REFLEXOLOGY
by Jan MacRae RMT, DIR, SMTO
INTRODUCTION
Ann is 40 years old, happily married, with two children.
She has an active lifestyle looking after her family as
well as working part time in two shops in the village where
she lives. In her spare time she enjoys taking part in aerobics
classes.
MEDICAL HISTORY
At the initial consultation, Ann revealed that she had not
suffered any broken bones or been involved in any accidents.
She had undergone two operations in 1998 – one for
an ingrown toenail on her right big toe and one for varicose
veins in her left leg. Furthermore, she had a history of
migraine, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, sinusitis, hay fever,
dermatitis, depression, premenstrual discomfort in her left
breast and low back pain.
About three years ago, Ann began suffering from depression
and, around the same time, her periods became irregular
(although they subsequently returned to normal over the
ensuing months and have not been a problem since) and she
frequently experienced stabbing pains in the left side of
her abdomen. After a subsequent laporoscopy revealed enlarged
veins in her stomach, she was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel
Syndrome and was prescribed a heavy dosage of Mebeverine:
two tablets to be taken three times a day. This initially
helped the condition but, a couple of weeks before she sought
help through Reflexology; she experienced severe pain as
a result of an enlarged gut and the medication proved to
be ineffective. She eliminated coffee and chocolate from
her diet and cut down her intake of fresh fruit and vegetables
as she felt that these substances were exacerbating the
condition.
Before becoming pregnant with her first child 13 years
ago, Ann frequently suffered from migraine headaches. During
her pregnancy, the attacks ceased and she was not troubled
again until two or three years ago, when the problem recurred
on an occasional basis. By the middle of this year, however,
she was experiencing increasingly frequent attacks which
the GP believed were triggered by the IBS medication. She
was prescribed painkillers in the form of Pizotifen to be
taken every night in order to avoid waking with a migraine
in the morning.
Ann has suffered from sinusitis and hay fever for several
years and has lived with low back pain since her school
days. (The cause of the back pain is unknown, although she
thinks it may have stemmed from playing hockey.) She often
experiences discomfort in her left breast before a period.
In addition, a sensitive skin leads to occasional outbreaks
of dermatitis on her hands, the condition being exacerbated
by certain types of washing powder and jewelry.
Ann was extremely unhappy at the level of medication she
had been prescribed for her migraines and IBS and turned
to Reflexology in an attempt to restore her health without
the use of drugs.
AIMS OF TREATMENT AND TREATMENT PLAN
The stomach meridian begins under the eye, curves up to
the temple and continues down the body to end on the top
of the second toe. Its partner, the spleen/pancreas meridian,
runs from the tip of the big toe, up the leg, through the
pelvis, up the side of the abdomen and ends at the shoulder.
An imbalance in a meridian gives rise to symptoms along
its path and it was clear from the location of many of Ann’s
symptoms - both past and present – that the stomach
and spleen/pancreas meridians were in need of rebalancing.
For this reason, treatment focused on the nervous, endocrine
and digestive systems, with particular attention being paid
to the stomach reflex and the pads of the second and third
toes with a view to alleviating – and ultimately eliminating
the migraines and abdominal pain. It was hoped that by concentrating
on the stomach and spleen/pancreas meridians, the treatment
would have a knock-on effect with regard to the other conditions
from which Ann suffered.
FIRST TREATMENT
As both her migraines and sinusitis are predominantly right
sided, it was no surprise to find that the toe pads of the
right foot were more sensitive than those of the left. The
digestive reflexes felt puffy and tender, while discomfort
was felt along the spinal reflex - especially at the level
of the fourth, fifth and sixth thoracic vertebrae - on both
feet. (This, too, was somewhat unsurprising as the spinal
nerves at this level feed the gall bladder, liver and stomach
respectively.) At the end of the first treatment, Ann felt
very relaxed and experienced a tingling sensation in her
fingers. I explained the concept of the healing crisis and
advised her to drink plenty of water over the next couple
of days in order to help combat any side effects resulting
from this session.
SECOND TREATMENT (9 DAYS LATER)
Ann reported that she had not taken any painkillers on the
night of the first session and, although she awoke with
a headache the next day, it felt ‘different’
from a migraine and she resisted taking any medication.
Similarly, she did not take any IBS tablets, as the pains
in her stomach were not as severe as normal. For the next
couple of days, however, she felt ‘terrible’
- very tired with aching limbs and a pounding head but found
that these symptoms gradually disappeared over the course
of the week. Since the first treatment, Ann only needed
to take one IBS tablet and she felt much more positive and
energetic. During the assessment of her feet at this session,
it was clear that the sensitivity in her reflexes had reduced
enormously. There was a marked improvement in the texture
of the digestive reflexes and the second toe pads, although
still very firm, were much less tender than at the previous
session. Because of the reduction in discomfort in the reflexes,
Ann was able to relax completely during this session and
thoroughly enjoyed the treatment. Once again, I advised
her to drink plenty of water to combat any side effects
though I felt confident that any symptoms she experienced
would not be as severe as last time.
THIRD TREATMENT (14 DAYS LATER)
When she returned for her third treatment a fortnight later,
Ann reported that she had come down with a stomach bug the
previous week, so treatment was focused on the lymphatic
system to restore balance and improve immunity and energy
levels. Generally, however, she felt much better with the
occasional mild headache and very little stomach discomfort.
Even at this early stage, it was apparent that Reflexology
was having the desired effect in reducing the severity and
regularity of many of Ann’s symptoms. She was hugely
encouraged by the positive results and, having continued
to make good progress over the ensuing weeks, she now requires
a simple ‘top up’ treatment on a monthly basis.
Looking at each of Ann’s symptoms in turn, it can
be seen that Reflexology has, indeed, achieved the goals
it set out to meet. Over the last five months, Ann has received
nine treatments in total and, in that time, she has taken
no medication other than one IBS tablet (as documented,
between the first and second sessions). She has not had
a migraine attack since beginning the course of treatment
and, although she still experiences headaches from time
to time, the pain is mild and of short duration. She has
not been bothered greatly by hay fever or sinusitis this
year and her left breast, which is usually quite tender
before a period, has given her little discomfort.
The pain in her lower back – most often felt when
tired or when lifting - has also diminished greatly.
This study demonstrates how important a role Reflexology
can play with regard to restoring and maintaining health
in a non-invasive, non-chemical way. The client is now drug
free and, for the most part, pain free with the result that
she is a happier, more energised and positive individual.
About the Author
Jan graduated from Aberdeen University in 1993
with a degree in Law with Options in German. After gaining
a Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice, she spent nearly
three years working in the oil service industry before undertaking
a career change, which led her to study with the Grampian
School of Massage in Aberdeen. To date, she holds Diplomas
in Swedish Massage, Remedial and Sports Massage and Reflexology
and has also attended a seminar in Advanced Reflexology
Techniques. She is a Member of the Scottish Massage Therapists’
Organisation and practises in Kemnay, Aberdeenshire.
Jan is a firm believer in the power of complementary therapies
and is dedicated to providing a friendly, understanding
and professional service at all times. In this way, she
aims to maximise the benefits gained by her clients from
the therapies she practices.
Appointments can be arranged Monday to Friday 8.30am to
7pm by telephoning 01467 641087. Jan is also available for
talks and demonstrations to groups and clubs.
