Reflexology is considered an alternative health treatment. Reflexology is also known as zone therapy. It involves massaging, holding, squeezing and pushing throughout the body. As certain areas are massage then it is thought to affect other parts of the body. However, many practitioners have conflicting views on exactly how reflexology massage is supposed to work.

But fear not, there is some common ground in the reflexology world. Reflexology targets specific points of the hands and feet. Massage movements stimulate specific reflexology points that are supposed to be connected to other organs within the body. Although reflexology has been around for centuries, no clinical studies have been performed to validate the benefits of this type of massage.

Many traditional methods of healing including reflexology have not been validated with medical studies. Reflexology massage has been found as far back as the ancient Egyptians. In a sense, reflexology has been practiced over 100 generations, yet the last hundred years of science has not had time to investigate its claims. Reflexology was introduced to the United States in 1938 by Eunice Ingham.

The Ingham method of reflexology is used primarily for releasing tension in the body. This method is good for reducing stiffness from stress. Many health professionals agree that stress is one of the biggest contributors to health problems. This method of reflexology is used improve nerve and blood supply while also relieving stress.

Reflexology is a natural thing which applies particular massage movements to stimulate major organs throughout the body. There are no known side effects of getting a reflexology massage. When these reflexology points are stimulated, its corresponding organ is relaxed.

There is a certification board for practitioners of reflexology. The main certification board is the Reflexology Association of America. This certification board was established in 1995. It is responsible for setting the guidelines for reflexology standards.

To attract students into studying reflexology, the Reflexology Association of America encourages that reflexology becomes a standard profession. This would be similar to other certification programs where graduates would be bestowed the right to practice this technique.

There isn’t a lot of research on reflexology. This area is starting to get more attention with the emphasis on more natural therapies. You can find some further research at Reflexology Association of America. Most of their research is around pain control.

Other research indicates a wide variety of benefits. Again, since there are no clinical studies, some of these benefits must be taken with a grain of salt. But other benefits include reducing hair loss, rectal prolapse and reductions in cardiac diseases. It certainly will be interesting to see some more studies and the traditional area.

Reflexology is a field of many traditions. Although there is a main certification board, many operate outside of this particular board. There are many diverse practices of reflexology but, nowadays all come back to the connection between the hands and feet and the rest of the body. Like many traditional fields, the light of science is slowly beginning to rise.