Reflexology Treatments

Reflexology is a particularly successful fertility boosting therapy when used in conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle. Apart from relaxation, it can also boost blood circulation, help balance hormone levels and regulate the menstrual cycle. It is particularly useful in cases of sub-fertility and can be performed on both partners to promote optimum fertility. Reflexology can also help clients undergoing fertility treatment (IVF, IUI, ICSI and clients on medicated cycles). The increased blood circulation seems to enhance the effects of medical fertility treatment.

I use a combination of techniques to stimulate and balance the hormones.  I also discuss the need for pre-conception care for both partners.

• It promotes deep relaxation, maximising the chances of conception. Stress is a significant factor that affects fertility as chronic/ongoing stress causes the body to produce stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. These slow the production of reproductive hormones, making it harder to conceive
• It helps to normalise the menstrual cycle and correct hormonal imbalances. By stimulating the reproductive organs, it synchronises ovulation and improves sperm production
• It can help clients undergoing IVF treatment as the increased blood circulation seems to enhance the effects of medical fertility treatment. I work with clients up to egg transfer/implantation and then again after 12 weeks, once the pregnancy has become established
• It provides a much-needed opportunity to escape from stress and worry. Many of my clients arrive despairing, upset and often angry about their difficulties conceiving. I am able to support them through these emotions and help them towards a more positive state of mind

Reproductive reflexology is for women at any stage in their fertility planning, whether they are enhancing their general health before trying for a baby, experiencing problems with conception or require help and guidance during pregnancy.

• One in six couples in the UK experience difficulty conceiving
• In over 40% of instances of infertility, the causes are unexplained
• Fertility declines with age – this applies to men as well as women
• After pregnancy, infertility is the most common reason that women aged 20 to 45 visit their GP
• The majority of fertility treatment in the UK has to be paid for privately as NHS provision is limited and varies geographically

Reflexology during pregnancy aims to optimise the physical and emotional health of the expectant mother and also allows them time away from their busy life, to focus purely on themselves and their growing baby.

Reflexology is a profoundly relaxing and supportive treatment for women during pregnancy. It helps to prevent or alleviate discomfort arising from hormonal and physiological imbalance and restores the body’s equilibrium. Reflexology is also of great support postnatally.

• It reduces stress, anxiety and insomnia
• It offers relief from sickness, vomiting and headaches
• It eases heartburn and constipation
• It reduces oedema (swelling, mainly of the feet and ankles)
• It increases energy levels during what can be a tiring experience
• It offers relief from physical problems; such as, back pain, muscular pain, abdominal pain, groin pain, ligament pain, SPD and pelvic pain
• Enjoy a healthier pregnancy, a shorter labour with less pain relief and a reduced chance of interventions; such as, forceps or C section
• Post-natal reflexology will aid recovery, boost energy levels, promote milk production and provide much needed relaxation. Babies often join in the reflexology session when they are newly born

This is a time of huge change in hormone levels, often full of anxieties and concerns whilst a mother to be adjusts to being pregnant. Some mothers seem to sail through pregnancy and are elated, others are more weepy and exhausted. The aim of reflexology during this trimester is to relax, de-stress and offer support.

Principally during the first three months of pregnancy I work on reflexes to relieve the symptoms of morning sickness, constipation, dizziness, anxiety, heartburn, headaches, fatigue, and breast tenderness.

In some instances, it may not be appropriate to work on certain pregnant clients during their first trimester, if risk factors are present. I work on a case-by-case basis and discuss suitability prior to treatment.

In the second and third trimester reflexology can be used for general well-being and to help address health issues; such as, backache, pelvic pain, symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD), constipation, haemorrhoids, sinus problems, bleeding gums, fluid retention, swollen ankles (oedema), low mood, anxiety, breathlessness, dizziness, fatigue, heartburn, acid reflux, increased urination and varicose veins. It is an ideal treatment for simply relieving tired and aching feet or poor circulation. 

Reflexology treatments can help to rebalance the hormones after labour. It can also regulate the organs and glands, reducing emotional stress and the effects of chemical imbalances. Post-natal reflexology helps the uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy state, provides emotional support for the new mother and helps to promote relaxation at a potentially stressful time. It also stimulates a good supply of breast milk for the baby. The baby often joins the mother in the reclining chair during a reflexology treatment.

