Reflexology and the Treatment of M.E. and Other Depression Related Conditions

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The History of Reflexology

“Reflexology” is known to date from as early as 4000BC and there is evidence of the manipulation of feet for positive benefit being used in Egypt, China and by Native American Indians. However its practice did not really become widespread in the western world until the turn of the 1900s, when its “re-discovery was accredited to an American – Dr William Fitzgerald, although he gave it the description “Zone Therapy” and he did not base his work on just the feet. He is credited with creating the first zone map of the body, and used it for identifying pressure points thought to assist in relieving pain and anaesthetising areas of the body which ran along the same meridians or zones.

He also used items to apply pressure, such as clothes-pegs on the toes and rubber bands on fingertips, and found that this was especially helpful in things such as dental operations. His work was originally seen as controversial and it took until the 1930s for it to become more widely accepted – especially by Osteopaths and Dentist.

Eunice Ingham – a physiotherapist and assistant to Dr Riley in the 1930s later created the Ingham Reflex Method of Compression Massage and produced one of the first foot maps based on the zonal therapy system theorised by Dr Fitzgerald. She was the first real pioneer of reflexology as we know it today and was concerned with helping people to help themselves, offering the treatment as a diagnostic tool and by doing many lectures and by founding The International Institute of Reflexology. The term reflexology was not actually used until the mid 1950s and was created by Eunice to separate her work of compression massage of the feet from that of the earlier Zone Therapy treatment using instruments and items such as rubber bands.

Eunice’s theory was that her type of compression massage would dissolve crystalline deposits, thought to be blocking circulation to the various organs sited on the meridians in the body and she said “Let the massage be given with a creeping rotary motion, using the flat ball of the thumb as much as the corner towards the ends. Let the pressure be firm, but at the same time, gentle at first and gradually increase as much as you see the patient is able to endure.”

This is the motion that we practice today, and whilst it can sometimes be a painful process, continued massage over several treatments is thought to be of benefit in diagnosing and assisting the ease of various conditions. Unfortunately, although the method of foot massage and the presence of the crystalline deposits can be clearly felt, the actual theory behind how this gives assistance to the functioning of internal organs is not so clear, and as this has not been scientifically proven so this has been a barrier to Reflexology’s wider acceptance in the Medical world.

Today there is gradually growing to be a greater understanding of the practice and this can also be attributed to the work of Ann Gillanders, the founder of the British School of Reflexology and Chris Stormer, a Kenyan who has a background in the traditional Western medicines but who has since integrated reflexology as part of her wide range of Holistic therapies and has written many books about this and be particularly beneficial in some of the modern day “stress” related illnesses – such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Migraine and has an excellent case study with regards to this on her Website at www.allreflexology.com/tips.

Reflexology and M.E

I personally have been a sufferer of M.E since I was 11 years old, thought to have started by me having Glandular Fever not long after I started Comprehensive School. I have suffered several severe bouts with the condition since and I have tried a number of treatments over the years since to help alleviate the symptoms.

I have tried the general medicines and medications advised by my G.P and Specialist, including complete bed rest. But I found these to be very impractical, so I decided to try complementary therapies. After some time trying several different therapies which didn’t seem to help my symptoms, I stumbled upon Reflexology whilst doing my pedicurist training and decided to try a course of therapy. Needless to say I found a great deal of help from the Reflexology to my condition.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)

Also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome (PVFS) is the most common name given to a poorly understood, variably debilitating disorder or disorders of uncertain causation. The name itself is controversial, as advocacy groups as well as some experts feel it trivializes the illness and have supported efforts to change it. But I can assure you as a sufferer of this condition there is nothing trivial about it.

Every individual case of M.E is different although some of the symptoms are the same in patients. The main parts of the current definitions are:

·         The symptom of severe fatigue

·         Other specified symptoms

·         A reduced level of activity

·         An illness lasting at least six months

·         No better medical explanation for the fatigue

An extended period with the symptoms was specified in order to separate M.E from brief fatigue states that occur after almost any illness. (Although it doesn’t necessarily have to be six months).

