Reflexology Before Shots Makes for a Happier Infant

By Tomipelegrin - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=91683887

Nobody likes to see a little one cry but, when it’s time for vaccination shots, it’s inevitable. Things can be better for baby. Research showed reflexology applied before the inoculation reduced crying time and pain afterwards.

Reflexology was applied for 20 to 30 minutes before the inoculations with time depending on the size of the infant’s foot. After the vaccinations, a statistically significant difference was found between the pain scores of infants in the reflexology groups and those in the control group. 

The FLACC pain score found to be 5.47 (± 2.11) in the reflexology group and 9.63 (± .85) in the control group. (Wikipedia: The FLACC scale or Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolabilityscale is a measurement used to assess pain for children between the ages of 2 months and 7 years or individuals that are unable to communicate their pain). The infants in the reflexology group also had lower heart rates, higher oxygen saturation, and shorter crying periods than the infants in the control group.

To try this, gently press on the sole of your baby’s bare or socked foot. As described in Reflexology for Children, “The feet and hands ar natural candidates for playing with an infant. Saying ‘This little piggy went to market’ while pulling or squeezing toes is a staple activity to get an infant’s attention. A few presses here and there and some movements and you have a reflexology session that is an extension of a childhood game.”

 The Effect of Foot Reflexology on Acute Pain in Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Koç T, Gözen D, "The Effect of Foot Reflexology on Acute Pain in Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Worldviews Evid Based Nurs. 2015 Oct;12(5):289-96. doi: 10.1111/wvn.12099. PMID: 26220257 

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Medical applications of Reflexology:: Findings in Research about Cancer Care

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An Epiphany About Reflexology

This week we were asked for the first time we were asked to do a peer review of a reflexology research article. Usually a peer is considered a doctor or a PHd who really isn't familiar with reflexology so they don't really understand field. So this is a step forward.

But in thinking about this step forward it also struck me that there is an underlying question here that lies outside this particular study. We are living in a fishbowl in essence trying to speculate what it is like on the outside. So I am jumping out of the fishbowl in an attempt to explain the workings of reflexology as they apply to our internal milieu.

Does reflexology impact the autonomic nervous system?

1. Each and every application of pressure causes a change in the autonomic nervous system if it is beyond a certain threshold. In other words if the pressure applied is a strong enough signal to be picked up by the sensors in the foot it will cause a shift in the ANS.

2. Reflexology is the systematic applying of pressure to the feet and hands. The strength of the signal is significant enough to be picked up by the sensors of the skin and the deeper pressure sensors in the feet and hands.

3. Therefore it causes a shift or change in the ANS. The tone or tension level in the body is changed.

4. Now whether that shift is significant enough to have a positive impact on the tone of the body is related to a number of factors. In fact, there could be a situation where the application of pressure would actually cause a negative impact on the tone of the body. Say the practitioner applied pressure beyond the individuals comfort level.

The factors that determine a positive impact are frequency, duration and strength of signal. We translated this as How often?, how long? and how much?. These are key elements.

So to jump out of the fish tank for a second -anytime pressure is applied whether it be standing up or having a reflexology session there is a shift in our internal organs as the new demands require allocation of fuel (glucose) and O2 (oxygen). A footstep or a reflexology session both require fuel and oxygen to be supplied. They are simply different rates.

They also require a shift in tension level or tone. There are different demands and different settings form each.

The introduction of a new demand such as a footstep or a reflexology technique causes a shift in the tone or tension level of the body. Again these are of course calibrated to the specific demand or signal introduced.

So the real question is whether you can cause a significant enough shift in both the ANS and the tonal system of the body to have a positive impact on the disease and illness. This would depend on the factors of frequency, duration and strength of signal.

I would add one more which is the type of signal introduced. A pat on the back is certainly going to cause a different shift in the ANS and tonal system than a poke in the eye.

Now I will jump back in my fishbowl.

Kevin Kunz

http://www.reflexology-research.com