Use self-help techniques at home to stretch the benefits of your Foot Reflexology sessions or to offer comfort to a loved one.
Hand Reflexology is not nearly as popular as Foot Reflexology but there is certainly a use for it. We use our hands everyday for so many repetitive tasks: washing the dishes, gripping the car’s steering wheel, writing with a pen, typing on a keyboard, and so on. As with our feet we don’t start thinking about them until something is wrong – and that something usually starts with pain or discomfort.
What is Hand Reflexology?
Hand Reflexology adheres to the same theories and techniques that Foot Reflexology does. A mirror image of the body is reflected on the hands which creates a micro-map of each organ, gland and part. Stimulation of these points will promote relaxation, improved circulation and encourage the body to heal itself. So quite literally you have your health at your fingertips.
Self-Help Techniques
Our hands are much more accessible than feet so they make a great self-help tool for adults and children. Many are surprised to hear that a spot they have been rubbing on their hands for months or years corresponds to a part of the body that has been bothering them. For example, Jim had always worked on the webbing between his fore finger and thumb when he was in pain. When he was told by his Reflexologist that this corresponded to his adrenal glands he was amazed that he had intuitively been working towards pain relief.
Seasonal allergy sufferers and those with varying sinus complaints will appreciate this tip: hold your palms facing each other and tap the tips of your fingers together. Tap hard enough that you hear the echo of the tapping but not too hard to cause discomfort. Do this for 60 seconds and try again in a few hours.
For hair loss or an irritated scalp (such as dandruff or sunburn), again hold your palms facing each other and rub the fingernails against each other. It sounds a bit like a washboard and will leave your fingers feeling a little tingly. Do this a couple times a day for 30-60 seconds.
The spinal reflexes run along the outer edge of the thumb down towards the wrist. Someone with back pain or tightness would want to rub along this area with the other hand or roll a golf ball here. Golf balls can be an inexpensive tool to help bring relaxation to the hands and the whole body. Throw a pair in the freezer before you start yardwork and by the time you get back in they’ll be quite refreshing to tired, hot hands.
Finding a Professional
Not every Reflexologist receives training in Hand Reflexology. When looking for a Reflexologist you’ll want to ask if he/she is trained in Hand Reflexology. Some Reflexologists will include a few minutes after your session to show you some self-help techniques specific to your needs. It can’t hurt to ask before your session if your Reflexologist could offer some “homework” for you between sessions.