Other symptoms include:

·         Malaise (feeling ill) after exertion

·         Difficulties in memory and concentration

·         Sore throat

·         Tender lymph nodes (‘glands’ in the neck, armpits and groin)

·         Myalgia (muscle pain)

·         Arthralgia (joint pain)

·         Headaches

·         Disturbed and unrefreshed sleep

·         Depression

·         Anxiety

·         Stress

·         Abdominal and digestive problems

·         Chest pain

·         Nausea (feeling sick)

·         Feeling inappropriately hot or cold

·         Night sweats

·         Looking pale when tired

·         Feeling dizzy or light-headed

·         Problems with balance

·         Worsening of symptoms before a period

·         Hearing problems such as hyperacusis (painful sensitivity to noises)

·         Eye problems such as pain around the eyes, difficulty focusing, and sensitivity to bright lights

As I said previously not all symptoms are apparent in all cases, so the reflexes worked varies depending on which symptoms are at their worst.

Reflexes to be worked for M.E would be:

·         Sinus reflexes

·         Eye reflexes

·         Head reflex

·         Pituitary gland reflex

·         Hypothalamus gland reflexes

·         Shoulder and neck reflexes

·         Chest reflexes

·         Brain reflexes

·         Spine reflex

·         Adrenal reflex

·         Stomach and intestinal reflexes

Further reflexes depend on the patients other symptoms they are experiencing.

Case Study no 1

 

Client 1                 Age 44                  sex male

Background Health

Ongoing problems with shoulders, neck and back pain

M.E (recently diagnosed and admitted knowing very little about the condition at present)

Stress and Anxiety

Occupation

 IT Manager covering UK wide operations, with much travelling involved between offices all over the country. Much laptop work in less than ideal sitting positions. Motorcyclist and Golf played in spare time.

Initial Consultation

Client 1’s initial verbal consultation showed up no major health problems apart from the aforementioned shoulder and neck problems and M.E. Although after further conversation under the lifestyle profile we discovered that a very high caffeine intake and low water and wholefood consumption could contribute to the poor sleep pattern and irregular bowel movements he was experiencing. Client 1 is also experiencing high levels of stress due to his occupation and this is not helping his M.E symptoms. He tries to not let the M.E get the better of him, although he has had considerable time off work due to this.

Positioning of Client

Client 1 is tall and we found that the taller of the couches were better for him – although not long enough for him to lie supine so a seated upright position with lumbar and back support was required.

1st Consultation – 30th Jan – Salon – Assessment

Client 1 was slightly anxious as he previously really disliked anyone touching his feet as he was very ticklish – but apart from flinching during the washing and foot scrub procedure, once I commenced the relaxation movements he soon found that the firmer pressure was quite pleasant to him. He asked a lot of questions during this consultation as holistic therapy generally is a new subject for him.

He was generally quite stiff and despite extended relaxation movements took a long time to relax. He was still showing after effects of a cold in lungs and sinus areas from two weeks previously and the liver was very tender (possibly due to alcohol consumed over a full and busy weekend). His alcoholic consumption tends to be wine and whiskey.

The prostate area was very tender and as client 1 was nearly 44 and had been invited for a “mot” at his GP I recommended that this could be something he could have checked out. He had had his BP checked earlier in the day and this was also rather high at 145/106. During close inspection of his feet it was noticed that client 1 had warts growing under the 3rd and 4th toenail of the right foot and he also informed me that he was a regular sufferer of athlete’s foot on the same foot although this was not in evidence at the present time. His spine and joint reflexes were tender which was also showing the after effects of the cold he had had and that it had aggravated his M.E some what.

 

2nd Consultation – 30th Jan – Salon

Client 1 was very pleased to tell me of the dietary and lifestyle changes he had endeavoured to make since the previous consultation. The stiffness in his joints he experiences due to his M.E has eased slightly and whilst not being fond of drinking plain water he has swapped his high caffeine intake for fruit teas and is drinking up to 15 of these a day with only a couple of coffees when he feels he needs it. He has changed his drinking habits onto Real Ale and cut down dramatically on the whisky and wine consumption and this was quite evident from the liver area which was much less tender than previously. He still had problems in the shoulder area and was due to visit his GP later on in the week as was experiencing some numbness in his right arm and fingers which was concerning him. He had been doing some heavy work in the garden and was having a little back pain which was evident from the coccyx area of both feet. The lungs were still slightly congested and he admitted to having a “morning cough” which he had been unable to shake off. This is a predominant symptom in M.E of a “cough” being unable to shift, M.E sufferers have a much slower immune system than a healthy person and it can take some weeks for them to shake even the most basic of colds.

