Reflexology. Indications and contraindications, what is it that treats osteochondrosis, obesity, stroke, hernia, multiple sclerosis. Prices

Reflexology is a method of therapyrelated to traditional Chinese medicine. Indications for treatment based on systemic point effects on body parts can be from different areas of medicine, which makes reflexology an addition to a wide range of treatments diseases.

Contraindications to the use of therapy must be studied before forming a course of treatment in order to obtain the desired effect and not harm the body.

Reflexology concept

Reflexology is a system of methods of influencing parts of the human body with the help of point mechanical stimulation. The most common method is to stimulate the nerve endings in the skin tissue with needles.

It is believed that points on the body that are amenable to stimulating influences send a nerve impulse to the brain, which:

• activates interneurons that block areas of the brain that perceive pain, as a result of which acupuncture provides an analgesic effect;
• activates parts of the brain that regulate the work of organs, resulting in increased blood supply tissues and organs, their provision with nerve cells, which accelerates their recovery and recovery;
• through the excitement of nerve endings, it promotes the release of the hormone endorphin by the pituitary gland, which has a calming effect.

The healing method is considered a branch of traditional Chinese medicine. She understands reflexology as a way of influencing special meridians on the human body, through which vital energy circulates.

It is believed that qi energy regulates the spiritual, emotional, mental and physical harmony of the body, keeping the yin and yang forces in balance. Traditional medicine is widely used in China as a method of scientific therapy and in Western countries in the form of alternative medicine.

The effectiveness of reflexology has been criticized by healthcare organizations. Numerous clinical studies consider the effect of the method to be equivalent to that of a placebo. In Russia, despite the constantly growing popularity of acupuncture, the effectiveness of reflexology has not been officially confirmed either; it is not considered evidence-based medicine.

Scientific researchers are inclined to believe that the basis of the action of a variety of reflexology acupuncture (acupuncture) is the placebo effect, which explains the positive results therapy.

The latest clinical decisions of German scientists have shown that the effectiveness of the acupuncture method practically does not depend on the method the impact of needles on the human body and the duration of therapy, therefore the effect of the treatment is based on the psychological effect self-hypnosis.

Despite this, clinical trials have been able to confirm the positive effect of reflexology in reducing feelings of nausea and certain types of pain.

Reflexology is popular as an independent method of therapy and is combined with drug treatments and is used in various fields of medicine. Therapists in China claim that reflexology can treat about 250 diseases.

Indications

Reflexology, the indications and contraindications of which must be studied in order to form an effective course of treatment, focuses on many medical areas.

The main ones are:

• deviations of the nervous system;
• osteochondrosis;
• heart diseases;
• abnormalities in the work of the kidneys;
• diseases of the digestive tract;
• respiratory tract diseases.

With osteochondrosis

Reflexology for osteochondrosis most often includes acupuncture.

It is believed that in case of diseases of the spine, exposure to it with needles will contribute to:

• cessation of inflammatory processes;
• easing pain;
• improving the movement of blood through small blood and lymphatic vessels.

As a result of the course of acupuncture, the patient should feel an improvement in his condition:

• cessation of edema of tissues and spinal nerves;
• relieving muscle spasms;
• normalization of sleep and general well-being;
• reduction or elimination of pain.

The mechanism of therapy consists in the peculiarities of the reaction of reflexes of the nervous system, which are able to eliminate the symptoms of a patient suffering from osteochondrosis.

When speech is delayed

Reflexotherapy, the indications and contraindications for which it is important to consider regardless of the type of disease, is often used for violations of human speech function.

Most often, therapy is used to treat children with delayed speech development by influencing acupuncture points located on the head and affecting the desired areas of the brain with the help of small current pulses. In combination with other methods of treatment, in some cases, there is an improvement in the child's speech function.

With obesity

Obesity is a disease that lends itself to complex treatment, where reflexology is an auxiliary means of influencing the patient's body.

During hormonal disorders, therapy helps to normalize the endocrine system; psychological abnormalities (seizing stress, compulsive overeating) are treated by influencing the points responsible for the production of hormones that reduce stress.

With cerebral palsy

For children with complex cerebral palsy, individual restorative therapy is being developed, which often includes acupuncture. Acupuncture acts on the central nervous system and at the same time helps to restore the affected connections between parts of the brain.

Weakness of reflexes in children with cerebral palsy is corrected by influencing the brain centers responsible for movement and reflex functions. To prevent irreversible deformation of the child's limbs, experts prescribe reflexology at the age of up to 3 years.

With bronchial asthma

The causes of bronchial asthma can be different and include both a person's tendency to allergic reactions and psychosomatics (the influence of psychological factors on the onset of the disease). It is believed that, regardless of the cause, bronchial asthma is amenable to reflexology.

