Massage Therapy - What Is Reflexology?

There are a range of massage therapy schools in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Most offer a wide assortment of training and courses to meet all requirements of today's massage therapist. A number of these offer Reflexology as part of a typical training program. What exactly is Reflexology? It's an alternative therapy approach that concentrates on energy flow to help relieve the tension and stress found in the body.

It's not surprising that the prevalence of Reflexology has spread quickly across the country. The techniques for reflexology are extremely different from traditional massage, nevertheless include it as part of an optional course for any of the accredited massage and shiatsu diploma programs in Minneapolis massage therapy school. Since it is such a popular modality, many massage therapists have chosen to add Reflexology as one of their massage specialties. Because of this, massage therapists can benefit by incorporating Reflexology as another modality to their clinic. In addition, students pursuing a professional massage therapy degree or 출장안마 continuing their education can learn Reflexology in their school and then add it to their curriculum.

The benefits of Reflexology come from the particular regions of the body where reflex points are situated. When applied correctly, it is going to target these reflex areas in the hands and feet to help promote recovery through increased blood flow and decreased tension. This same targeted program will also improve muscle strength in the shoulders and back. However, as with massage, there aren't specific regions of the body that are targeted for reflexology. Instead, it's believed that the feet and hands are the best place for applying pressure for maximum benefits.

Perhaps the most popular area in which Reflexology is practiced is over the neck and shoulders. Massage techniques concentrate mainly on these areas because they are believed to harbor a great deal of energy which can be exploited for therapeutic benefits. As a result of this, applying pressure points like those in the neck and shoulders is a fantastic way to both relax the body and generate additional energy for healing. While massage therapy focuses primarily on stress points on the body, Reflexology applies its treatment methods to the particular areas where pressure points are located.

Another area where Reflexology may be applied is over the ears. This isn't surprising given the proximity to the head and neck. The ear is also connected to the brain which provides the ears their sensory organ, thus providing a potential source of sensory input. Because the ear comprises sensitive nerve endings, the use of massage to the ears provides a relaxing effect as well as the potential advantages of stimulating the nervous system that aids in the healing process. This is why ear reflexology has been seen as an effective modality in the treatment of chronic conditions like depression, tension and pain.

One of the key ways in which Reflexology might be used is through the application of pressure points on the whole body. Pressure points refer to targeted areas in the body that allow for better blood flow, thus allowing for increased general wellness. By way of example, there's a specific pressure point referred to as the acupoints located near the wrist. By applying pressure on these acupoints, the reflex points located in the wrist begin to transfer blood flow to the entire body, including the skin. By increasing blood circulation, the entire body can increase its immune system and operate more effectively to fight infection and heal itself.

As previously mentioned, Reflexology uses its finger pressure points to stimulate the nerves in the body. It is this connection to the nervous system that makes Reflexology therapeutic in many cases. However, as interesting as that may sound, the primary reason that massage therapy is frequently considered as capable of relieving pain and the treatment of a variety of conditions is because of its ability to change the state of a person's energy system.