3rd Consultation – 20th March – Salon

Client 1 had just returned from a 10 day motorcycling holiday in Florida, and whilst he had enjoyed his break from work, he admitted that the constant riding position had taken its toll on his shoulders, and he had relaxed and enjoyed his beers and wines more than he would normally have done. His shoulder area was sore – and the liver area was particularly tender – as was the kidney on the right foot. He also had a lot of tenderness in the heart/thymus reflex area – we could not directly attribute this to anything specific – although the stress of returning to work email inbox in excess of 400 emails could have had something to do with it! Joints and muscles are aching which is again presumably from the bike ride and even though he did relax as much as possible he was experiencing some exhaustion from the whole experience which could have been caused by his M.E. I helped by working his lungs and adrenal reflexes a little to ease his breathing and boost his energy levels. He also had quite a bad case of athletes foot between the 4th and 5th toes on the right foot – which after discussion we put down to wearing the same biking boots constantly for 10 days in a relatively humid temperature.

Athletes foot – Tinea Pedis

This is a fugal infection of the foot caused by small parasites on the skin called dermatophytes and is a type of ringworm. They thrive in warm moist places and so tinea is highly contagious, spreading by skin to skin contact and also through towels, shoes and floors. Typically it takes the form of a red itchy rash – often between 4th and 5th toes, but if not treated can turn into pustules or eczema like rash covering more of the foot.

Treatment consists of cleaning and drying feet thoroughly, wearing cotton socks and non manmade fibre shoes and by applying anti-fungal creams and powders to the feet. During treatment I was extremely careful to wash my hands between touching one foot and the other, and again after treatment to avoid cross-infection and also ensured that after washing his feet the area between the toes was properly dried. Towels were removed for cleaning immediately after treatment. I was careful working the reflexes in that area so as not to cause splitting of the skin further.

4th Consultation – 17th April – Salon

Client 1 has really made an effort in his lifestyle changes – the coffee consumption is now practically zero – he is experimenting with different fruit teas and has been eating brown breads and more salads in his lunchtime sandwiches, although still admits a weakness for McCoy’s spicy crisps! His high strength alcohol consumption has dropped considerably, and as he admits he is a “volume” drinker he has been consuming lower strength beers and bottled ales and finds that his unit consumption has probably halved from that in the initial consultation.

The consultation with GP has revealed a trapped 5th ulnar nerve which apparently will heal in time, so he is concentrating closely on positioning himself correctly when using his laptop i.e. sitting at the table rather than on the couch. He still holds a lot of his stress in his shoulders.

Stress – client 1 knows that the pressure he is currently under at work and home is a contributory factor to his state of health and exhibits some of the classic stress symptoms such as dramatic mood swings, diminished libido, unable to concentrate, aches in back and shoulders, insomnia or waking up still tired, muscle twitches, drinking large quantities of caffeine or alcohol (or in client1’s case both), being too busy to relax, working longer and longer hours but seemingly achieving less.

Source www.stressbusting.co.uk

Reflexology can help alleviate stress by working circulatory points on the heart reflexes and adrenal glands to help lower blood pressure, neck and shoulder reflexes to help relax the muscles and release tension in these points, all lymph glands to help toxins to be expressed from the body, and general relaxation techniques to help calmness.

After effects/ Contra-actions

Nothing specifically after any of the consultations although he did say that in the week following treatments he found his M.E symptoms alleviated a little. He also thought his sleep had been deeper and more refreshing than previously, and found that he was looking forward to the next session and a time to unwind and be “pampered”.

Conclusion

After 4 treatments on a monthly basis and with some fairly major lifestyles changes in caffeine/alcohol and wholefood consumption client 1 admits that he is retiring to bed earlier and feels that he needs more sleep and sleeps deeper every night. His previous sleep pattern was poor, 4-5 hours max most nights, with a catch-up sleep on the weekends every couple of weeks. He now gets at least 6 hours sometimes more and it is quite deep and undisturbed.