Reflexology is a very supportive treatment for women experiencing hormonal deregulation around menopause and perimenopause; or those generally struggling with their menstrual cycle. It is a successful hormone balancing therapy when used in conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle. Apart from offering relaxation, it can also boost blood circulation, help balance hormone levels, help regulate the menstrual cycle and improve sleep patterns.

 As a consequence of the western diet, many of us have too much oestrogen in our bodies and too little progesterone. Our hormonal symphony is easily unbalanced.

Many women approach the menopause with dread as they anticipate that it will be unpleasant, with symptoms ranging from hot flushes and tiredness to broken sleep and low mood. Reflexology, combined with lifestyle, dietary changes and guided supplementation offers a more holistic approach to hormonal regulation. Increasingly women are not happy with HRT as an option and are seeking a more natural approach to their menopause.

In addition to working with women going through peri-menopause and menopause, I am able to treat women with pre-menstrual tension (PMT) problems, endometriosis, fibroids, poly cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), menstrual problems (heavy and irregular periods) and general hormone imbalances. Some women can also present with painful periods and abdominal cramping, irritability, memory problems and low mood.

I use a combination of specialised and fertility/maternity reflexology techniques together to balance the body’s entire endocrine system. This helps to normalise the menstrual cycle and correct hormone imbalances by stimulating the reproductive system.

My objective is to help reduce the stress response of the body and this can be encouraged to continue declining with regular treatments. I focus on all the endocrine organs, including the adrenal glands, thyroid and parathyroid glands. This supports the hormone symphony of the body for the stress response and the multiple functions that our hormones have to perform.

Whilst HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is said to be very effective at relieving night sweats and hot flushes in particular – the treatment is known to have a number of potential side effects, ranging from headaches and vaginal bleeding to an increased risk of blood clots and breast cancer. Many women are seeking more natural alternatives; such as, complementary therapies, herbal remedies and dietary support.

A recent study selected 120 women attending a menopause clinic in Turkey during menopause and pre-menopause, experiencing untreated hot flushes. The women were split into a control group who had a basic foot massage and a therapy group who received reflexology for half an hour twice weekly for six weeks. Whilst both groups experienced a decrease in symptoms, the reflexology group showed a much greater decrease in symptoms. They also experienced significantly improved sex drives and reduced sex avoidance behaviour!

Gozuyesil E, Baser M (2016)

Reflexology can help reduce pain and speed up the overall recovery period for most sports injuries. The combination of increased blood circulation, increased nerve activity and a better functioning metabolism improves tissue regeneration and means that the body can repair itself and heal wounds faster. Whether you are a professional athlete, amateur sports person or regularly keep active to maintain fitness, incorporating reflexology into your regime can be extremely beneficial.

I have experience of working with golfers, runners, tennis players. Many sports people use reflexology as a preventative treatment to maintain their physical health.

As our bodies age, our nerve endings become less sensitive in parts of our body, particularly in our extremities. Reflexology for pain relief and injury recovery has been connected with stimulating more than 7,000 different nervous endings in a single session. Stimulating nerves increases their function and reactivity, which in turn could interrupt or alter the way that you feel pain.

I use advanced spinal reflexology and mobilisation techniques combined with nerve reflexology work, skeletal systems points, and cranial sacral work to help clients obtain pain relief from injuries and to promote speedier tissue healing. 

I will soon undertake advanced training with Lynne Booth, who teaches sports and mobility reflexology and is Bristol City Football Club’s reflexologist.

According to traditional Chinese medicine, when energy becomes blocked or stagnant in the body, injury and disease can occur. The aim of reflexology is to bring the body back into a perfect state of balance by allowing the energy to flow smoothly.

The relaxing effects of reflexology are vital at times of injury, where stress levels may be elevated and the player or athlete is not able to compete. The emotional and psychological impact of the injury should never be underestimated.

Reflexology supports the central nervous system and targets specific stress reflexes on the feet to bring about a deep state of relaxation and inner calm. The adrenal glands play an important role in any inflammatory conditions by producing glucocorticoids, the most abundant being cortisol (hydrocortisone). By using specific reflexology techniques on the adrenal gland reflex, a completely natural, but potent anti-inflammatory response is triggered.

