REFLEXOLOGY & RECOVERY

Kesselring A. (foot reflex zone massage) Fussreflexzonemassage. Schweiz med Wochenschr suppl (SWITZERLAND) 1994, 62 p88-93

According to a 1994 Swiss medical report, foot Reflexology is one of the most useful treatments for post operative gynaecological patients. The researchers demonstrated that

* reflexology enhances urination,

* stimulates bowel movements and so aids recovery.

* Patients who received reflexology treatment also showed a much less need for medication than patients in the control group.

FOOT REFLEX ZONE MASSAGE ALLEVIATES SYMPTOMS INDUCED BY CHEMOTHERAPY IN PULMONARY MALIGNANT TUMOUR PATIENTS

By Li Long Yun and Associates, Associate Professor of the Union Hospital, China

The treatment group received 30 - 40 minute foot reflexology daily for 12 days

Twenty-one subjects were used in this study. Nine in the control group received chemotherapy. Twelve in the treatment group received chemotherapy and Foot Reflex Zone Massage.

* It was concluded that foot reflexology might play an important role in alleviating gastrointestinal tract symptoms such as anorexia, nausea and vomiting, and,

* that it was found beneficial in managing adverse side effects induced by chemotherapy in patients with malignant tumors.

PAIN & NAUSEA IN PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED WITH CANCER

Grealish L, Lomasney A, Whiteman B Cancer Nurs 2000 Jun;23(3):237-43 The School of Nursing, Division of Science and Design, University of Canberra, Australia.

Participants received a 10-minute reflexology foot massage (5 minutes per foot)

87 patients participated in the study. The results revealed that the treatments produced

* a significant and immediate effect on the patients' perceptions of pain, nausea, and relaxation, when measured with a visual analog scale.

The use of reflexology foot massage as a complementary method is recommended as a relatively simple nursing intervention for patients experiencing nausea or pain related to the cancer experience. The results were so positive that the researchers recommend that further research using larger numbers of patients in controlled clinical trials into its effectiveness of reflexology in alleviating pain, nausea and anxiety in the management of these symptoms by the family at home is warranted.

The effects of foot reflexology on anxiety and pain in patients with breast and lung cancer

Oncol Nurs Forum 2000 Jan-Feb;27(1):67-72. Stephenson NL, Weinrich SP, Tavakoli AS School of Nursing, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA.

The patients were given a 30 minute reflexology treatment by a certified reflexologist

The researchers monitored twenty three patients (most of whom were female and over 65 years old) diagnosed with breast or lung cancer. The patients were given reflexology treatment and there were no other changes made to their daily schedule or in their medications.

The results revealed that, following the foot reflexology treatments, the patients with breast and lung cancer experienced

* a significant decrease in anxiety,

* and one of three pain measures showed that patients with breast cancer experienced a significant decrease in pain.

The report of this small scale study concludes that reflexology treatment can lead to a significant decrease in anxiety for patients diagnosed with breast or lung cancer, and a decrease in pain for patients with breast cancer. This has important implications for nursing practice as both professionals and lay people can be taught reflexology.