He is trying to balance his stress levels as he is finding that the higher his stress level the worse his M.E symptoms become. He still has a lot of stress with his job – both from travelling and because of company restructures so we will continue the monthly treatment to aid his relaxation and “me” time and hopefully this will support his continued enjoyment of good health. His interest in complementary therapies has increased and he is now having Indian head massage as well, he has done some research in a lifestyle complementing this.

Over all he has now got a better understanding of what is triggering his M.E and is trying to alleviate his stress as much as possible, whilst still having a normal lifestyle.

Depression

Depression can be caused by a number of things, continual ill health, bereavement or other loss of a loved one, and unfortunately in today’s society there is too much of the quick fix method of anti-depressants than finding the actual cause.

What is Depression?

Depression is one of those terms which are used to describe a wide range of feelings or situations, some of them very trivial. What most of us refer to as depression – when miserable and wanting to be left alone for a while – is really just a low mood which is usually triggered off by some specific problem and passes fairly quickly. Because of the casual way in which the word is used, depression may not be taken as seriously as a more obvious condition such as a broken arm or pneumonia.  There may be a tendency to be unsympathetic, blaming the person for the way they are and expecting them to snap out of it.

Unlike the transient low moods that most of us experience from time to time, clinical depression is a physical phenomenon, with symptoms lasting for weeks or even months, there have also been cases seen of a patient having depression for years (but this is only in the very severe cases). It is caused by the neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly noradrenaline and serotonin. These chemicals are secreted by millions of nerve endings and they affect the capacity of the brain cells to send messages to each other in the area that controls sleep, appetite, sexual desire and mood. Clinical depression occurs when the neurotransmitters fail to work effectively. The brain becomes like a car engine with a flat battery. This is why although we usually associate depression with extreme misery, sadness or despair, most people suffering clinical depression describe themselves as feeling numb, flat listless, detached and unable to take an interest in anything.

Main symptoms of depressions are:

·         Change in sleep patterns (you can’t get to sleep, wake early or want to sleep all the time)

·         Loss or gain of appetite or weight

·         Unexplained tiredness

·         Loss of concentration, memory, or ability to make decisions

·         Being agitated or slowed down

·         Loss of self confidence and low self esteem

·         Suicidal thoughts

Other than the suicidal thoughts you will notice how similar the symptoms of Depression and M.E are and the treatment is very similar, being that we need to help lift the mood.

The reflexes for Depression are:

·         Solar plexus reflex

·         Diaphragm

·         Chest and lung reflexes

·         Shoulder and neck reflexes

·         Heart reflex

·         Thyroid and parathyroid reflexes

·         Pituitary and brain reflexes

·         Pancreas and adrenals reflexes

·         Throat

This next case studies was being treated for more than just depression, so the reflexes may differ from the main depression reflexes.

Case Study 2

 

Client 2                 Age 48                  Sex Female

Background health

Hip replacement (failed – causing broken femur and ongoing mobility problems).

Reynaud’s Disease

Depression

Past Asthma sufferer

Psoriasis

Bladder suspension operation

Occupation

Accountant – working in an office. Recently parted from ex-husband during a major health problem time (hip replacement) which has resulted in stress and depression.

Initial consultation

Client 2’s initial consultation revealed a lot more health problems than were obviously evident. I have known her socially for a short while and although her physical hip problems are much in evidence her personal issues have been well hidden. She gave up smoking 2 years ago.

 

Positioning of client

She has extreme difficulty in getting up on the higher bed the first time so far the 2nd salon visit I ensured that she was on a lowest bed. She preferred an almost supine position, with support for the knees and fell asleep by the time I was on the left foot. I had to help her to replace socks and shoes and help her down from the bed after treatment.

