgery, with participants in the reflexology group reporting significantly lower intra-operative anxiety and shorter pain duration than participants receiving treatment as usual.