Page 105 - JSOM Winter 2018

The Benefits of Reflexology
for the Chronic Pain Patient in a Military Pain Clinic

Connie Kern, NBCR, IMRT; Amy McCoart, RN, BSN*;
Thomas Beltranm, MA; Michael Bartoszek, MD

ABSTRACT
Background: Chronic pain is a major cause of disability across In practice of reflexology, it is believed that there are reflex
the military, especially for the combat Soldier. More than two- points that correspond to every gland, organ, muscle, tissue,
thirds of Americans with chronic pain are now using comple- and body system. In addition, through mastery and applica-
mentary medicine. Methods: Patients with chronic pain opting tion of reflexology techniques, it is thought that the blood and
for reflexology as part of their treatment plan received bilateral lymph circulation to these can be influenced toward homeo-
4
therapy. Alternating pressure was applied to the individual pa- stasis (Figure 1). According to the Reflexology Association
tient’s reflex points corresponding to their pain sites. Follow- of America, “Reflexology is a non-invasive complementary
ing a single treatment session, patients were asked to complete practice involving the use of alternating pressure applied to
a short survey. Discussion: There is evidence that reflexology is reflexes within reflex maps of the body, located on the feet,
therapeutic for many conditions, to include sleep and anxiety, hands and outer ears.” 5
both of which can be comorbidity in the patient with chronic
pain. There is a lack of evidence on the use of reflexology with FIGURE 1 Foot massage chart.
chronic pain patients receiving multidisciplinary pain care.
Results: A total of 311 participants completed the survey.
Posttreatment pain scored decreased by a median of 2 points
(interquartile range [IQR] 1–3) on a 10-point pain scale. This
represents a median 43% (IQR 25%–60%) reduction in pain
for males and a 41% (IQR 30%–60%) reduction in pain for
females. Conclusion: Currently research is limited on effects of
reflexology in treating chronic pain, yet, like acupuncture, this
is an inexpensive, reliable, teachable, and simple noninvasive
treatment. Further studies are warranted.

Keywords: reflexology; pain; chronic pain; complementary
treatments; alternative treatments

Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/Foot
Introduction -massage-chart.jpg
Chronic pain is a major cause of disability across the military Recently, some therapists practicing reflexology have inte -
but is most common in the Soldier deployed for combat. The grated related forms of therapy such as yoga/stretching,
1
Final Report from the Army Surgeon General’s Pain Manage- breath ing exercises, and mindfulness with guided imagery.
ment Task Force recommended the use of complementary al- One application of this type of integrative therapy is Integra-
ternative medicine (CAM) but specifically stated the lack of tive Method Reflex Therapy (IMRT), in which reflexology is
evidence supporting its use. More than two-thirds of Ameri- used in conjunction with a comprehensive medical program in
2
cans with chronic pain are now using complementary and al- a clinical setting as a therapeutic tool. When practicing IMRT,
ternative therapies. the reflexologist has the advantage of access to clinical data
that is not available in a nonclinical setting. 6
The origins of reflexology reach back to ancient Egypt, with
hieroglyphic evidence as early as 2330 BC in the tombs of Reflexology may improve chronic pain by helping to improve
Ankhamor. This evidence demonstrated sophisticated systems sleep. A study analyzing the effects of reflexology on alpha
7,8
of treatment that are comparable to the “foot maps” available brain waves in sleep found that the application of reflexology
today. From Egypt, this modality spread throughout the Ro- induced change in the activity of brain waves in correspon-
man Empire, helping to popularize it long before allopathic dence with the appearance of a high degree of sleepiness. In
8
medicine was developed. 3 addition, there is evidence that reflexology may impact the
*Correspondence to serene.health.reflexology@gmail.com
The authors are from Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, NC.

103