1st Consultation – 6th Feb – Salon

Client 2 had a reflexology treatment whilst on holiday in Tunisia and was interested to know what sensitivity in the various points meant, but language difficulties whilst over there precluded her asking the questions. She therefore asked a lot of questions during the consultation and initial relaxation part of the treatment, however she quickly found that the stress relieving suspects of reflexology overtook her and was asleep by the time I got to the 2nd foot. I found the most severe crystalline formations in both heels and I have felt on any of my clients, this was evident right the way around the coccyx area and up into the lower and middle part of her back. This did not seem to cause her particular discomfort and I was able to work on them quite extensively to break them up. There was also congestion on her sinuses (recently got over a cold and still had the sniffles) and in the shoulder and neck areas especially on the left side. She was tender on the fallopian tube are of the left foot. (I later found out that she started her period two days after treatment).

2nd Consultation – 7th March – Home

I visited client 2’s home for the next consultation. She has a recliner chair which proved the ideal height for the treatment. Because she was sat up this time she stayed mostly awake through the session – although her questions ceased and her eyelids drooped by the 2nd foot. She has certainly enjoyed the first session and was full of how good it had made her feet feel. Her normal walking ability is poor – with a pronounced limp due to the left leg being shorter after the unsuccessful hip replacement surgery. Her feet are also very cold – partially due to poor circulation and this is a contributory factor to her suffering from hereditary Reynaud’s disease. The warming foot soak initially and then keeping the non working foot well wrapped, along with frequent friction and petrissage massaging movements improved the circulation and helped keep the working foot warm and supple. There was much less crystalline formation around the heel and the hard skin in the area had started to peel away. She commented that her hips felt better recently – and although she could not attribute it directly to the reflexology she was becoming convinced that it helped greatly.

Reynaud’s Disease

Displays symptoms where a patients extremities – fingers, toes, nose turn blue/white when exposed to cold temperatures, but return to normal when warmed although often with accompanying swelling and tingling. Patients are advised to avoid stress, medicines and foods that constrict blood vessels such as decongestants, caffeine and smoking. Client 2 has given up smoking and is nearly over her bout of depression caused by her martial break up and so her symptoms are not as pronounced as in recent months.

3rd Consultation – 26th April – Home

Another month on and another improvement. I had cause to speak to client 2 between visits and she was full of how much better her back and hips felt – so much so that her physiotherapist had commented that she must have been doing extra exercises. (She assures me she hasn’t – it was just the reflexology). This session there was no evidence of lower back pain – and only a small amount in her shoulders. There is still some congestion in her sinus area and again we had tenderness on the fallopian area of the left foot (again she started a period almost immediately after treatment, she is approaching menopause and they are very irregular at present).

 

4th Consultation – 17th May – Home

Client 2’s health and state of mind has improved immeasurably (her words). She is now off the anti-depressants; has come off the HRT she had been given and is attempting to control the night sweats with natural remedies e.g. using aloe-vera for her psoriasis which she states causes her itching than the creams she had been given to use.

There is no tenderness in her back and hips at all now, and there was only evidence of congestion in her lungs and sinuses because she was fighting off a cold that was circulating at the time. She timed the consultation to aid her having a good weekend away as she was travelling a long distance on a motorbike and in the past this has given her bad back pain and problems with numbness in her feet. She rang me on her return and says she felt no pain at all and was still dancing in the disco at 2am!

After effects/Contra-actions

Client 2 says she did not suffer much in the way of bad after effects (slightly increased urination and a headache after the first treatment), but the “buzz” she says she feels in her feet is indescribable. “It’s like walking on air for two whole days” was her comment.

Conclusion

Client 2 is converted to the benefits of Reflexology and wishes to continue paying for treatment on a monthly basis to aid her return to mobility and in combination with future operations on her hips to correct the misplaced hip joint. Her depression has lifted greatly, and is not taking any medications for this anymore.

 

Case study 3 was also being treated for other reasons other than her depression

Case study 3

Client 3                 Age 53                  Sex Female

Background health

Multiple Myeloma

Hickman Line present for administration of chemotherapy – Velcade

Blood Pressure

Immunity compromised due to treatment

Depression/Stress related to condition

Arthritis in fingers

Myeloma related back pain

Occupation

Retired due to ill-health. Previously worked in a university student union as Liaison Officer.

