Ukraine, Egypt explore preferential trade deal: Zelenskyy    Egypt, Russia's Rosatom review grid readiness for El-Dabaa nuclear plant    Mastercard Unveils AI-Powered Card Fraud Prevention Service in EEMEA Region, Starting from Egypt    Global tour for Korean 'K-Comics' launches in Cairo with 'Hellbound' exhibition    China's factory output expands in June '25    Egyptian pound climbs against dollar at Wednesday's close    New accords on trade, security strengthen Egypt-Oman Relations    Egypt launches public-private partnership to curb c-sections, improve maternal, child health    Gaza under Israeli siege as death toll mounts, famine looms    EMRA, Elsewedy sign partnership to explore, develop phosphate reserves in Sebaiya    Philip Morris Misr announces new price list effective 1 July    Egypt Post discusses enhanced cooperation with Ivorian counterpart    Egypt's Environment Minister calls for stronger action on desertification, climate resilience in Africa    Egypt in diplomatic push for Gaza truce, Iran-Israel de-escalation    Egypt teams up with private sector to boost university rankings    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Egypt condemns deadly terrorist attack in Niger    Egypt, Tunisia discuss boosting healthcare cooperation        Egypt's EHA, Schneider Electric sign MoU on sustainable infrastructure    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Grand Egyptian Museum opening delayed to Q4    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Egypt discovers three New Kingdom tombs in Luxor's Dra' Abu El-Naga    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Egypt's FM inspects Julius Nyerere Dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



It's all in the pressure points
Published in Daily News Egypt on 12 - 08 - 2006


Nada Rashed explains the essentials of reflexology
CAIRO: Many people laugh at the idea that touching certain points in their feet or hands can grant a feeling of relief from the pain usually associated with headaches or digestive and back problems.
Like most alternative medicine, reflexology still struggles for public and official acceptance. Even though countries across the globe now acknowledge reflexology, homeopathy and acupuncture as established medical practices, studied in top-notch universities. The Egyptian public remains skeptical.
Contrary to common belief, reflexology is not imported Chinese hocus pocus but an established science that actually originated in Egypt thousands of years ago. Drawings on ancient monuments show the ancient Egyptians practicing it. At this time it was the treatment of kings and queens. It was very luxurious and not everyone did it. It was used to stimulate the body and induce energy, says Nada Rashed, a local reflexologist.
In the early 20th century, Dr. William Fitzgerald rediscovered the practice and introduced it to the world as zone therapy. After his death, his assistant, Eunice Ingham, continued his research and developed the science of reflexology. An accumulation of developments and scientific contributions led to the current practice of reflexology, explains Rashed.
Describing it as one of the most important types of alternative medicines, Rashed notes that reflexology falls under the umbrella of practices that address the body s vital energy, a category it shares with homeopathy.
Vital energy is inside all of us but it is not tangible, you can t measure it, explains Rashed, noting that there have been attempts to measure it scientifically. We are all born with vital energy. At the beginning it is balanced, but due to certain circumstances like pollution, smoking, excessive alcohol, stress, bad nutrition, environmental changes and weather variance, it starts an imbalance. Once an imbalance occurs in the body s vital energy, the definite result is a dis-ease.
Rashed says practitioners of alternative medicine prefer to call diseases dis-ease, clarifying that the sufferer's discomfort is associated with a vital energy imbalance. This is why we tell people, whenever you feel a symptom, don t ignore it. Pay attention to it. This is the body s way of telling you that something is wrong . of giving you a signal that it is not really functioning at best.
By applying pressure to certain reflex points on the feet, hands and ears, reflexologists try to restore this energy, leading the body to gradually rid itself of the feelings of pain and discomfort and eventually attaining healing from the disease.The reflex points, distributed throughout the feet and hands, are connected to nerve endings reaching the brain and each represents or is connected to certain body organs and systems. When you stimulate [a reflex point], it gives a signal to the nervous system, so it acts on the pain receptors in the brain, Rashed explains.
The process has no side effects, but with pregnant women extra attention is required to avoid over stimulation of the uterus and pelvic area, she says.
The foot contains the largest number of reflex points, she adds, and it also includes six of the body s meridians, which are energy pathways running throughout the whole body. The Chinese concentrate on it extensively in acupuncture and acupressure, she says. Thus, foot reflexology is Rashed s favorite of all subcategories; she recently acquired a diploma in foot reflexology directed toward the spine, which she says is the sources of all problems.
The simulation of the reflex points and the meridians is accomplished by exerting pressure or utilizing a gentle circular movement. It depends on the organ, says Rashed, Some organs are very tender and have very tender reflexes, so you don t really work by pressing.
Unlike foot massage, which is often confused with reflexology, patients usually experience pain during the session. In a massage you relax and don t feel tired [it also targets the muscles, unlike reflexology]. In a reflexology session, people frequently feel pain, because I am pressing something they are complaining about, she notes.
Once the patient experiences pain, Rashed gradually reduces the pressure and as the pain dissolves, she makes it firmer. The pain, she explains, means that the body is opening up. It s taking what it needs from this pressure. This is a form of energy I m giving to the body and its opening and it is letting energy in. Balance starts occurring.
In the case of elderly people, babies and infants, and people generally sensitive to touch, Rashed is more careful. Because the elderly often have a lower threshold of pain, she reduces the sessions from the standard 45 to 60 minutes to 30 minutes. The same goes for infants but for different reasons; Rashed explains that their vital energy balance is only slightly disturbed at this age.
In the end, no one goes home feeling a bit of discomfort. She uses essential oils and creams to make the pain more bearable. It s not a torturing session, she adds.
For example, if a patient with a sleep disorder leaves in pain or discomfort, he/she won t be able to sleep after the session. One of the major things that reflexology really helps with is relaxation and the ability to sleep deeper, states Rashed, Even if you don t have a sleep problem, it enhances deeper sleep.
Sleep isn t the only area in which reflexology achieves remarkable results; Rashed has personally experienced success in treating headaches, back pain, colon problems and constipation. Reflexology is also effective in hormonal imbalances, infertility, arthritis and stress-related problems.
Rashed notes that she can t fix pathological damage. I can t recreate. Even medicine can t recreate. In cases [like kidney failure] they go for surgery or transplantation. I can t restore something ruptured or damaged.
She does try to treat the person as a whole. She doesn t just treat a person for headache, but rather acknowledges individual differences, asking questions about their history in an attempt to discover the causes of the problem. Psychological reasons aren't behind every problem, she notes, but she tries to provide holistic healing.


Clic here to read the story from its source.