About Reflexology

Reflexology is such an ancient practice that it's hard to track its exact origin. The oldest known written record was found in Egypt in the tomb of Ankhamor dating back to 2330 BC. Symbols denoting the reflex points are thought to have been placed on the feet of ancient statues of Buddha in India and China.

A limited form of reflexology was introduced to the United States in 1917 by William H. Fitzgerald, MD, who described ten vertical zones running the length of the body. He found that pressing points in the feet corresponding to these vertical lines could help alleviate pain after surgery. This work was expanded by Dr. Shelby Riley who added horizontal zone lines and mapped the reflex points on the feet to correspond with these zones. Physiotherapist Eunice Ingham, who worked with Dr. Riley, developed the foot reflexology chart that is still being used today.

Study of reflex points has continued and expanded in the Western hemisphere through the years. Many people have had a part in developing what is known in the Western hemisphere as Body Reflexology.

In the fast paced world we live in, headaches are common. Even OTC headache medication has an accumulative negative effect over time. Try this simple massage to relieve the headache before you reach for those pills.

Place your dominant thumb into the web between the non-dominant thumb and fore finger. Gently message down the thumb side toward the hand and up along the finger side of the web. Massage all around the base of the thumb. Press hard enough that the skin moves, but not hard enough to cause pain. If you find a sore spot, press and release several times. I have found that this massage can relieve headaches caused by tension, stress, and sinus pressure.

The thymus gland, located behind the breast bone, is the first organ to be effected by mental attitudes and stress. There are several reflex points to the thymus gland. The easiest and most inconspicuous point is in the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth and can be pressed with your tongue.

Another point is located in the chest directly over the thymus gland about three finger widths below the hollow in your throat. Tap this point rapidly a few times with the pads of your fingers when you feel yourself becoming irritable or fatigued to quickly activate the thymus.