FOOT REFLEXOLOGY THERAPY IN NEUROSISM (Nervous Exhaustion)

By Duan Shuang-Feng, Department of Physiotherapy, 52884 Military Hospital, China

Daily foot reflexology therapy for 7 days

Twenty cases of neurasthenics (nervous prostration), 8 males and 12 females, with clinical courses ranging from 1 to 8 years, were treated. All patients had received various long-term medical treatments with poor effects. Results:

* 8 cases (40%) cured, free of symptoms;

* 7 cases (35%) greatly improved, nearly free of symptoms;

* 3 cases (15%) mildly improved, symptoms reduced:

* 2 cases (10%) unchanged, no relief after two courses

THE EFFECTS OF REFLEXOLOGY TREATMENT ON PATIENT DEPENDENCY RATINGS

By Anne Craig and Hugh Rooney, Corstorphine Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland

The main purpose of this study was to determine whether regular reflexology treatments would have a beneficial effect on patient dependency ratings, and, to assess the extent to which the patients valued the reflexology treatment. Eighteen patients were selected and randomly assigned to a treatment group that received reflexology treatment, and a control group that received light foot massage.

The results:

* improvement in dependency scores was more marked in the reflexology group, and

* greater deterioration in the control group over eight weeks.

It was concluded that reflexology is a potentially valuable means of enhancing the well being of elderly patients.

WAS IT THE FOOT MASSAGE THAT MADE THE ELDERLY PATIENTS LESS FRAUGHT?

By Mike Thomas RMN, Salford School of Nursing, Manchester, U.K.

The treatment group had daily one-hour reflexology sessions

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of reflexology on elderly patients, and, to record the attitudes of 14 nurses to reflexology. Nine patients who exhibited signs of anxiety were studied over eight days. They were divided into three groups:

Group 1 the treatment group had daily one-hour reflexology sessions and measured their own subjective anxiety levels pre and post sessions.

Group 2 had one- hour pleasant conversations with staff and measured their own subjective anxiety levels pre and post sessions.

Group 3 had no staff interaction and measured their own subjective anxiety levels at 2 p.m. and 3p.m.

Results:

Group 1: all three patients experienced a drop in anxiety levels. One client began at level 8 and dropped to 4, and one from 5 to 1.

Group 2: the results were not so dramatic with a drop of 1-3. Group 3: anxiety levels rose or stayed the same, with a fall on one occasion only.

* Before the study none of the nurses saw reflexology as an appropriate intervention, after the study 12 nurses saw reflexology as a useful intervention.

REFLEXOLOGY AND COUNSELLING ON MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS

A new report from the association of MIND (Worthing) Peta Trousdell, Andrea Uphoff-Chmielnik. Making connections: user perception of the effects of Reflexology and Counselling: an evaluation of a complementary health care project at Worthing Mind. September 1997.

Research was carried out between May 1996 and August 1997 in which a reflexologist and a counsellor worked with a total of 74 people (49 received reflexology and 25 received counselling).

The report’s findings based upon the observations of the therapists and the participants indicate that:

* Physical improvements underpinned feelings of enhanced mental/emotional well-being for many participants. For example, the researchers observed that the release of tension through being able to talk led to greater relaxation, which in turn was found to alleviate headaches and improve sleep.

* With the exception of two participants in the reflexology sample, there was a reported increase in relaxation levels and a decrease in anxiety levels.

* The reflexologist noted that participants developed an increased awareness of tension in the body and an increased ability to change that state, e.g. they consciously altered their breathing and their posture.

* Many participants reported improved emotional status. Fear, worry and despair reported at the beginning of the study were considered to have changed into more positive and fulfilling emotions.

* There was a general consensus among the participants that an offer of more complementary therapies would be of overall benefit within the mental health service.

Perhaps the most interesting finding of the study was that the participants tended to make greater progress when reflexology and counselling were offered together, and the report recommended greater integration of the therapies.