Qualified Reflexologist in Wetherby
What is Reflexology?
Reflexology can be a helpful treatment for common health related conditions such as back pain, poor circulation, high blood pressure, hormonal imbalances, fertility, insomnia, high levels of stress and gastro-intestinal disturbance including bowel & digestive difficulties and IBS. Reflexology can also be helpful for anyone that has been immobile for a period of time or follows a too sedentary life due to work or home pressures.
Although focused on the feet or hands, reflexology is a treatment for the whole body that works through controlled pressure techniques using the thumbs, forefingers and knuckles on specific reflex points which in turn treat and rebalance the whole of the body. Reflexologists use detailed foot and hand maps that divide the hands and feet into specific zones enabling all parts of the anatomy to be accessed and stimulated. It is a non-invasive therapy that does not aim to diagnose or cure illness but rather to promote the body's powerful self-healing capability and improve and optimise physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
Benefits of Reflexology - How Will It Help Me?
Reflexology has been shown to be safe to practice on most people of all ages with no harmful side effects. Its main intention is bring the body's natural systems back into balance and facilitate the organism's powerful abilities to heal itself. It has many positive and long-term health benefits, including the following:
- Responding to stress and tension in the body, by increasing blood and nerve supply to the muscles and stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.
- Greatly improving the function of the blood and circulatory system, by aiding the transport of nutrients, oxygen, enzymes and hormones more readily and efficiently throughout the body.
- Improving the elimination of waste and toxins from the body by stimulating the body's lymphatic system.
- Reducing pain and inflammation in the body
Reflexology can be used successfully on its own or in combination with other therapies to treat a wide range of health conditions including:
- Arthritis, Inflammation and Back Pain
- Stress and Anxiety
- Insomnia and Sleep Disorders
- Circulatory Issues (blood pressure imbalances, cold hands and feet, etc.)
- Fertility Issues
- Hormonal Imbalances (Thyroid, post-menopausal problems, etc.)
- Antenatal Discomfort and aiding Post Natal Recovery
- Hayfever, Allergies, Sinusitis
- Digestive and Bowel dysfunctions (IBS, constipation, colic, etc.)
- Persistent skin conditions, e.g. Eczema
This is the first time I have had reflexology, what should I expect?
Initial Consultation
At your first treatment, I will conduct a personal consultation and agree a treatment plan with you. I usually allocate 15-minutes to this and it involves me understanding something about your overall health and lifestyle, any particular health stresses you may be struggling with and gaining a sense of what your overall hopes are from your treatment.
I will also explain a bit about how reflexology works, its benefits, what healing reaction you might encounter and how the treatments will be carried out.
How the treatment begins
I will then ask you to remove your footwear and ask you to make yourself comfortable on the reflexology chair. Once you are warm and comfortable, I will usually arrange to have some relaxing music playing in the background, adjust the lighting and ask you to close your eyes and quieten your mind. I will then begin the treatment, by refreshing your feet, and taking a foot assessment. This is simply just to look at the colour, temperature, tone, and flexibility of your feet. I will then moisturise both feet and perform a short massage on each foot to warm and loosen the tension in your feet and ankles. I will then begin the reflexology treatment, which will take approx. 40 minutes.
After Treatment Advice
After the treatment, it is helpful to allow time for a drink of water and give yourself a few moments before leaving to continue with your day.
Possible Healing Reactions
As the work is deep and can stimulate the body's own healing, there are sometimes healing reactions to reflexology that can occur during or after the treatment and could include the following:
- Changes in your energy levels, resulting in either increase in tiredness/or feeling more energised
- Feeling light-headed/headache
- Heightened emotional reaction
- Light nausea
- Runny nose/sneezing
- More frequent urination (urine may be darker and stronger smelling)
- Increase/change in bowel habits
- Breakout of skin blemishes
While not common, they are all normal healing reactions and usually pass 48-hours after treatment. They can usually be minimised by increasing your fluid intake and allowing yourself more rest.
Recommended Number Of Treatments
For those of you interested in having reflexology for relaxation purposes or to optimise your health & wellbeing, I recommend coming for treatment every 3 weeks.
If you are struggling with an acute or chronic health condition, I usually recommend that you come for weekly treatments for at least 8 to 12 weeks. After this time, we will discuss and review your progress and what improvements you feel you are making. We will then agree a new treatment plan, with a view of moving treatments to fortnightly and then monthly as a top up and ongoing maintenance. If however, after the first 8 to 12 weeks, you are not feeling confident there has been an improvement, we should discuss options and possibly consider either you talking again to your GP, or whether I might be able to recommend an alternative complementary practitioner.