Initial consultation

Client 3’s initial consultation provided a lot of background information in the treatment of Multiple Myeloma (MM) cancer, and was also enlightening on the increasing use of complementary therapies such as Reflexology and Aromatherapy in the treatment portfolios of long term cancer survivors. Fortunately her specialist at Velindre was an enthusiastic advocate of such therapies and so she came to me with his written blessings. Although I have known client 3 for some years, she commenced sessions with me just before the start of her 3rd session of chemotherapy in 5 years, this was also her 1st time on a new trial drug – velcade – which of course added to the stresses and uncertainties she was already feeling.

 

Positioning of client

Due to the problems client 3 has with her back, some extra lumbar support was required on the couch for both her back and to lift her knees slightly. Consultations carried out at home she found more comfortable as she was able to be seated in her comfy chair.

1stConsultation – 31st Jan – Home

Client 3 showed many problems which could be directly linked to the MM – spinal pain and tenderness, kidney problems, lug and sinus congestion and pain in the solar plexus due to being unable to take deep breathing properly – and also from the stress of trying to hold herself together with such an illness hanging over her. On examination of her feet, they were tinged with yellow and very cold and clammy, possibly due to the poor circulation she admitted to having when suffering from MM. She has a genetic trait in both Morton’s toe (2nd toe longer than the big toe) and all the smaller toes being slightly “hammered”. This makes working the sinus and eye and ear reflexes below quite difficult to do. During the consultation we talked over her hopes and fears for the imminent hospital treatment and she became quite emotional, especially when I was working over the solar plexus and heart reflexes. So we paid particular attention to these areas and did some relaxing breathing exercises to help release the tensions she was holding in the area.

2nd Consultation – 6th Feb – salon

Client 3 has had her Hickman line inserted now, and although does not commence the chemotherapy treatment until the following day, she had started in the steroid Dexamethazone which helps to suppress the sickness that it causes and also acts as an anti-inflammatory. This shows in that her spine and coccyx is a lot less tender than the last consultation. After last time she also spoke to her specialist about her water consumption (which has always been excellent) due to the pain evident in her kidneys and they lowered the dose of the diuretic she had been given as part of a problem, but has been continuing to drink fluids regularly. Her kidney area was much less tender this time around. She is still “holding herself” in the solar plexus area and there is some pain in the shoulders and especially the neck and breast area but as this is where the permanent intravenous line is placed this is probably not surprising. Working the lymphatic system especially in this area helps to drain off toxins and aids greatly when the client is suffering from cancer.

3rd Consultation – 28th Feb – home

Client 3 is now through the first of the chemotherapy treatments and is feeling rather depressed as her hair has begun to fall out and the steroids are making her feel like she is “in a fuzzy bubble” and not in contact with the world. Her solar plexus area was especially tender on her left foot and as I began to work it she burst into tears, we continued after a time, during which I simply gently massaged her feet and maintained comfort contact and she admitted to feeling a great relief that she was able to “let it out” as she felt that holding things back could not have been helping but did not like to worry her partner.

Depression

Although client 3 is not clinically depressed, the life threatening illness is adding to her generally sad feelings, her fatigue, thoughts of death and difficulty sleeping. Reflexology can help to alleviate depression by working endocrine and lymph glands especially the pituitary gland to release endorphins to help suppress pain and to increase the flow of energy; the hyperthalamus to release serotonin to help to lift the mood and the circulation and lymph systems to assist in removing toxins from the body.

4th Consultation – 28th March – home

Now after two sessions, client 3 is getting used to the drugs in her system and is coping much better with them. Her back pain is still in evidence but she says she has been working hard on her positive thoughts and “letting go” of her anxieties, facing her fears head on, and sharing them with her partner and this has made her feel much more in control of the situation.

She still has pain and discomfort at the Hickman line site in her neck, but can no longer feel it in her breast area. Her back is still tender but nowhere near as sore as it has been, and her solar plexus area was slightly sensitive to the touch, but again much improved.

5th Consultation – 24th April – home

There is now much improvement in her MM condition and she is most of the way through her treatment, so much so that she has just returned from a weekend away with friends and has enjoyed herself immensely. She stated that she almost feels like “the old client 3” again and confessed to having eaten and drunk rather more than she thought she should have – as evidenced by the slightly tender kidneys and colon and intestinal areas. Her neck pain came from digging in her partner’s allotment.