Exposure to specific points helps to strengthen the body's defenses and prevent the aggravation of allergic reactions and asthma attacks. The effect on the psyche is by stimulating the production of hormones, but psychotherapy is the main method of treating psychosomatic illness.

Contraindications

Reflexology, the indications and contraindications of which should be studied in detail to calculate the course of therapy, includes the following contraindications:

• infectious diseases (hepatitis, tuberculosis, AIDS, purulent and venereal inflammations);
• age under 3 years old or after 75 years;
• malignant neoplasms (the effect of the procedure on blood circulation can promote tumor growth);
• pregnancy (the procedure can affect the contractions of the uterus, which leads to premature birth);
• skin diseases;
• blood diseases (leukemia and hemophilia);
• the state of alcoholic and drug intoxication;
• acute surgical pathologies (hernias, ulcers, appendicitis);
• a feverish state (an increase in temperature disrupts the functioning of the central nervous system, which may affect the result of the procedure);
• acute pain of unknown origin.

It is also necessary to know that the therapy of a point effect on the body can activate painful processes, promote the appearance of tumors and stimulate their enlargement.

Also, therapy should be prescribed with caution with:

• heart disease;
• circulatory disorders;
• dermatological diseases at the affected areas;
• chronic fatigue.

What is the difference between reflexology and regular massage?

Reflexology, the indications and contraindications of which include a list of important symptoms for study, differs from the usual massage in the general understanding. Acupressure also developed in ancient China, but its action and methods are different from reflexology.

The difference lies in the effect on body parts: massage does not injure the skin and covers a large area of ​​influence, unlike reflexology. Procedures with needles and other instruments intensely affect biologically active points on the human body.

They take longer but have a stronger effect at the end of the course of treatment. Also, reflexology is considered more useful for surgical treatment, which is associated with the speed and strength of the reaction of the human body to the procedure.

Benefits of treatment

The reflexology technique is most often used in combination with other methods of treatment, as well as a prophylactic measure to prevent diseases or their relapses.

The main advantages of reflexology:

• absence of painful side effects during high-quality procedures;
• availability for a wide age range;
• treatment of diseases from various medical fields;
• effective prevention of most diseases;
• strengthening the body's defenses, increasing immunity;
• low invasiveness for the skin;
• relative painlessness of the procedures.

How does it work? 4 principles of reflexology

All types of reflexology combine universal principles that reveal the effectiveness of exposure to areas of the human body. They reflect and make it possible to understand the fundamental theory of the body's energy channels, on the basis of which therapeutic methods of treatment are developed.

Principle # 1: works with the central nervous system

Biologically active points on the human body are able to send signals to the central nervous system through stimulation. The reaction from her side is the main one. Under the influence of the central nervous system, one can detect changes in the affected area, see the zonal reaction of the integuments of the body and the general reflex.

The rest of the body's reactions are manifested already against the background of the regulation of the nervous system. As a result of exposure to the central nervous system, relaxation of the body can be observed, relief of the painful condition and improvement of blood supply.

Principle # 2: Reduces Stress, Pain and Improves Mood

Reflex points, which are influenced by a reflexologist, are connected with each other and with the nervous system. Therefore, stimulating certain areas of the body directly affects the release of hormones responsible for anxiety and general mood.

Also, experts say that reflex points are associated with different organs, therefore, with the help of therapy, pain in the body can be reduced.

Principle # 3 Retains the "Life Energy" of the Body

According to ancient Chinese medicine, painful stagnation in the circulation of energy and blood manifests itself in different ways. Feelings of body aches, numbness and bloating are few symptoms that signal disturbances in the circulation of human vital energy.

Acupuncture, according to the followers of traditional schools of acupuncture, rooted in ancient beliefs and philosophy Taoism, consider illness as an imbalance and disturbance in the circulation of energy, which can be eliminated with the help of acupuncture.

The method of influencing biological points can activate the energy channels of a person and retain his vital energy. However, modern science denies the existence of this type of energy.

Principle # 4: works with different areas of the body

Acupuncture is based on knowledge about the system of energy channels in the human body. According to the traditional views on reflexology, the system of biologically active points located on the human body is a projection of the network of energy meridians at the physical level.

There are more than 600 points on all the meridians of the human body, they are classified by type:

• points in the spine area responsible for the work of the heart, kidneys and gastrointestinal tract;
• common points responsible for the state of the central nervous system;
• local points located at the joints, blood vessels and muscle groups;
• regional points responsible for the work of a certain body;
• segmental points that are connected to muscles and certain organs.

It is believed that the correct finding of biologically active points can save a person from anxiety, bad habits, obesity and many other diseases.

