Real,World Consequences of Reflexology Research

Real,World Consequences of Reflexology Research. 

Reflexology research has the power to inform about possibilities for not only the medical community but also reflexologists. Research provides the power of possibilities about what reflexology can do. 

The prognosis for 80 year old Dawn was not good on that Wednesday. The stroke she had experienced was described as “massive” by the consultant following assessment of a scan of her brain showing the injured area. She was not expected to survive the next 24 hours. If she did it was predicted she would be paralyzed on the left half of her body with the potential loss of sight and hearing abilities. One option was making Dawn “comfortable in a side room and giving her morphine."

It’s some sixty days later and Dawn walks out of a rehabilitation facility for outside visits and will return home in the weeks to come. There are some lingering effects of her stroke but the doctor says it should be no problem for her to do things like walk up stairs.

The happy ending to Dawn’s story started with her daughter Gayle’s decision to hold her mother’s hand to comfort her while waiting assessment in the UK hospital’s A & E (Accident and Emergency) stroke unit. It then occurred to Gayle to apply reflexology while holding her hand. Using knowledge gained as a reflexology student and encouraged by reported results of fMRI research (Neural Pathways of Applied Reflexology) with stroke patients, she was determined to use reflexology to help her mother.

Progress was evaluated day by day. On Thursday the consultant saw no progress discounting as spasming Gayle’s reports of her mother moving in response to reflexology application. He decided to extend care another day swayed by, as Gayle tells it, I think he felt sorry for us. She and her two sisters took turns staying by their mother’s bed around the clock. On Friday, perhaps swayed by blood pressure readings, he again made the decision to extend care. 

Next came what Gayle describes as their lucky break, a doctor’s strike started Friday evening. She says, "So there were a lack of doctors anyway to deal with anything, so you didn't have to. So, thank God, we realized, like, you know, just to keep this going, keep this going.

It was just after midnight early that Saturday morningwith Gayle, taking a break and with her sister Hayley at their mother’s bedside. Dawn turned and said, Hi, Hay. Dawn was awake. She had recognized her daughter Hayley’s voice.

On Monday, the family could report to the consultant, Dawn had spoken. Hospital care could continue. Gayle’s reflexology work continued. A stay at a rehabilitation facility followed with the expectation that Dawn will return to her life.

Note: While this is a wonderful story it isn’t a scientific fact. It is considered anecdotal evidence.  To make a factual case for using reflexology as a tool for stroke recovery we need the data to support this effort. 

Join the Effort to Finish the fMRI Research Project

What are the study’s scientists saying about the progress of the foot reflexology and fMRI research project, Neural Pathways of Applied Reflexology? 

It’s the best possible news. The scientists are so enthusiastic about preliminary results they are mapping a path forward to demonstrate that reflexology can be a science. 

What can you do to help? Help us raise the $10,000 needed to finish analysis of the brain scans acquired during the research. Donate here to the non-profit UNM Fund - Neural Pathways of Applied Reflexology https://www.unmfund.org/fund/npar-fund/

Finishing analysis will lead to an article published in a scientific journal. Such proof of results facilitates the next step, application for grant money from the National Institute of Health for another study. Finally, a study including a large number of subjects will help,establish reflexology as a science.