Conclusion

After the treatment she said that she was feeling much more relaxed and cheerful and would like to keep up with a monthly consultation as a booster to what she feels is her returning health.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA, also known as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease), is a clinical syndrome in which low-grade inflammation results in pain in the joints, caused by abnormal wearing of the cartilage that covers and acts as a cushion inside joints and destruction or decrease of synovial fluid that lubricates those joints. As the bone surfaces become less well protected by cartilage, the patient experiences pain upon weight bearing, including walking and standing. Due to decreased movement because of the pain, regional muscles may atrophy, and ligaments may become more lax. OA is the most common form of arthritis.

 A common misconception is that OA is due solely to wear and tear, due to the fact that OA typically is not present in younger people. However, while age is correlated with OA incidence, this merely illustrates that OA is a process that takes time to develop. There is usually an underlying cause for OA, in which case it is described as secondary OA. If no underlying cause can be identified it is described as primary OA. “Degenerative arthritis” is often used as a synonym for OA, but the latter involves both degenerative and regenerative changes. Arthritis is usually associated with the hips, knees, feet and spine.

 

The symptoms of arthritis are:

·         Acute pain

·         Loss of ability and stiffness

·         Burning sensation in associated muscles and tendons

·         Muscle spasms

·         Heberden’s node (hard bony enlargements on the fingers)

·         Water on the knee (accumulation of excess fluid around the knee joint)

·         Bunions

·         Hallux valgus

·         Depression (due to loss of ability)

The reflexes for arthritis are:

·         Diaphragm reflex

·         Arm, shoulder, elbow and wrist reflexes

·         Hip, knee, leg and ankle reflexes

·         Spine reflex

·         Solar plexus reflex

·         Parathyroid reflex

·         Liver and kidneys reflexes

·         Adrenals reflex

·         Neck reflex

·         Sacro-iliac joint reflex

Case Study 4

Client 4                 Age 65                  Sex  Female

Background Health

Typhoid fever when young

 Carpel tunnel operations

 Varicose veins removed

 Ankle broken and pinned

 Knee arthroscopy

Osteoarthritis

 Hysterectomy and prolapsed womb.

Occupation

Retired yoga teacher and weaver

Initial consultation

Client 4 is a spiritual healer, teacher of yoga teachers, teacher and published author of loom weaving and spinning books, vegetarian. She says that although she has always worked from home she “retired” at 60 and is now busier than ever!

She has ongoing issues with her ankle and knee and although is extremely supple in the joints due to lifelong yoga she admits to feeling her age more and more (although says she is fighting it)

Positioning of client (at salon)

Despite being familiar with reflexology, when client 4 attended the salon and knew she was my subject for assessment she admitted that she was nervous and found the experience a little daunting. Due to her knee problems she needed a little assistance getting on the couch and a towel roll below the knees made the seated position she preferred much more comfortable.

1st Consultation – 8th Dec – home

Client 4 provided me with valuable feedback in relation to my pressure and technique. She appears to have very tender feet in a lot of areas which surprised me based on her general good health, however she says that possibly due to her yoga she uses her feet bare a lot and relies on their feedback for positioning and balance so they may just be more sensitive than the feet I have so far had experience of. I adjusted the pressure of my touch accordingly.

 

2nd Consultation – 4th March – home

Filling in the full consultation sheet made me more aware of client 4’s past medical history, and brought home to me the importance of a consultation before commencing treatment. We experimented with a totally flat position on a bed with feet raised on a table and pillows at the end. Whilst this was comfortable initially, client 4 got cramp in the muscle of one leg part way through and had to lay with it bent up whilst I worked on the other foot. She experienced a lot of tenderness in the kidney area (she had been sat late drinking the previous night!) and pain in the neck, shoulder and elbow/knee areas. Her ankles were also rather puffy, which she thought was unusual and so I paid special attention to these areas to aid lymph drainage. I had to break off treatment part way through for her to work out the cramp, pay a comfort call and also for another glass of water as she said she had suddenly felt very thirsty.