Types of reflexology, how the procedures are carried out

Reflexology includes several types of mechanical impact. Each of them differs in its indications and contraindications, therefore, before considering the features of each method of therapy, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the diagnoses and symptoms in which it is allowed and prohibited to take the course treatment.

Indications	Contraindications
Acupuncture	diseases of the nervous system; deviations in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract; kidney, heart disease; problems with the endocrine system; violations of the respiratory system; problems with the musculoskeletal system.	infections; tumors; blood clotting disorders; skin problems; epilepsy; children or old age (less than 3 and more than 75 years).
Hardware treatment	problems with blood circulation and blood vessels; varicose veins; osteochondrosis; joint problems; diseases of the pelvic organs.	oncology; epilepsy; pregnancy; the presence of a pacemaker.
Microcurrent reflexology	Cerebral palsy; hydrocephalus; delayed psychoverbal and motor development; spinal injury; recovery from brain injuries; developmental delay in a child; Down syndrome, genetic abnormalities; neuroses, psychoneuroses; dysfunction of the brain.	a pacemaker installed in the patient; malignant neoplasms; aggravated infections; pregnancy; taking drugs or alcohol; violation of the psychotic level of the patient.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture can only be effective with a qualified professional; an inexperienced doctor can harm the patient's body. Before carrying out the procedure, which consists in the impact of needles on biologically active points of the human body, a specialist in acupuncture observes 3 important rules:

• Correct determination of the diagnosis based on patient complaints, initial examination and analysis of the results of visits to other doctors. It is also important to draw up a treatment regimen, which is associated with the individual response of each patient to the procedure.
• Knowledge of biologically active points of a person to determine the correct areas of exposure to needles on them. Sometimes special devices are used to determine them accurately.
• Knowledge of the rules and laws of acupuncture. Indiscriminate impact on all possible points will not contribute to a positive effect; for proper treatment, it is necessary to take into account all the factors affecting the number and order of stimulation of acupuncture areas. Therefore, the specialist must know all the nuances and rules for constructing a complex of therapy.

Hardware treatment

Hardware treatment includes a set of procedures using special devices:

• generating low voltage electric current;
• using a combination of heating and cooling;
• generating ultrasound or infrared radiation.

It is believed that the devices as a result of treatment are able to restore blood circulation, normalize metabolism substances and strengthen immunity due to the combination of different effects on the human body and a wide area application.

Microcurrent reflexology

For carrying out microcurrent reflexology, several devices are used, registered with Roszdravnadzor.

Hardware and software complexes search and diagnose acupuncture zones, analyze the data obtained and select the desired mode of exposure. Before starting treatment, the patient undergoes examinations with doctors of different directions, takes tests and provides the collected information to a specialist.

This is necessary to determine the most accurate treatment and identify contraindications. During the procedure, standardized cutaneous electrodes are used. They are connected to a generator to influence areas of the human body with ultra-small electrical impulses. The procedure is painless and lasts no more than an hour.

Negative consequences

The main cause of complications after reflexotherapy is an imperfect technique for performing the procedure. Also, the patient's tendency to allergic reactions has a great influence on the effectiveness of the procedure.

The most common negative consequences after reflexology are:

• headache;
• pallor of the skin;
• unpleasant sensations in the places of exposure;
• weakness and nausea;
• the occurrence of hematomas.

The most dangerous in terms of negative consequences is acupuncture.

Negative consequences of this type of reflexology:

• infection with hepatitis, AIDS, which can occur due to repeated use of needles;
• the development of malignant neoplasms, which can occur due to exposure to birthmarks, scars and other benign formations;
• problems with blood vessels, nerves, tendons and other organs that the doctor can damage due to an incorrectly inserted needle (the degree of inclination and the level of the puncture depth);
• painful sensations and bruising at the injection sites as a result of damage to the blood vessels;
• weakness, nausea, or fainting caused by a sudden drop in pressure after the procedure. This may be related to the patient's stress level and physical condition prior to the procedure.

The cost of the procedure

The cost of the procedures depends on the reflexology method:

• the cost of acupuncture is from 1000-2000 rubles. The required number of sessions is 10;
• the cost of microcurrent therapy is from 1000-3500 rubles. The course of treatment is 3 weeks - 15 treatments;
• the cost of hardware reflexology is from 2000-4500 rubles. The required number of sessions is determined by a specialist.

Reflexology is a treatment method based on the principles of traditional Chinese teaching. Indications for reflexology procedures cover a wide range of diseases, but to form an effective course of treatment it is necessary to know the contraindications to therapy, so as not to harm the body and to achieve result.

Article design: Vladimir the Great

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