"I could hardly put it down." writes Dr. Nancy Stephenson, Nursing Professor and Reflexology Researcher
"Revolutionary." says Erma Sylvester, Reflexologist.
Evidence-Based Reflexology for Health Professionals and Researchers is drawing rave reviews.
Reflexology is 93% effective as found in a year-long analysis of 168 studies from twenty-three countries. The analysis is the focus of the newly released Evidence-Based Reflexology Series by Barbara and Kevin Kunz. The key to success with reflexology, as documented by Kunz and Kunz, is the frequency and duration with which it is applied. Evidence-Based Reflexology presents both results and how much technique application has been found to positively impact 78 physical and mental conditions.
This breakthrough study documents research-based evidence sufficient to state that: Reflexology can be an effective complement in the treatment of certain conditions. Research demonstrates reflexology's measurable effects and how they can be adjusted to suit the situation. With the appropriate amount of reflexology work, specific physical and mental conditions can be positively effected. In addition, physiologic measures that indicate an organ's normal functioning can be positively impacted.
Evidence-Based Reflexology examines reflexology research documenting how long and how often technique is applied to obtain specific results. This is important to:
As documented in the Kunz & Kunz work, evidence from research supports the use of reflexology to pursue what has been described by the National Council of Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the NIH as a set of "master health goals:"
Evidence-Based Reflexology provides research detailing results in addressing health goals as well as the frequency and duration with which technique is successfully applied. Such dosing information provides a research-based indication of how much reflexology work correlates with success. Both in real time as reflexology is applied and over the course of multiple sessions, changes take place to meet health goals. From the premature infant to the elderly and all ages in between, reflexology successfully addresses a wide span of conditions. For someone facing a health challenge or seeking wellness, Evidence-Based Reflexology gives some perspective about what to expect from reflexology work.
Cutting edge technologies validate the impact of reflexology on physical and mental health as well as wellness. Research reported in Evidence-Based Reflexology includes studies utilizing: EEG, ECG, Doppler sonogram, and fMRI as well as physiologic measures of blood pressure, pulse rate, cholesterol, cortisol, serotonin, free radicals and other indicators. Such evidence shows how reflexology works to achieve its results, making known to reflexology's users that something very real happens as reflexology is applied. And, the research evidence makes known how long it may take to see results.
Pain reduction is a significant result of reflexology work. Kunz and Kunz's assessment of twentyseven studies shows positive outcomes for reflexology work ranging from "significant difference in" pain to "reduction in" pain to specific results such as "effective in eradicating or reducing the intensity and duration of phantom limb pain." Pain is reduced in: real time for mothers during delivery; a single reflexology session for healthy volunteers, cancer patients and kidney stone sufferers; an 8-week program for senior citizens; and a 30-week program for amputees experiencing phantom limb pain. Times vary across a broad range of individuals of all ages and health states: menstruating women, nursing home residents with dementia, cancer patients, lower back pain sufferers, and individuals with pain resulting from surgery.
Evidence-Based Reflexology shows that individuals can be empowered to participate in their own wellness through self-help use of reflexology work. Reflexology research shows successful self help use: Improved sleep for female nurses (40 minutes twice per week for 4 weeks); improvements in sleep and mood as well as lessened aches and pains for mothers staying with their hospitalized children (unknown time); lessened pain for sinusitis sufferers and phantom limb amputees (weekly for 6 weeks); a significant difference in depression, perceived stress, systolic blood pressure and natural-killer cells for middle-aged women (daily for 6 weeks); lessened daytime sleepiness, reduction in pain and improved control over falls for senior citizens (45 minutes 3 times a week for 8 weeks); and a lowering of nausea and vomiting for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy (three times daily for 20-30 minutes).
Reflexology research shows that reflexology aids the mentally ill, providing needed benefits unique to reflexology work. Mental health workers report that reflexology work furnishes many advantages including facilitating communication and allowing for the client to be "touched during treatment in a safe non-intrusive / abusive manner." Kunz and Kunz note that specific groups benefitting from reflexology work include: Aggressive and anti-social children; Autistic children; Individuals in need of emotional support; Mentally ill individuals with severe and enduring schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder; and victims of post traumatic stress syndrome. Sessions were applied weekly over a 6 week to 15 week period. Ten studies show reduction in anxiety. Effects were achieved with a single session of 30 to 60 minutes and from one, two or three times weekly up to nine weeks. Ten demonstrate a lessening of depression or improvement in mood. Individuals impacted by reflexology work range across all age groups from children to the middle-ages to senior citizens.
Fourteen studies from seven countries demonstrate the impact of reflexology on cancer patients. Evidence-Based Reflexology details effects including: decrease in anxiety and depression; alleviation of fatigue; relief from tension; feelings of comfort and improved well-being; improved quality of life; and alleviation of post-operative pain and anxiety. Further studies demonstrate improvement over responses to chemotherapy and radiotherapy: decrease in nausea, vomiting, and fatigue; significant difference in diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, general fatigue, mood status, and foot fatigue; and significantly lower degree of fatigue, anxiety and mood state. Duration and frequency of technique application varied from one time sessions of 10 to 40 minutes to five session over 5 days to 30 minute sessions 3 times a week for 4 weeks.
For special populations, research cited by Kunz and Kunz shows that reflexology makes a difference. For women giving birth, pain and labor times are reduced. Anxiety and depression are reduced for postpartum women. For those receiving hemodialysis, reflexology work improves the kidney's functions with changes in physiologic measures: an increase in red blood cells (to combat anemia concerns), increase in lymphocytes (to help fight infection), and enhances disposal of waste products. For those with diabetes, research shows that reflexology work reduces physiologic measures for diabetics and is an effective treatment for type II diabetes mellitus. Neuropathy and blood flow to the feet are also improved.
To learn more these ground breaking publications, call 877-344-9392 or go to www.reflexology-research.com/researchdocsales.html:
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ŠKunz and Kunz 2009
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