How Does Reflexology Work

Reflexology, in common with other complementary therapies, is trying to gain scientific credibility in order to be accepted by the mainstream medical profession. Part of this process involves explaining how Reflexology works. Listed below are some of the common theories of how Reflexology works. Many of the theories are not exclusive to Reflexology, and can be applied to a number of other therapies.

The Nerve Impulse Theory
When pressure is applied to the foot, or any other organ in the body, afferent neurons conduct the message to ganglia or groups of neurons outside the spinal cord. Normally, messages pass from the ganglia to the spinal cord then up to the brain for interpretation. Motor nerves than carry responses down the spinal cord, out to the ganglia then on to the appropriate muscles for activity.

The electrical impulse theory says that for a reason, as yet unexplained, messages from the feet reaching the ganglia connect up with the messages going to muscles, so that working the feet has direct action on bodily organs. This explains why Reflexology zones are vertical, with pressure on one side of the foot affecting organs on the same side of the body. The theory can also be used to explain how Reflexology benefits people with paralysis due to severing of the spinal cord.

The electrical impulse theory has much in common with the reflex arc, a well-known physiological phenomenon. Examples of involuntary reflexes include blinking, pupil contraction to light, knee and ankle jerks. The doctor tapping the bottom of the knee with a rubber hammer so that the leg shoots up is checking that the reflex arc is working, as an indication of proper neurological functioning. The reflex arc relies on nerve synapses or connections between sensory nerves and motor nerves in the spinal cord so that the activity takes place a split second before the brain is told about it, or can initiate it itself.

Gate Control Theory
A theory of pain is the gate-control theory. This theory says that pain receptors in the spinal cord regulating the amount of pain that can pass up to the brain. Once all the receptors are full, the 'gate' shuts, stopping further pain messages going up to the brain. This limits the amount of pain we feel.

The Placebo Effect
Many studies have indicated that patients have benefited from medication and surgery when they have in fact been receiving a placebo. Likewise, patients have suffered side effects from inert substances taken as a placebo. Trust in the therapist is an essential component of the effect as is the therapists' confidence in what they are doing. Personality type is no indication as to reaction to a placebo. Perhaps the reason that Reflexology works is because of a placebo effect and the type of treatment is not as important as the relationship between therapist and client.

Impeded and Unimpeded Energy Flow Theory
This theory suggests that the ground pulsates with positive and negative electrical energy charges that are picked up by positive and negative receptors on the feet. The energy receptors in the feet are a part of the nervous system. In the healthy person, the charges and energy from the earth pass freely into the nervous system.

If the positive and negative charges in the feet are not in contact with the earth, due to congestion in the feet or particles impeding passage, they cannot pick up the earth charges as effectively and energy flow is impeded.

Reflexology can unblock the pathways allowing the electrical terminals in the feet to touch the ground again so that energy can flow freely again.

It is now thought that modern systems of pain relief e.g. TENS machines, work by mildly stimulating the nerve pathways. All the receptors are filled, the gates shut and severe pain stimuli cannot be passed up the spinal cord to the brain. It has been hypothesized that Reflexology works in the same way as a TENS machine.

The Relaxation Effect
It is known that much illness originates from stress and tension in the body. It can be theorized that anything that relieves stress and tension and promotes deep relaxation will enable systems and organs in the body to work much more effectively. This theory suggest that Reflexology is very restful and relaxing, and therefore alleviates and helps prevent illness.

Subtle Energy/Zone/Meridian Theories
Subtle energy is a life force that animates the physical body. It is absorbed from the universe in general and from the air around us in particular when we breathe, touch or eat and it can be channeled into the body by healers. Zone theories have been around for several centuries, meridian theories for a lot longer. Both believe that subtle energy flows through the body in channels and that disruption to this energy flow results in ill health. Energy may stagnate, become blocked, or speed up. Blockages may be caused by stress, pain, injury and trauma or by a lack of exercise, amongst other reasons. The role of the therapist is to work on the areas of disrupted energy to restore a normal flow. See Zone Theory article for more details

The Holographic Principle
At a highly symbolic level, the holographic principle that "every piece contains the whole" can be seen in the cellular structure of all living bodies. Scientific discoveries in the world of cellular biology, have demonstrated that every cell contains a copy of the master DNA blueprint, with enough information to make an entire human body from scratch. The fact that every cell within the human body contains the information to create an entire duplicate body mirrors the holographic principle (see article "Understanding the Holographic Principle" ) whereby every piece contains the information of the whole.

This holographic principle when extended to the human body as a whole and Reflexology in particular may be applied like this. Parts of the body such as the hands, ears, and feet when stimulated affect the body as a whole. In that each of these parts carries the picture of the whole body, and so homeostasis or a dynamic state of balance can be achieved by stimulating the reflexes in any one of these parts.