I often get asked if Reflexology can alleviate pain, the simple answer is yes. Reflexology can’t cure a chronic condition but it has a very important role to play in pain management. Pain and stress are closely linked. Reflexology is a powerful tool for breaking the cycle of pain and stress that so often feed each other. As a Holistic Therapist I see a person who suffers frequent bouts of pain as someone whose vital energy is steadily ebbing away. It’s hard to see the sunny side of things when you’re sore a lot of the time, it’s hard not to get down when you’re always achy and it’s hard not to feel anxious and at a low ebb when you’re sleep deprived [pain is often linked to poor sleep]. Now lets mix this bag of physical, emotional and psychological symptoms up and what are we left with – stress!  Our body works really hard to allow us to keep functioning even when we’re in pain, but stress affects the brain’s ability to filter and turn down pain signals. Now add a little more stress into the mix – demanding job, terrible traffic, kids having tantrums, bad guts and headaches as a result of stress! …and you can start to see how calming everything down can have a positive effect on pain management. Reflexology sends calming messages to the Central Nervous System which gets the body to lower its tension level. A lowered tension level gives the body’s own pain management system a boost and just as importantly a calmer you is a happier you and in my opinion someone who suffers chronic pain deserves a bucket load of Calm and Happy.

The other side of the pain/stress cycle is that you can actually feel stress as pain.  Do you have neck, shoulder or back pain?  Stress creates tension in the muscles so could you be under stress? Your body can’t write you a note saying ‘you really aren’t dealing with the stress of your job right now” but it can create shoulder tension in the hope that you’ll recognise that you’re stressed.

So, Yes Reflexology can help with pain because as a Holistic Therapist I understand the emotional side of pain. I see it in your feet, I want to help you to feel better in your body, mind and soul. Give me 45 minutes of your time, it will be worth it.

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