3rd Consultation – 6th March – salon

Two days later, and after a slight healing crisis which consisted of many comfort calls and copious amounts of herbal teas and water being consumed, client 4’s feet were in much better condition. There was still some tenderness in the kidney and adrenal gland areas and a strange pain on the top of the right foot, between the joints which doesn’t seem to correspond to any particular reflex point, and which we eventually decided was probably joint pain caused by slight arthritis. The pain her lower back, shoulders and elbows had receded significantly.

4th consultation – 9th April – home

Lack of sleep and over-indulgence the night before has obviously played a part in the tenderness of both liver, kidney and colonic areas this morning. However after working these points and drinking a lot of fluids, a lot of the discomfort she was experiencing was alleviated. The right foot joint pain continues to be a problem.

Digestion Problems

Reflexology can aid in the treatment of various forms of digestion problems ranging from basic indigestion, constipation, or flatulence caused by generally excessive eating and drinking; through to helping ease the pain of colitis which is the inflammation of the large colon, and aid in relief of Irritable Bowel syndrome. Common symptoms for IBS are bloating and gas; constipations and/ or diarrhoea; constant urge to have a bowel movement even after just having one; abdominal pain and cramping. Reflexology can help by assisting the movement of chime (partially digested food) through the small intestine, and later the faeces or indigestible food remains through into the rectum. By stimulating the blood vessels around this area the nutrients being absorbed from the food are carried away into the body more quickly ad the continuous involuntary movement of the muscles in the digestive tract are encouraged.

5th Consultation – 14th May – home

Once again there is slight tenderness in the general central plantar areas of both feet, but it is not as pronounced over specific areas this time as client 4 had just returned from a long and relaxing break in Cornwall. She did have pains in her shoulders and lower back, which she attributed to sitting for a long period in the seat of her camper van. Once again there was a pain in between the joint area of her 3rd and 4th toes, and whilst searching for information I had come across a piece on Morton’s Neuroma which I showed her. She is going to her GP to discuss the possibility further.

Morton’s Neuroma

Morton’s neuroma or plantar digital neuritis is caused by a nerve being pinched. This pinching usually results in pain between the third and fourth toes. Tight shoes can squeeze foot bones together. The nerve responds by forming a neuroma, build up of extra tissue in the nerve. The neuroma results in pain that may radiate into the toes.

Treatment usually involves wearing wider shoes and taking oral medications to decrease the swelling around the nerve. A pad on the sole of the foot to spread the bones is often helpful. Your doctor may also inject cortisone around the nerve. If your difficulty continues, surgery to remove the neuroma may be suggested.

Conclusion

She has had most forms of holistic therapies over the years so I was interested to see how my techniques compared to her previous practitioners. Client 4 feels that she has benefited from the regular sessions she has had with me, more as an indicator of her current state of health by comparing the previous sensitive points, than the ad-hoc sessions she has be able to afford in the past, which have been with differing therapists and therefore had no continuity. Client 4 was please to announce changes in her pain, meaning not needing to take so many painkillers. I have advised her to consider orthotics for her shoes which might alleviate the pressure on the Morton’s Neuroma.

 

Conclusion

My conclusion is that there needs to be more awareness to how wonderful reflexology really is, I have treated over 40 patients since my diploma qualification and several of them state that they see a difference in their ailments, I can vouch on my own personal experience that reflexology worked for my M.E when no conventional medicines didn’t. Both M.E and depression are both still very much over looked by the medical profession but I feel my case studies show that everyone suffers from some form of depression in their conditions, and maybe working on the depression will alleviate some of the patients other symptoms.

I believe that if the National Health Service in Britain wasn’t so small minded on holistic therapies there would be more people benefiting from non-medicational treatment and in the long run saving the NHS money on so many prescriptions that are wasted while the G.P’s go from medication to medication trying to find a solution that isn’t always there. The medical profession needs to realise there is more to healing people than trying to find the answers in a medication bottle.

Bibliography

M.E and Chronic fatigue syndrome the facts by Campling and Sharpe published by Oxford

Women’s health guide by Mary Tidyman

The reflexology handbook by Laura Norman published by Piatkus

Wikipedia online encyclopedia – www.wikipedia.com

www.reflexology-uk.co.uk/history_of_reflexology.