International athlete Steve Watson was left crippled after a horrific sports injury, his 2016 Olympic dream in tatters. He damaged several spinal discs and suffered severe muscle damage to his lower back, leaving him unable to bend, with severe mobility problems.

In October 2014, Steve undertook a course of reflexology upon the recommendation of Parnham Donyai, a successful sporting business entrepreneur. After eighteen months of little progress with conventional therapies, his recovery and mobility was dramatically improved once the regular reflexology treatments began. Within two weeks his pain was considerably better and within a month it was gone. Steve said: ‘Like many, prior to the reflexology treatment I was a real sceptic, and now I’m kicking myself for not trying it much earlier following my injury. I would strongly recommend alternative treatments to anyone who has been let down by conventional treatment. It totally worked for me and if it worked on me, it can work on anyone’.

Some very prominent PGA Tour Pros also use the ancient eastern healing therapy of reflexology. The list is extensive; with names such as, Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus, John Daly, Fred Funk, David Duval, Fred Couples and more. Fred Funk stated in a testimonial that reflexology has helped him deal with ‘over use injuries’ he has from playing golf.

Dr Carol Samuel, who trained as a reflexologist, undertook a series of studies and experiments into the treatment of acute pain as part of her PhD studies at the University of Portsmouth.

She established that people felt 40% less pain and were able to stand pain for 45% longer when reflexology was used as a method of pain relief. The study concluded that reflexology could be used successfully as an adjunct to traditional pain relief and as a therapy it has much to offer performing athletes and sports people.

Receiving a diagnosis of a life-threatening illness such as Cancer can be an incredible shock resulting in huge uncertainty, emotional and physical trauma. 

Reflexology can often help both emotionally and physically to overcoming this shock as well as aiding symptom relief, general well-being and improving quality of life.  Reflexology can help patients feel a sense of taking control and doing something for themselves.

Some benefits to having reflexology as part of palliative care include:

• Helping to support emotional well-being and often improving quality of life

Helping to relieve anxiety, stress and depression which often go hand-in-hand with a life-threatening illness such as cancer (for both patient and carer) therefore helping them with their ability to cope

• Improving sleep pattern
• Reducing pain
• Boosting the immune system
• Assisting the body to heal post surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy which may have caused tissue damage
• Reducing swelling (oedema)
• Being non-invasive therefore not requiring the patient to remove all their clothing (just socks and shoes) and not invading personal space in the way some other complementary therapies may
• Allowing the one-to-one set up to be used as either time for relaxation or communication with an ear to listen to the patient
• Balancing the body
• Boosting energy levels

Reflexology for Palliative Care Treatments

Initial treatments will begin with a health, diet and lifestyle consultation to help develop a personalised treatment plan. Treatment times can be adapted to suit your needs. If preferred, treatments can take place in your bed or wherever you feel most comfortable.  Whilst treatments are generally on the feet, hand reflexology can be used as an alternative if preferred.

 NEPIP routine is a treatment specific to the body’s responses to stress and exclusive to Level 5 Practitioners.

Neurology is the study of the nervous system

Endocrinology is the study of the endocrine system

Psychology is the study of mind and behaviour (the Greek word psyche = spirit/soul)

Immunology is the study of the immune system

Pody means feet in Greek

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Put them together and you have NEPIP, the scientific study of the relationship between our brain our nervous system activities and their direct relationship with the endocrine system (via the hypothalamus), how this affects our health via the immune system and all replicated / reflected in the feet. (Sue Alma Evans, Centralia).

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We live in a stressful world and sometimes that stress can take over our control on our health. It leads the body into an altered state of homeostasis and illness can result. NEPIP treatment alongside personal behavioural changes, support and regaining control can promote homeostasis and improvement in your health outcomes.

NEPIP treatment is a holistic treatment focusing on your nervous, endocrine, and immune systems which are linked to psychological wellbeing.

It is a deeply relaxing treatment and may result in an emotional release like crying, laughing or yawning, which is normal. 

Both of your feet are worked together at the same time and the sequence can take up to an hour. A full consultation is completed at the first session and feedback is provided at the end of the treatment. It is recommended that NEPIP is carried out over a period of 6 weeks for maximum benefit.

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