Wines and SpiritsReflexology As A Beneficial Technique
Reflexology is the mapping of sites throughout the body to specific points on the hands or feet, and the application of pressure at those points to relieve tension, relax muscles, ease pain, promote blood flow and endorphin release, and even treat chronic conditions.
In the human body, nerve endings are concentrated disproportionately in the hands and feet. The interconnected nervous system is thought to transfer the energy from pressure on particular areas of the hands and feet to particular organs and areas of the body at large. For example, the area between the top knuckles and the tips of the fingers correspond to the head in most reflexology diagrams. Applying pressure in specific ways to the fingertips has been used as a treatment for headaches.
The underlying principle of reflexology is not substantially different from that of the widely documented phenomenon of referred pain (for example, an injury to a lung often "refers", or is displaced, to the shoulders). The reflexologist makes use of the opposite relationship, applying pressure to the area corresponding to the site of tension, pain, or injury. The pathways used in reflexology distribute the healing energy from the point of pressure to the desired site.
Some claims for reflexology attribute more extensive medical effects to the practice, asserting that pressure on specific zones of the feet or hands can stimulate the body"s own healing capacity, or other capacities of self-regulation (such as weight reduction or the body"s ability to fight disease.) Benefits such as stress reduction, relaxation, and pain relief are less controversial, and are attested to by the popularity of different forms of the practice throughout both traditional and Western cultures.
Although reflexology as a complementary treatment has been credited with legitimate health benefits, it is important to remember that reflexology complements, but does not replace, medical treatment.