There are many factors that can affect fertility and conception, including high levels of alcohol, poor diet, weight, over-working, smoking, and the stress of the cycle of expectation and disappointment month after month. Having regular reflexology can be especially beneficial for those suffering fertility problems. It can help hormonal imbalances, regulate the menstrual cycle and relieve the anxiety of being unable to think of anything other than having a baby. Stress can have a negative effect on the ability to conceive, and reflexology is known to be both soothing and relaxing. It also works by improving the natural healing abilities of the body, encouraging all of the body systems to function efficiently and help with removing toxins from the body.
It is a great aid for IVF treatment too, and an experienced reflexologist will know how to do a treatment that does not interfere with the hormonal treatment during IVF. A regular treatment is needed because if the person is relaxed and more positive (and they are doing something to help the IVF work) that is all good. The reflexology treatment also puts the body in prime condition to receive and fertilize the eggs.
For a lot of couples, infertility can be an emotionally exhausting and expensive condition, but there is new hope as some women have found the answer in reflexology and this is now being investigated with an approved medical trial in the UK. Reflexology, which is actually an ancient art, involves manipulation of pressure points in the hands and feet which reflect the organs and systems of the body and, importantly for infertility, the fallopian tubes and ovaries associated with egg production. By massaging these points in a reflexology treatment, the body can unblock energy pathways and regain its natural balance, heal itself and support the healing of issues affecting conception.
A two-year clinical trial is the result of 13 women in a trial group with a range of fertility problems falling pregnant after having reflexology. That was 50% of the group and some got pregnant very quickly and felt it was because they felt more positive and that the reflexology treatment helped their body prepare for conception. One example had been trying for four years and was pregnant within four months. The other bonus is that, unlike drugs, it does not increase multiple pregnancies.
Currently, one in seven couples suffer from infertility, and 30% of those are not producing eggs. Reflexology can be used for most of the cycle but may be most helpful between menstruation and ovulation and it would be best then in pregnancy to work with a reflexologist. Aside from inducing intense relaxation, reflexology provides a space away from the fast track of modern day life and a chance to offload emotionally, physically and mentally. It provides an environment where the patient can be calmer and more serene and accept that they cannot control when conception will happen.
Other benefits of Reflexology:
PAIN:
In a 2011 studyTrusted Source funded by the National Cancer Institute, experts studied how reflexology treatments affected 240 women with advanced breast cancer. All women were undergoing medical treatment, such as chemotherapy, for their cancer.
The study found that reflexology helped to reduce some of their symptoms, including shortness of breath. The participants also reported an improved quality of life. But it didn’t have any effect on pain. Experts have also looked at the effects of reflexology on pain in women experiencing premenstrual syndrome (PMS). In one older studyTrusted Source, researchers looked at the effects of ear, hand, and foot reflexology on 35 women who previously reported having of PMS symptoms.
They found that those who received two months of reflexology treatment reported significantly fewer PMS symptoms than the women who did not. However, keep in mind that this study was very small and done decades ago.
Larger, long-term studies are needed to fully understand whether reflexology helps to reduce pain.
ANXIETY:
In one small studyTrusted Source from 2000, researchers looked at the effects of one 30-minute foot reflexology treatment on people being treated for breast or lung cancer. Those who received a reflexology treatment reported lower levels of anxiety than those who received no reflexology treatment.
In a 2014 study that was slightly larger, researchers gave people undergoing heart surgery a 20-minute foot reflexology treatment once a day for four days.
They found that those who received the reflexology treatment reported significantly lower levels of anxiety than those who didn’t. Touch by another human being is a relaxing, caring, anxiety-reducing action for most people. Generally, reflexology is very safe, even for people living with serious health conditions. It’s non-invasive and comfortable to receive, Reflexology can help improve many conditions.
Contra-indication :
- circulatory problems in the feet
- blood clots or inflammation of your leg veins
- gout
- foot ulcers
- fungal infections, like athlete’s foot
- open wounds on your hands or feet
- thyroid problems
- epilepsy
- a low platelet count or other blood problems, which can make you bruise and bleed more easily
You may still be able to try reflexology if you have any of these issues, but you might need to take a few precautions to avoid any adverse effect.
Qualifications providers:
VTCT - Level 3 and Level 4 Reflexology
VTCT - Level 3 and Level 4 Complementary Therapy
Doncaster UK approved centre: Learning Curve, Hair and Beauty Academy (formally known as White Rose), 7 Thorne Road. Tel: 01302 367 434 or email to: leanne.timms@learningcurvegroup.co.uk for more information.
Resources:
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