Before you reach for the painkillers… try Reflexology

When you are faced with frequent headaches often the easiest thing to do is reach for the aspirin or ibuprofen. While the painkillers can work for a short period of time, frequent use may exacerbate the problem further when the headache reappears. You may end up needing more and more painkillers simply to keep the pain at bay, not to mention the toxins you are adding to your body.
Looking into the root causes of the headaches is a much healthier and beneficial option in the long term to prevent them from occurring further. Food intolerance may be at fault, especially if the headaches occur with nausea or stomach problems. When someone is working too hard or simply not getting enough rest headaches are a warning sign to slow down and let the body recuperate.
So, what is Reflexology?
Reflexology is a natural healing art or complementary therapy based on the premise that there are zones and reflexes areas in the feet, hands and head which correspond to every part, gland and organ of the body. Reflexologists are able to help the body to heal itself by correcting any imbalances that can occur through illness, accident, disease or even lifestyle, correcting and maintaining the body’s natural equilibrium by restoring critical energy pathways that flow through the body. It is a safe, natural and gentle therapy that can be used on or by anyone, including the elderly, the infirm and even babies.
Reflexology may act as a form of pain control and as a treatment can encourage the body to produce endorphins, which are the body’s own natural painkiller. By stimulating the pituitary gland reflex during the reflexology treatment, the amount of endorphins released into the body is increased; interrupting the pain cycle through the application of pressure to the feet.
When our defences are down and we become stressed, a reflexology treatment may help immensely. The hands and feet set the tension level for the rest of the body and this can be easily interrupted through these techniques by generating deep relaxation, allowing energy to flow and resetting the body’s homeostasis. By re-balancing the body and emotions, reflexology is a countermeasure to stress and induces relaxation while promoting a restful night sleep. You don’t need to have a reason to have a reflexology treatment; the experience is pleasurable and can simply be given to revitalise the body.
The effect of the reflexology treatment induces the relaxation of muscles, lessening physical tension so the nervous system can function normally. This in turn assists the other systems in the body, by reducing their workload. Most clients tend to fall asleep during a treatment.