Reflexology For Joint and Muscle Pain

Reflexology has been defined as the application of pressure with the thumb and forefinger on reflexive points on the feet and on the hands to stimulate occurrences within the body. This stimulation has been shown to cause physiological changes within the body and should not be confused with massage. There is one large difference between reflexology and massage, massage treats the underlying area that is being affected - whereas in reflexology the area being worked on causes changes in a different area within the body.

Reflexology has been known for centuries to have beneficial effects on the body in preventative measures as well as healing properties. Recently, it has been catching on as a way to deal with pain in the joints and the muscles, as well as a way of dealing with chronic pain. The body is a whole and should be treated as such when treating pain - reflexology successfully treats the body while assisting the prevention future illnesses.

Reflexology has shown to be especially helpful when dealing with foot pain. Using reflexology to treat foot pain literally deals with the root of the problem and is a superb alternate treatment to try. Anything from bunions, swollen feet and joint disjunction have been relieved with specific types of reflexology.

Reflexology has gained credibility since it has been proven that over seventy five percent of illnesses are related to stress, or can be improved by removing the stressor.

The principals of reflexology state that many illnesses are caused by a buildup of chemicals within certain areas of the body such as the hands and feet, and stimulating these areas can breakdown the buildup and therefore improve the symptoms. Uric acid and calcium are two of the minerals that have been known to cause buildups and decrease the optimal function of the body including the blood flow and organs. This can have devastating effects on the joints, and therefore causing pain. Allowing these mineral buildups to be released can decrease the tension that is being placed on the joints causing pain.

There are more than seven thousand nerve endings in each foot, and each of these nerve endings leads to the brain. This significant fact begins to give reflexology the merit that it deserves.

Arthritis has been shown a decrease in symptoms when reflexology was conducted on a study of nearly one thousand patients. There are twenty six bones in the hand. All of these bones must function symbiotically to gain the proper working of the hand, and the wrist. When these bones are manipulated it can show significant decrease in arthritis pain.

Reflexology is gaining merit, and beginning to be covered by numerous health plans. It seems as if there is a shift occurring in the medical profession from treating diseases and illnesses with medication to treating and preventing these diseases and illnesses with age-old, non invasive techniques - ask the patients who have seen success with reflexology who are pain free, or try it yourself - to really find out the answer.